Mysterion, June 2022

“Grandad and the Lockbox” by Andrew Hansen

Reviewed by Kevin P Hallett

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

“Grandad and the Lockbox” by Andrew Hansen

Ollie’s grandfather has a strange wooden lockbox in this short SF story. The lockbox offers views of another world, maybe a portal to another dimension, populated by tiny people whose lives pass much quicker. Only Ollie seems to know of his grandad’s lockbox but gives it little thought until grandfather approaches the end of his days.

With his grandfather in elderly care, Ollie pays more attention to the little people. He takes the lockbox to become more involved in their lives and politics, discovering that he can interact with their world. He wants to do good things to help them. But should anyone play god, even if they have the best intentions?

This was a curious story that explored an age-old moral question.

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