Off the coast of the Continent Distrust in the Cold Sea lies the ice ring Jealousy. It does not sparkle except in the warm season when it slightly melts. Whales circle the island singing. They sleep in its inlets but migrate in winter to warmer climes. The ice island misses them. Seabirds perch on the ice. Tuna circle the inlet. Waves rock the outer ice, while the sea in the inlet remains calm.
Tanker ships run through the channel surrounded by black whale pods. The frosted circlet Jealousy looks inviting from above, but no aircraft may safely land. Cliffs fall into the sea with no safe shore to watch from. Cold Jealousy can only be seen from the air or the far sea. It remains in isolation, beautiful but distant.
Why it springs to mind: You'll never look at an ice cube the same way again. Where read: In the 2014 Hugo award-winning Lightspeed Magazine , August. Length: 5,194 words Summary: A woman has an ice cube for a soul. Memorable: How the story invites us to think about the shape of our soul, how it (or our perception of it) influences us and how it changes. What ordinary every day object would your soul be? A silver spoon, a beech stick? A great party conversation starter, this. Quote: “All life is an experiment." Notable: The protagonist Rina is an avid reader (always a good choice). Pairs well with: T.S. Elliot, Edna St. Vincent Millay Origin: The story was written in 24 hours based on a writing prompt. (See Author Spotlight: Ken Liu ) About the author: Ken Liu’s debut novel, The Grace of Kings , the first in a fantasy series The Dandelion Dynasty, is due out from Saga Press ( a new Simon & Schuster imprint ) in 2015.
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