The Love Market: Chapter Eight

“I told Peter about the cyclones and what I thought of them, and he told me again that it didn’t work like that and that when the time came, it would be safe for me to leave the House. But I told him the same thing I would have told him any other time before […]

The Love Market: Chapter Seven

“There used to be some others who lived in the House, and Peter would bring them to my room to play. These playmates were there when the visitors were too, but I didn’t notice that very often. And these playmates, a bit older than me, left the House during my last birthday. They were old […]

The Love Market: Chapter Six

“I learned about storms from the screens, and I wish I hadn’t because I saw how they hurt people, killed people, made people sad, and struggle to keep living. Peter says we’re lucky to live away from where bad storms happen anymore. I asked if maybe the cyclones would figure out where we were and […]

The Love Market: Chapter Four

“Visitors only came for a few reasons, and some might stay longer depending on what they came for. There were days I would be sad and cry until I was so exhausted I couldn’t stay awake, and there were visitors. When I received new toys, things that I didn’t understand but would have to use […]

The Love Market: Chapter Three

“I didn’t know much about what he meant by work then, and what I did know was hardly more than whispers and secretive glances. There were times I saw things on the screens that were similar to what I’ve come to understand to be this work. And when the visitors would come, and they would […]

The Love Market: Chapter One

Across the plethora of public speakers, on every television channel, interrupting phone frequencies to patch through every device and infect all forms of network functioning, the message began. It would be the final indignation of a society that had long ago collapsed and staggered on without knowing. This would be the final block to fall, […]