Erik Bilicki's Short Stories, Novelettes, and Novellas

On this eve of September 11th, I'm sharing a short story I wrote called "Last Call." I worked on the 70th floor of the South Tower from 1997-1999, passing through the 44th floor sky lobby every day to catch the second set of elevators. Though I wasn't there that day, this place holds deep personal memories. This story imagines four young professionals spending their last normal evening together in a café beneath the World Trade Center on September 10, 2001. It's about friendship, truth, and those final moments before everything changed. I'm sharing it not for promotion, but as a form of remembrance—for all those who didn't make it home that day, and for the world we all lost. Content note: The story deals with 9/11 and ends at the moment of impact. Feel free to read and share if it resonates with you. Sometimes stories help us process what words alone cannot. Last Call   By Erik Bilicki   “One more round,” Jim said, fingers drumming a restless...

Today was the market portion of Big Foot Days festival in Remer, Minnesota – a celebration of all things cryptid in the heart of lake country. I set up a booth alongside vendors selling everything from Big Foot t-shirts to tie-dyed apparel, my horror collection Old Hungers nestled between straw hats and novelty mugs (full disclosure: I was also selling Big Foot apparel, tumblers, key chains, and straw hats). It felt wonderfully surreal. What I didn't expect was the readers. Throughout the day, people kept approaching my table with that look of recognition. "Are you Erik Bilicki? I saw your book on Goodreads!" "My friend shared your giveaway on Facebook!" "I've been wanting to read Old Hungers!" There's something magical about that moment when digital buzz becomes real-world connection. These weren't just casual browsers – they were actively seeking me out, having discovered my work through social media and Goodreads reviews. The online comm...

Uncovering the Shadows of War   By Julian Morraine   Earth Date: February 23 rd , 2044 Zarumin Date: Orbita 66,626, Lumina Cycle 3, Zara 28 (66,626:3:28) )   Introduction: Echoes of Conflict The more time I spend on Proxima Centauri b, the more I realize how little we know about this planet. For all its wonders and astonishing achievements, the Zarumin civilization has a darker side—a past marked by conflict, betrayal, and secrets that still linger just beneath the surface. After the disaster in Aurorin and the guarded responses from the Zarumin, I found myself asking questions about the world’s history. What are the Shadow Wars? What sparked the Resource Wars? And more importantly, how did these events shape the society that exists today? Every civilization has its scars, but on Proxima b, the wounds of the past seem fresher, as though they haven’t quite healed. Perhaps the planet’s eternal twilight has a way of preserving the echoes of the past. Whatever ...

Aurorin, A Frontier City on the Edge of Darkness   By Julian Morraine   Earth Date: February 23rd, 2044 Zarumin Date: Orbita 66,626, Lumina Cycle 1, Zara 28 (66,626:1:28)   Introduction: A Journey to the Frontier   After weeks spent in Tenebrae, where shadows whisper ancient secrets and the city hums with the memories of its long history, I found myself yearning for something more raw, more immediate—a place where the mysteries of Proxima Centauri b aren’t just ancient history but an ongoing, living story. Aurorin, perched on the very edge of the twilight zone and bordering the frozen night side, offered exactly that.   This isn’t a city clinging to its past. Aurorin’s future is still unfolding, even as its foundations lie in the dust of forgotten battles and hard-won triumphs. Stories of the Shadow Wars and the Resource Wars still linger in the air, but the people here are forward-facing, their eyes set firmly on the horizon—on the next...

Journey to The Pyramids of the Eternal Shadow   By Julian Morraine   Earth Date: February 2nd, 2044 Zarumin Date: Orbita 66,625, Lumina Cycle 4, Zara 20 (66,625:4:20)   Introduction: A Journey Deeper into the Unknown   I’ve traveled to places that would make most people think they’d seen it all—worlds both familiar and alien, where the rules of nature bend and twist in unexpected ways. Yet nothing could have prepared me for Proxima Centauri b, a planet of eternal twilight and stark contrasts.   It’s a place where light and dark coexist in a perpetual dance, where the very air hums with ancient mysteries. Within this liminal zone, straddling the border between twilight and night, lie the Pyramids of the Eternal Shadow—one of the most enigmatic places I’ve ever encountered.   My journey began in Tenebrae, the oldest and most storied city on this world. After spending weeks exploring its underground chambers and bioluminescent gardens...

Exploring the Twilight: An Otherworldly Journey to Tenebrae   By Julian Morraine   Earth Date: January 10 th , 2044 Zarumin Date: Orbita 66,623, Lumina Cycle 3, Zara 5 (66623:3:5)   Introduction: A Journey to the Edge   I’ve journeyed through countless worlds and cultures, each with its own rhythm and pulse. Still, nothing could have prepared me for the enigmatic beauty of Proxima Centauri b. This planet, balanced precariously between extremes—light and dark, warmth and cold, life and desolation—holds a twilight zone where these dichotomies blur. Here lies Tenebrae, an ancient city where the story of the Zarumin people truly begins.   Tenebrae is more than just the oldest continuously inhabited settlement on Proxima Centauri b; it’s a living testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the Nocturne people, an ethnicity of the Zarumin who have mastered life in perpetual dusk. This is a place where light and shadow are in constant dialogue, w...