[On May 10, 2021 Strange Horizons officially expressed its political support for Palestinian solidarity. The views of Tangent Online reviewers are not necessarily those of Strange Horizons. Fiction critiqued at Tangent Online is, as much as is humanly possible, without prejudice and based solely on artistic merit.]

Strange Horizons, August 10, 2026

“Scarcely Gone” by Marissa Lingen

Reviewed by Wendy Vidlak

A ghost haunts his wife in the story entitled “Scarcely Gone” by Marissa Lingen. The story begins with a husband in a form of purgatory who attempts to continue to bicker with his wife and try to tell her how things should go. Now that he is dead, she can’t hear him, so they have one-sided arguments with each other. Yet every time he tries to move away from her, a tether holds him at her beck and call. The magic command is her swearing his name about something. These are the old people you see at the grocery store who complain about everything.

The story proceeds as a character development piece as she continues living without him. At first, every time his wife swears at him or about him, it pulls him right back to her and the chaos of their tedious old life. Getting bored with his wife’s new life alone in front of the TV, he expands his range and the tether slackens. The magic of swearing his name lessens its grip on him.

In the end, after all the squabbling and arguing, the story ends on a happy note. A modern parable for those stuck in the day to day. Suitable for someone looking for a light, comfy story that serves to remind us to turn off the news and go outside once in a while.