Never Come Midnight

"Never Come Midnight" by H. L. (Horace Leonard) Gold is a science fiction story that looks at what happens when people try to live forever, and what's right and wrong when dealing with beings from other planets. Protagonist Emrys Shortmire discovers that his dad made a deal with aliens called the Morethans, which causes problems for everyone on Earth. When his father mysteriously dies on the planet Morethis, Emrys learns he's part human and part Morethan, and also that he can't die. He then wants to get even with those who hurt him, especially another inventor named Nicholas Dyall. In the end, the story explores themes relating to what it truly means to be human, the risks of wanting too much, and the dangers of trying to control life and death, which calls into question what is important in life and what people leave behind.