Author Topic: EP678: Blonde  (Read 1786 times)

divs

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on: May 03, 2019, 09:30:44 PM
Escape Pod 678: Blonde


Author : Priya Sharma
Narrator : Mur Lafferty
Host : Divya Breed
Audio Producer : Summer Brooks

This story first appeared in Interzone Issue 260 (September 2015)

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“When did you go bald?”

Only Clarice would ask such a forthright question.

“Leave her alone,” Jake drains his beer. Only he would dare contradict his sister.

The clock hands have gone from late at night to early in the morning. Jake’s bar is empty of customers. The staff, who are sitting round the table, fall silent, intent on their drinks.

“It’s okay,” Rapunzel says. “I was sick and it all fell out.”

Her scalp is shiny, every follicle devoid of life. Nor does she have any eyebrows. Or hair elsewhere for that matter.

“What colour was it?”

“Blonde.”

There’s a pause, then laughter.

Jake nudges her. “You’re a joker after all.”

She knows what he thinks of her. That she’s vague and evasive and hasn’t a clue what’s going on most of the time.

“Lucky you’re beautiful enough to be bald,” he adds.

Rapunzel touches the nape of her neck where she feels most exposed and tries not to smile.


Listen to this week’s Escape Pod!



CryptoMe

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Reply #1 on: January 11, 2020, 10:09:25 PM
I am totally surprised no one has commented on this story. I loved it! It was really interesting to see this post-apocalyptic (or was it?) version of the Rapunzel fairy tale. I like the world-building, especially how it was done from two perspectives, one being Rapunzel's experiences once she leaves the tower, and the other being what Matilda tells Rapunzel. What's most interesting is that Matilda has ulterior motives and what she tells Rapunzel proves to be an unreliable, leaving the listener to wonder how much of what Matilda told Rapunzel was really true. Was there a war? Was this a post-apocalyptic society? Or was this just a case of impoverished nobility failing to keep us with the changes in the world? In any case, I would love to hear more about this universe. Well done.