The first time I read one of Asuqi's entries to the Prediction I knew her voice to be absolutely unique. Over the following weeks she revealed herself to be an ethereal poet in the world of fiction, dancing between such clever combinations of words as to make me gasp.
In this, the first of Asuqi's two pieces in the February Femmes Fatales showcase, she demonstrates in under 150 words how fear touches our lives in very real terms. Chilling.
Abnormal Growths in My Plastic Mind by Asuqi
She's ill, really ill, but with an operation she could have a chance.
Only she texts one of our co-workers an early morning in September to tell us that they opened her and found metastasis all over the large intestine, it was like abrasive paper, she said, and they couldn't do anything so they just stitched her up again and she would call us when she had the strength, to tell us what would happen next.
Where they will go from here.
There's nowhere to go, I think, and start fortifying myself because one of these days she'll come visit us and I'll have to act normal, say good things, be supportive.
But I can't help thinking, it's death that'll come visit, and what if, when I hug her, she leans in to me and whispers in my ear:
"I'm passing it on to you."
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Bio:
Please accept me as Asuqi. On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero. So I go about searching for near-life experiences. I know them when they hit me, they tickle my brain. I only have questions, I am Jack's complete lack of certainty. Yes; "Fight Club". Always.
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Only she texts one of our co-workers an early morning in September to tell us that they opened her and found metastasis all over the large intestine, it was like abrasive paper, she said, and they couldn't do anything so they just stitched her up again and she would call us when she had the strength, to tell us what would happen next.
Where they will go from here.
There's nowhere to go, I think, and start fortifying myself because one of these days she'll come visit us and I'll have to act normal, say good things, be supportive.
But I can't help thinking, it's death that'll come visit, and what if, when I hug her, she leans in to me and whispers in my ear:
"I'm passing it on to you."
______________________________________
Bio:
Please accept me as Asuqi. On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero. So I go about searching for near-life experiences. I know them when they hit me, they tickle my brain. I only have questions, I am Jack's complete lack of certainty. Yes; "Fight Club". Always.
______________________________________
