12 Comments

This is the best zombie story I have ever read. It is expertly crafted and amusingly complex. My favorite passage is “Yes, brightness. I remember (in the darkness of night) when I was seven years old, and I broke my leg falling from a tree which I had climbed. The pain was unbearable, I screamed, and I believe I blacked out for a moment, but throughout all of it was the light of the sun, the smell of the grass, the color of the blood, and of course the fierce brightness of the pain, unbearable. It was all unbearable: the blood, the grass, the sun, all of it as bright and vivid and fierce as the pain. “. Straight up evocative writing that is. Not sure how others read it but I found it satirically amusing.

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Oh I loved this so much!

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So now I have to read Browne. My reading list is getting out of hand. Meanwhile, I'm on the lookout for zombies.

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Excellent story, a la Borges! As a big fan of Borges always dreamed of writing a story like this! Jealous as hell... An interesting observation I've had on Borges' English translation is that there are never "-ing" verbs, very minor use of this type of verbal sub-clause. A thing I believed you have also noted and emulated excellently. Would love to have a chat with you one day about the great man and his works!

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For our next Short Story Club (coming up in a couple of weeks) we’ll be discussing a Borges story so keep your eyes peeled for that!

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I’m a recent Substack adopter. Can’t recall how I found your stack, or whatever you call these publications, but it’s content like this that makes me feel like I’m finally in the right place on the internet. Beautiful story. Well done.

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Can't wait for the next story! :D

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Really good and so well written !

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Written like a researcher on the hunt to follow the leads to the truth…well done!

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I definitely spent way too much time considering the fact that the first (ie, uppermost) entry is dated September 2nd, and the following ones August 8th and 23rd. I assume it's an error, but if it's secretly a window to understanding the concept of understanding philosophical zombies, please let me know, as I would prefer not to be murdered.

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That was a test… which you have passed. We are happy to conclude that you are not a philosophical zombie. Welcome to the inner circle.

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