Delivery by Bruce Barrow, 2022
The magic trick:
The wisdom of old age overlaid on the story
Brace yourselves for some intense X-Files stuff today on SSMT. “Delivery” will surprise you, and I don’t want to ruin the surprise. So let me say it like this. The story’s premise, as it reveals itself in the first half of the text, is wild. It’s creepy and oddly nauseating. But it’s remarkable that it’s what our protagonist does in response to that premise that may make you even more uncomfortable.
And that’s quite a trick on Barrow’s part.
The selection:
The grunt that came from inside wasn’t quite human and it wasn’t quite animal, but something in between. Screechy. Angry or frightened. Probably both. It was an ugly sound I tried to ignore. I closed the hatch with a gentle push, hoping the click of the lock would hide me from my guilt.
An hour later I pulled up in front of Jerry’s barn. The thing in the bag had been quiet for the whole drive, even though the last couple of miles were unpaved. Of all the possible reasons for its silence I told myself it was just acceptance.
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