The Beasts in the Void

"The Beasts in the Void" by Paul W. Fairman is a science fiction tale set against the backdrop of deep space, where a seasoned big-game hunter turned space captain, Holloway, grapples with the blurring lines between reality and the human mind. The narrative follows Holloway's journey after a failed hunting expedition unleashes bizarre, cosmic creatures that materialize from the void. Tormented by the memory of his late wife, Melody, Holloway struggles as terrifying beasts, embodying his and his passengers' desires and fears, begin to surface. As his crew falls into a trance, he desperately tries to stay awake to uncover the link between their frightening ordeal and the mysterious 'mind stuff' filling space. The story unfolds as Holloway wrestles with loss and the search for meaning with a heartbreaking encounter with memories in a reality beyond understanding.