futuristic stories Joanne Merriam short stories Friday, July 3, 2026 Possible Purposes of Plastic Buttons by Joanne Merriam A woman is so preoccupied with her dying husband that an alien invasion fails to make much of an impression.I was at the hospital when the aliens landed. I'd made up my face that morning, but I'd eaten since then, and cried, and laid my cheek against his. I wiped my face naked with wet tissues and rubbed it with my bare hands, something soothing about the gesture despite everything. At th… Read more Labels: futuristic stories Joanne Merriam short stories 4 comments: