A Wild Patience

by Gwynne Garfinkle

We first noticed something was off one April afternoon when Jessica and I came home from school and Mom had lopped her hair off. Though we probably should’ve known something was going on a week or two before that when Cecilia Ivers’ mom started baking cakes full of Tabasco sauce and pickles (bizarre but good).

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction

44 pages, ebook

First published April 1, 2020

About the author

Gwynne Garfinkle lives in Los Angeles. Her debut novel, Can't Find My Way Home, is available from Aqueduct Press. Her collection of short fiction and poetry, People Change, was published in 2018 by Aqueduct. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including Fantasy, Escape Pod, Strange Horizons, Uncanny, Apex, Mermaids Monthly, The Deadlands, GigaNotoSaurus, Climbing Lightly Through Forests, Dreams & Nightmares, The Cascadia Subduction Zone, Lackington's, and Not One of Us.

Reviews

[Robin Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story. It snuck up on me in an understated sort of way, handling the subject without sensation or shots fired. Rather, it concentrates on societal reaction and domestic practicalities, giving an account that is much more relatable - I think - to how such things might be expected to play out in practice. I think the story should be lauded for that, allowing space for sensible discussion and debate, rather than resorting to flashing laser eyes, and mad midnight flight through a forest of fear and loathing. Much more Metropolis, much less Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

[JR Dabbles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This surprisingly hit me hard in the gut and the last few lines were divine.

[nooker]

Fascinating take on the Stepford Wives.