It’s time to announce the winners of the 2020 Queer Sci Fi flash fiction competition. And now for the big finale – #1! Congrats!!!
The Fleshsmith and the Metalsmith – Devon Widmer
On my seventh night rotting beneath the old oak tree, an old woman knelt beside me.
“Poor child.” The woman’s sad smile glistened silver in the moonlight. “Whatever happened to you?”
My parents sold me in marriage. My new husband insisted I give him children even after I explained I cannot bear the thought of lying with anyone. I fled but lost my way in the forest. I meant to seek a new home. But now it’s too late….
This beautiful, lyrical tale was one of the most original we read this year. That, combined with the beauty of the writing and the lovely darkness that underlies it, lifted it to the top of the contest. A truly fresh, diverse and enchanting story.