Author Topic: EP762: Give the Family My Love  (Read 1508 times)

divs

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on: December 19, 2020, 07:44:58 PM
Escape Pod 762: Give the Family My Love

Author: A.T. Greenblatt
Narrator: Ellora Sen-Gupta
Host: S.B. Divya
Audio Producer: Summer Brooks

This story originally appeared in Clarkesworld Magazine (February 2019). It won a Nebula Award for Best Short Story.

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I’m beginning to regret my life choices, Saul. Also, hello from the edge of the galaxy.

Also, surprise! I know this isn’t what you had in mind when you said “Keep in touch, Hazel” but this planet doesn’t exactly invoke the muse of letter writing. The muse of extremely long voice messages however…

So. Want to know what’s this world’s like? Rocky, empty, and bleak in all directions, except one. The sky’s so stormy and green it looks like I’m trudging through the bottom of an algae-infested pond. I’ve got this 85-million-dollar suit between me and the outside, but I swear, I’m suffocating on the atmosphere. Also, I’m 900 meters away from where I need to be with no vehicle to get me there except my own two legs.

So here I am. Walking.

Sorry to do this to you, Saul, but if I don’t talk to someone—well, freak out at someone—I’m not going to make it to the Library. And like hell I’m going to send a message like this back to the boys on the program. You, at least, won’t think less of me for this. You know that emotional meltdowns are part of my process.

850 meters. I should have listened to you, Saul.




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CryptoMe

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Reply #1 on: June 03, 2021, 06:13:23 PM
I really, really liked the world (or rather universe) the author built in this story. I really want to hear more. My one complaint is that I don't really see a story here. Great world-building, but what actually happened or was resolved? Still want to hear more, though.