[Image ID: A section of Unknown Number by Blue Neustifter, stylized as a text message conversation. It reads, and I am taking the author's own image ID here, "Them: does breaking physics to talk to yourself in another timeline sound like a “happy person” kinda thing to do You: no, I got that much You: I mean what are you going to do now You: you said I was the first one to do it, right You: how many of us have you talked to? Them: you’re the sixth" End ID.]
Self harm, deadnaming (putting this here just to be safe, but all mentions are redacted), some mentions of transphobia/transmisogyny, also tagging just to be safe but i can see the beginning of this story especially with the formatting being paranoia inducing
Unknown Number is a science fiction short story, presented as a series of text messages between I guess you would say the narrator or the protagonist and an unknown number. Said unknown number happens to be the narrator from another timeline, breaking through to talk to other of their other selves, to figure out if any of them really figured out what they were feeling their whole lives.
The entire story as well as the author's Twitter can be found here
The author's itch.io page where you can find her other writing
This story has also been nominated for a Hugo Award, and the rest of the short story and novella entries and some other science fiction can be found here
So I literally just stumbled upon this story like an hour ago and realized I needed to share it here immediately. It's very short and reads even faster because of the text message format, so please take some time to read some emotional trans sci fi and maybe pass it along. This is a very worthwhile read, especially if you're trans, if you've ever wondered what would be different if you figured it out sooner, if you were able to transition sooner, if you've dwelled on that a little too much.
I think a lot of trans people have made art and fiction talking to themselves, its a common theme for obvious reasons, but it usually happens to be them reflecting on their younger selves, reassuring them one day they'll figure it out. Unknown Number is somewhat similar thematically, but what I find interesting is that both Gabys in this story are middle aged, and while they may talk about the dysphoria they experienced as a child, they're both at the same phase in their life and only one has seemingly figured it all out, leading unknown number Gaby to seek the same reassurance usually given to a younger version of a trans person in one of these stories. I think that phrasing is kind of clunky but I'm pointing it out because I think its a good rebuke against the idea that there's some kind of unspoken deadline for transitioning, that at one point you will be "too old" and that's just not true, which is exactly what this story is about and what Gaby points out to well, herself.
