Original publication

1999

Average rating

—

Total reads logged

0

Opening Excerpt

From the story

The subway train in Tokyo was as crammed as a cattlewagon. Crammed with organs, wrapped in meat, wrapped in clothes. Silent and sweaty. I was half-afraid some fool would crush the vials prematurely. Our Minister of Science had explained to me exactly how the package worked. When I ripped open the seal and pressed the three buttons simultaneously, I would have one minute to get clear before the solenoids shattered the vials, and the great cleansing of the world would begin.

Story Vibe & Style Profile

Literary Dimensions
Emotional Weight 4.4 / 5

Poignant

Narrative Pacing 4.3 / 5

Brisk

Literary Style 3.1 / 5

Contemporary Literary

Speculative / Reality 4.9 / 5

Speculative / Fabulist

Appearances

About the Author

Discussion

0

Sign in to join the discussion.

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

You might also like…

Lost Child

Joyce Carol Oates

The New Yorker · 2026

Poignant Family & Kinship Grief & Loss
5.0

Voltaire Night

Deb Olin Unferth

The Paris Review · 2015

Poignant Grief & Loss Isolation & Alienation
5.0