Flash Fiction Online #131, August 2024
“Give a Smile at Ye Old Photographie Shoppe” by Carol Scheina
“This Rapturous Blooming” by Faith Allington
“Godiva of the Broken Shell” by Maya Dworsky-Rocha
“In the Path of the Giantess” by Sarah Jackson
“The Sibyl” by Anna Dallara
Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
This issue supplies five brief tales of science fiction and fantasy.
In “Give a Smile at Ye Old Photographie Shoppe” by Carol Scheina, a dragon runs a studio in which he poses for photographs, with people pretending to slay him. He eventually changes his business plan.
As can be seen, this is a light, whimsical tale, although it might be possible to interpret it as an allegory for members of ethnic groups recreating their culture for tourists. That may be reading too much into what is a pleasant little bagatelle.
The narrator of “This Rapturous Blooming” by Faith Allington lives in a future world where humanity is threatened with extinction due to biological warfare. She comes up with a bizarre way to save the species.
Given the character’s weird experiment, as well as the feverish narrative style, this is essentially a tale about a Mad Scientist. The narrator’s creation may strain credibility, but readers will be able to appreciate the story’s lush, vivid descriptions.
“Godiva of the Broken Shell” by Maya Dworsky-Rocha takes place at a time when people wear electronic shells, hiding themselves from other folks. When one person’s shell breaks down in public, threatening an arrest for indecent exposure, another person helps.
The story appears to be a metaphor for people hiding their real selves from others, and the need to break down these barriers. The work deals with this issue effectively, although making the unintended loss of a shell a criminal offense, rather than a social embarrassment, may be putting things a bit too strongly.
“In the Path of the Giantess” by Sarah Jackson features a gigantic woman who approaches a village. The narrator confronts her.
I have offered only a minimal synopsis, because this is a very simple tale, even for flash fiction. Like this issue’s first story, it makes for pleasant, if superficial, reading.
In “The Sibyl” by Anna Dallara, a king seeks prophecy from an ageless seeress. Many years later, he returns for a different reason.
Although obviously based on ancient myths, this story offers a unique version of its title character. The author raises philosophical questions about the nature of fate, while also creating a pair of intriguing characters with an unusual relationship.
Victoria Silverwolf forgot to bring a book to work last night.