Mysterion, August 2022

“The Tithe” by Frederick Gero Heimbach

[Editor’s note: The July 2022 issue of Mysterion offered two reprint stories and thus was not reviewed.]

Reviewed by Kevin P Hallett

There is one first-publication story in the August issue of Mysterion.

“The Tithe” by Frederick Gero Heimbach

Sister’s religious order calls for the sacrifice of bodily parts in this short SF story. When she visits an elderly woman, who has contracted to pay money and ten fingers as her tithe for salvation, the Sister carries out the sacrifice. But the fragile woman dies in shock when the Sister cuts off all her fingers. It allows Sister to adjust the tithe so she can hold something back for herself.

Throughout her long trip back to her home temple, Sister wrestles with how to change the tithe. It quickly becomes a test of her character. How much can she keep for herself? She doesn’t make a final decision until she sits outside the temple.

This was a pleasant character-driven story with a wonderfully unexpected twist at the end.

You can follow Kevin P Hallett’s writing on www.kevinphallett.com. There are links there to join his mailing list for a weekly newsletter on the release of his upcoming novel.