Story Details
Categories Science Fiction Aliens
I wonder, shamefaced, if we need to exchange information of some kind, if they have to report this as an incident or if the tube bus does it automatically. They stare at each other for a minute. Maybe also at me. There’s no need, they say. You didn’t do anything wrong.
Author Details
Monica Joyce Evans Huddle
Monica Joyce Evans is a digital game designer and researcher who began publishing speculative fiction in 2019. Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in more than a dozen publications, including Analog, Nature: Futures, and Flash Fiction Online. She lives in North Texas with her husband, two daughters, and approximately ten million books. You can reach her at monicajoyceevans@gmail.com. Story Notes: I’ve been replaying Playdead’s INSIDE lately, which ends with ten minutes of surprisingly joyful body horror. The game’s last image is ambiguous, and I’ve often wondered how that beautifully animated monstrosity would function in real life, especially if it could speak. On the other hand, I’ve been recently surprised by some quiet moments of kindness in the real world, especially from young people. This vignette came out of those two competing images: the monster-that-isn’t, and the reminder that, generally speaking, the kids are going to be alright. (87)
Huddle, by Monica Joyce Evans
Author Details
Monica Joyce Evans Huddle
Monica Joyce Evans is a digital game designer and researcher who began publishing speculative fiction in 2019. Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in more than a dozen publications, including Analog, Nature: Futures, and Flash Fiction Online. She lives in North Texas with her husband, two daughters, and approximately ten million books. You can reach her at monicajoyceevans@gmail.com. Story Notes: I’ve been replaying Playdead’s INSIDE lately, which ends with ten minutes of surprisingly joyful body horror. The game’s last image is ambiguous, and I’ve often wondered how that beautifully animated monstrosity would function in real life, especially if it could speak. On the other hand, I’ve been recently surprised by some quiet moments of kindness in the real world, especially from young people. This vignette came out of those two competing images: the monster-that-isn’t, and the reminder that, generally speaking, the kids are going to be alright. (87)
