Apex #103, December 2017“Behind Her, Trailing Like Butterfly Wings” by Daniela Tomova
Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
Two stories featuring surrealistic disasters appear in the latest issue of this on-line magazine.
In “Behind Her, Trailing Like Butterfly Wings” by Daniela Tomova, strange phenomena that distort time and space swallow human victims. Society breaks down, leaving those who live inside barricaded communities and those who walk endlessly on roads, following a legendary figure known as the Wandering Woman. A journalist from one of the communities interviews one of the walkers, eventually revealing a past of loss and obsession. This story is full of bizarre details of life on the road, such as pebbles used as currency and flies used for food. It presents mysteries without solutions, which may frustrate the reader.
“The Edge of Things” by Katharine E. K. Duckett takes place in a planet-sized house that has replaced the Earth. An endless party goes on inside it. Not all of the guests are human beings. The protagonist wanders through the house and eventually learns the reason for its existence. Unlike the previous story, this one offers a rational explanation for the strange things that occur. Although this makes for a satisfying conclusion, some may find it implausible.
Victoria Silverwolf thought both these stories were very weird.