Nightmare “Amelia’s Story” by Adam-Troy Castro
“Wait, Our Lord the Flayed One Comes” by Tania Chen
“Before and After” by Steve Rasnic Tem
Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
The title character in “Amelia’s Story” by Adam-Troy Castro is a preteen girl who goes missing, then comes back days later carrying her severed head. She appears otherwise healthy and calm, but answers only yes or no questions and refuses to discuss what happened to her.
The plot deals largely with how her family and others react to the horrible transformation, which remains unexplained. There is a melodramatic climax that seems out of place with the rest of the text. The story is most notable for its realistic description of a bizarre, surrealistic situation.
“Wait, Our Lord the Flayed One Comes” by Tania Chen takes the form of messages between two persons participating in a gruesome religious ceremony. The pair also become lovers.
The above synopsis is vague, because the story is very difficult to understand. There is a great deal of evocative, vivid description, both violent and sexual. (An introductory note from the author reveals that the work was a response to a prompt to write something erotic.) There are hints that the setting is similar to both ancient Mesoamerica and a future containing starships, which adds to the confusion.
The narrator of “Before and After” by Steve Rasnic Tem addresses his dead wife. The reader soon learns that he is dead also.
This is a meditation on death and mourning, without much plot. The narrator describes his lonely existence as a widower followed by a bleak afterlife. The resulting work is more effective as a series of philosophical musings than as a work of fiction.
Victoria Silverwolf had an eye exam yesterday.