Original Stories

“Our Possible Pasts”

Short Story in
2113: Stories Inspired by the Music of RUSH

Edited by Kevin J. Anderson & John McFetridge

Assistant U.S. attorney Juan Robles must prosecute for murder and fraud Nguyen Anh Phuong, a woman who claims to have invented a machine that enables people to send their consciousness and memories back in time to their younger selves—but kills their present-moment bodies in the process.

This original short story was written for this anthology, and was inspired by the Rush song “Show Don’t Tell” from the album Presto.

From the Back Cover

The music of Rush, one of the most successful bands in music history, is filled with fantastic stories, evocative images, thought-provoking futures and pasts. In this anthology, notable, bestselling, and award-winning writers each chose a Rush song as the spark for a new story, drawing inspiration from the visionary trio Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart.

From stark dystopian struggles to uplifting triumphs of the human spirit, the characters populating 2113 find strength while searching for hope in a world that is repressive, dangerous, or just debilitatingly bland. Most of these tales are science fiction, but some are fantasies, thrillers, even edgy mainstream. Many of Rush’s big hits are represented, as well as deeper cuts . . . with wonderful results. This anthology also includes the seminal stories that inspired the Rush classics “Red Barchetta” and “Roll the Bones,” as well as Kevin J. Anderson’s novella sequel to the groundbreaking Rush album 2112.

2113 contains stories by New York Times bestselling authors Kevin J. Anderson, Michael Z. Williamson, David Mack, David Farland, Dayton Ward, and Mercedes Lackey; award winners Fritz Leiber, John McFetridge, Steven Savile, Brad R. Torgersen, Ron Collins, David Niall Wilson, and Brian Hodge, as well as many other authors with their imaginations on fire.