Dread Rating: 3 Skulls

The First Five Minutes of the Apocalypse 
by Brandon Applegate  

In these pages, you won't find the hero. You won't find the ticking clock. You will not be in the room when they press the big red button. 

In these pages, you won't find the hero. You won't find the ticking clock. You will not be in the room when they press the big red button. Instead, you'll find new life in the face of certain death, a boy whose prayers are answered in the worst way, mothers and sisters and friends who just want another second with their loved ones, and those who just want a moment to themselves.
These are the stories from the ground. The experiences of those who saw the world come to its violent conclusion, and what really mattered at the end of all things.

Featuring original fiction by
Taryn Martinez, Carson Winter, D. Matthew Urban, Sara Tantlinger, Alex Fox, Tiffany Michelle Brown, Angela Sylvaine, M. Lopes da Silva, Andrew Cull, Ruth Anna Evans, Wendy N. Wagner, Gwendolyn Kiste, Olen Crowe, Brittany Johnston, Elou Carroll, Nick Bouchard, L. Marie Wood, W. Dale Jordan, Elford Alley, Chris Mason, Matthew M. Bartlett, Madison McSweeney, Rae Knowles, RJ Joseph, Emma E. Murray, V. Castro, Eoin Murphy, and J.A.W. McCarthy

Foreword - Brandon Applegate
Coming Earthside - Taryn Martinez
A Eulogy for the Fifth World - Carson Winter
Estrangements - D. Matthew Urban
The Viridescent Dark - Sara Tantlinger
The Hunt – Alex Fox
Red Rover, Red Rover - Tiffany Michelle Brown
No More Meatloaf Monday - Angela Sylvaine
Bonnie's Ablution - M. Lopes da Silva
The Scream - Andrew Cull
The Door in the Basement – Ruth Anna Evans
Silver Alert - Wendy N. Wagner
A Sweet Soiree on the Last Night of the World - Gwendolyn Kiste
The Boy Who Prayed for the World to End - Olen Crowe
Tuesday - Brittany Johnston

Dirt and Blood and Silence - Elou Carroll
Ten Totally Free Places to Watch The End of the World - Nick Bouchard
Anymore - L. Marie Wood
The End is Very Fucking Nigh - W. Dale Jordan
When the Horizon Burns - Elford Alley
Alice - Chris Mason
Smash Hit - Matthew M. Bartlett
I Am the Vanity Mirror Shaped Like a Skull - Madison McSweeney
Eyes Open, Knees Apart for the End of the World - Rae Knowles
Endless Possibilities -RJ Joseph
The Smell of Summer - Emma E. Murray
Muerte Luna - V. Castro
Lost Time - Eóin Murphy
All The Dead Astronauts - J.A.W. McCarthy

Robin's Review: I must say, all the stories were exceptional. It's truly impressive how these authors can create such vivid and captivating tales with so few words. However, "When the Horizon Burns," "Coming Earthside," and "Tuesday" really left me feeling emotionally gutted. "Alice" and "Silver Alert" struck a chord with me because of their optimism. "Bonnie's Ablution" and "The Door in the Basement" made my teeth hurt.
"A Sweet Soiree on the Last Night of the World," "The Boy Who Prayed for the World to End," Dirt and Blood and Silence" were sad and spoke of consequences.
I absolutely loved "The Hunt" and "I Am the Vanity Mirror Shaped Like a Skull."
I could go on and on, but this was an enjoyable anthology for anyone who loves to read about The End. I seriously recommend it.

Favorite Line:
"That's what people thought of when terror came from the sky, right? That's what they said in the movies like aliens didn't have anything else to do but to mess with the good people of Earth and take over the planet like squatters."

Walk With Me Into the Dark