Flash Fiction Online #110, November 2022

“The Flamingo Maximizer” by Dafydd McKimm

“Can Anyone Tell Me What Kind of Moth This Is?” by Susan Taitel

“Make an X, Then Another” by Jennifer Popa (nongenre, not reviewed)

“The Flock Is Your Blood” by P. H. Low (reprint, not reviewed)

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

Both of the new speculative stories in this issue involve the sudden and unexpected appearance of flying animals.

In “The Flamingo Maximizer” by Dafydd McKimm, flocks of the pink birds show up in Wales. The environment changes to match their normal surroundings, and even the human population changes in an unusual way.

The satiric and surreal premise can be read as a metaphor for climate change and for losing one’s cultural identity. One aspect of the plot is reminiscent of Eugène Ionesco’s play Rhinoceros. Despite this symbolic and literary pedigree, some readers may find the story too silly.

“Can Anyone Tell Me What Kind of Moth This Is?” by Susan Taitel consists of messages from a person whose home is invaded by the insects. Things get stranger as the situation continues, leading to a bizarre transformation. Although this is a fairly effective little chiller, it offers few surprises.

Victoria Silverwolf often sees moths, but not flamingos.