#theodore mccombs

[shortstorytournament]

Short Story Tournament - S2

Round 1

Talk to Your Children About Two-Tongued Jeremy

Morrigan in the Sunglare

Voting ended onJul 14, 2024

TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT TWO-TONGUED JEREMY by Theodore McCombs (2018) (link) - tw: child abuse, manipulation, suicide, homophobia, revenge porn

His name was Two-Tongued Jeremy; he was a monitor lizard with a forked tongue, thick glasses, and a wild, wagging smile meant to convince children that learning could be fun, too. He came highly rated. He updated automatically. There were no red flags. There was no warning.

MORRIGAN IN THE SUNGLARE by Seth Dickinson (2014) (link) - tw: war, death

Like weaponized poetry, except that deep down your poem always says "we have to live. They have to die."

[grenadineghost]

"A long time ago, Leo asked him how queerness propogates, and this is Arrigo's answer: aesthetically. Our thriving produces beauty and that beauty signals to others that there is life in this way of being. That's how we persist across generations, by inspiring others like us into self-honesty. So, it's important to show Earth that we're alive: look, it can be done, we got here, we are thriving, we love you, hello. Whatever struggles you're facing on Earth, look up. Behold. A beacon, a star to catch the eye and set the mind to wondering. A scented handkerchief, 'designedly dropt'."

Theodore McCombs, Uranians