Drabblecast 410 – Go Between

On this week’s Drabblecast, Norm and NPR’s Chioke I’Anson bring you stories about the voices in your head, including “Go Between” by acclaimed writer China Mieville.

“Go Between” tells the tale of a man who, for several years, has been receiving strange instructions to deliver seemingly random items from location to location. Agonizing over effect his deliveries, he considers stopping, unsure whether the deliveries support a malignant cause or aid a good one.

Story Excerpt:

“Something was in the bread. Morley was cutting, and on the fourth strike of the knife, the metal broke.

Behind him, his friends talked over their food. Morley pried the dough apart and touched something smooth. He had marked it with a scratch. Morley could see the thing’s colour, a drab charcoal. He frowned. It had been a long time since this had happened…”

China Tom Miéville is a British urban fantasy fiction author, essayist, comic book writer, socialist political activist and literary critic. He often describes his work as weird fiction and is allied to the loosely associated movement of writers called New Weird.

Drabble:

This week’s Drabble is “Voices” by Sunner.

“AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!! WHERE AM I? WHY IS IT SO DARK? I CAN’T FEEL ANYTHING!” a panicked voice yelled. The grubby boy, on his knees, washing the floorboards of the laboratory, winced at the volume but the elderly scientist, intent on the boiling flask, gave no indication he heard. Another voice yelled, “SHUT UP YOU FOOL! You will give us all headaches!” There were giggles and moans from numerous voices. The boy looked around but could see no one else. Then he looked up… up to the high, dusty shelves where a new jar had been added to the row of brains…

Twabble:

Our Twabble comes from TiredGuy:

And he calls the spatula Gary. The pot hates Gary and has plans to murder his whole family.

Enjoy the show!