Springy short story review: A Touch of Heart

I've been bingeing on some short stories so I'm posting a few of my Springy Short Story reviews (stories that keep springing to mind) to remember the details of the ones I know will pleasantly haunt me. I'll also post a review of a few great collections I've read recently (in the running for my personal Book of the Year).

"A Touch of Heart" by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro and Adam-Troy Castro

Why it springs to mind: A beautiful, uplifting example of optimistic SF!
Where read: Lightspeed Magazine, July 2017
Summary: A poor farmer exacts revenge on his prosperous neighbor with the aid of a highly-skilled assassin.
Memorable: the "grace note" ending scene; the epic nature of this short story; a co-authored story and how the writers worked in tandem; the uniquely-trained assassin:

“As per the dictates of my order, I expended the minimum amount of effort necessary."

Quote:

"Dou burned inside at the unfairness of it all; he saw the universe as a hammer, and himself as an anvil."

Personal connection: The world needs more optimistic SF! As a former hospice volunteer, I loved the ending.
About the authors: No need to duplicate Lightspeed does fantastic author bios and a spotlight. It's worth noting that Adam Troy-Castro has begun writing reviews for Nightmare (Lightspeed's sister publication for horror).
Read also: Adam Troy-Castro's "James, In the Golden Sunlight of the Hereafter", May 2017 Lightspeed, “The Narrow Escape of Zipper-Girl,” June 2017, Nightmare (and for a similar feel "This is For You" by Bruce MacAllister in Lightspeed, May 2017)

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Shel Graves' Sensorium

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