Release date: April 12, 2020
Subgenre: Science fiction short story
About QUARN:
On August 5th, 2044, humanity will learn that the number of things we
take for granted is almost as limitless as the hubris that guides us.
Excerpt:
There had been a few minor mistakes during the broadcast up to this
point, [...] but they were nothing like what came next.
There was only one puppet on the screen as opposed to the whole Planet Puppet Team and the “Kiddow Krew.” Also, I didn’t recognize this puppet, and something told me that this was not the new puppet they were revealing.
It couldn’t be.
She looked older, worn. Her faded orange fur was matted and falling out. It looked like she’d been found, discarded, at the bottom of a crate.
There was more. I felt Sam tense as he saw it as well. There was something unnerving about her eyes.
My son looked over his shoulder at me.
“Dad?”
“It’s okay, bud.”
It was not okay. Nothing about it was okay. The camera kept sliding on and off her face sometimes leaving only half of it on the screen. I should have just turned the damn thing off. I remember my hand twitched towards the remote, but I stopped. I needed to see whatever this was. The fact that I dragged my son along is a weight I’ll carry.
There were words to the number song. Something about the numerous neighborly numbers. Those were not the words that she sang. Instead, it was the sound “arn” or something close to that. Over and over again. It was sung at the same rhythm and pitch as the song, but just that word. Until the final bit before the reveal. There was an unsettling otherworldly nature to the actor’s voice as she sang, as though she didn’t have full command of it.
[...]
“Let’s meet our neighborly number,” Millie croaked out.
Then all hell broke loose.
The buzzing that had been in the background rose to a deafening roar. The screen went black and in bold letters, a word appeared - QUARN.
There was only one puppet on the screen as opposed to the whole Planet Puppet Team and the “Kiddow Krew.” Also, I didn’t recognize this puppet, and something told me that this was not the new puppet they were revealing.
It couldn’t be.
She looked older, worn. Her faded orange fur was matted and falling out. It looked like she’d been found, discarded, at the bottom of a crate.
There was more. I felt Sam tense as he saw it as well. There was something unnerving about her eyes.
My son looked over his shoulder at me.
“Dad?”
“It’s okay, bud.”
It was not okay. Nothing about it was okay. The camera kept sliding on and off her face sometimes leaving only half of it on the screen. I should have just turned the damn thing off. I remember my hand twitched towards the remote, but I stopped. I needed to see whatever this was. The fact that I dragged my son along is a weight I’ll carry.
There were words to the number song. Something about the numerous neighborly numbers. Those were not the words that she sang. Instead, it was the sound “arn” or something close to that. Over and over again. It was sung at the same rhythm and pitch as the song, but just that word. Until the final bit before the reveal. There was an unsettling otherworldly nature to the actor’s voice as she sang, as though she didn’t have full command of it.
[...]
“Let’s meet our neighborly number,” Millie croaked out.
Then all hell broke loose.
The buzzing that had been in the background rose to a deafening roar. The screen went black and in bold letters, a word appeared - QUARN.
Amazon
About D. Roman:
D. Roman is a New England writer with two
children and a small herd of mischievous pets.
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