A sheriff in a post-collapse world follows nature’s orders — even when they come with thorns. Transformation is survival. Judgment is ecological. And new blossoms don’t come without pruning old growth.
Thank you for your thoughts. I agree completely. I feel like we're making a lot of mistakes as a species, and part of me wants some kind of judgment for the bad decisions, even though I know I'd probably fail whatever "test" we were given. I tried to imagine how that might look. Morality would have a whole different meaning if the 'greater good' included the earth and other species.
I think part of it is how much all the narratives we have tend to fall back on how we think, and there's a sort of pleasure / terror aspect in what it would be like if another force / agent / entity / being got to tell the story. I use the term parochial. In a lot of disaster or post-apocalyptic stories, there's always the survival of a family unit or some innate human quality that we valorise. I don't think that's bad in and of itself but change begets change. And most stories reset rather than allowing the discomfort of that radical change. Your story was really interesting in allowing that eerieness, that discomfort to stay - and linger.
My two cents! And totally agree on morality having a whole different meaning. I dig the hell out of that as an idea.
A wild little tale Jenifer! Gave me vibes somewhere amidst Day of the Triffids and Body Snatchers fused with something that would drop out of a Dean Koontz's fever dream.
I was really hooked by this. That's a fascinating concept: an Earth that decides our purposes, and you have this beautiful dialogue between Phoebe and the Sheriff about choice and being seen by nature. The little bits of snark from the Sheriff were lovely, it was really thought-provoking (and made me realise I need to be more green in my own life), and I am dying to know what happened to the girl! I know you said in another note you were considering doing more with this concept - I would be down to see what else happens in this town! But I also love pretty much everything you write, so whatever stories you write, I will keep reading 💚
Thank you so much for sharing this, Kelly. I'm really glad you enjoyed it. And I started outlining a couple of other ideas set in this world. I think we all need to be a bit more green. I know I do...
This is an entirely new side of you and I can't be more excited to get to see it. The horror, the dread, the psychological control mechanism?! You write it like the Earth isn't taking revenge, but simply taking what belongs to it. You do it in such a powerful way, too. This is exactly the kind of story I'd devour every book in a series of and I hope we get more!
I've been building this world in my head for a while, where the Earth decides it's had enough and humans need to be controlled because we're destroying the planet. I wanted it to feel like judgment and balance. Every being has a purpose, and most creature accept theirs, but not humans. I'm so glad it's coming through.
I think of it as just the earth being done putting up with humanity's nonsense and selfishness. It gave us the chance to make better choices, and we didn't. So it took away that power.
There’s something profoundly unsettling, and moving, about this idea of the Earth as both witness and judge to human affairs. It reminds me of a few books but in an entirely unique way. I really love the idea of a sort of ahuman agency that comes to bear on what calls itself human. I love how this story never tips into cliché or goes the way of apocalyptic; instead, it gives us this eerie moral ecosystem where conscience, biology, and ecology have fused into one. Really, really enjoyed this!
Thank you for your thoughts. I agree completely. I feel like we're making a lot of mistakes as a species, and part of me wants some kind of judgment for the bad decisions, even though I know I'd probably fail whatever "test" we were given. I tried to imagine how that might look. Morality would have a whole different meaning if the 'greater good' included the earth and other species.
I think part of it is how much all the narratives we have tend to fall back on how we think, and there's a sort of pleasure / terror aspect in what it would be like if another force / agent / entity / being got to tell the story. I use the term parochial. In a lot of disaster or post-apocalyptic stories, there's always the survival of a family unit or some innate human quality that we valorise. I don't think that's bad in and of itself but change begets change. And most stories reset rather than allowing the discomfort of that radical change. Your story was really interesting in allowing that eerieness, that discomfort to stay - and linger.
My two cents! And totally agree on morality having a whole different meaning. I dig the hell out of that as an idea.
A wild little tale Jenifer! Gave me vibes somewhere amidst Day of the Triffids and Body Snatchers fused with something that would drop out of a Dean Koontz's fever dream.
Day of the Triffids! I'm definitely taking that as a compliment. Thank you!
And I'm glad you enjoyed it. I keep thinking it might be part of something bigger, but I haven't quite figured out what yet.
I'm looking forward to having a read through your archive. I like typing but you appear to be very prolific! 😂
I have literally decades worth of stories to tell! I only started sharing publicly last year, but in my head there is quite a backlog...
I believe you! 😂 Looking forwards to those too.
reminds me of the creepiness in pluribus hehe
I haven't seen it yet, but it's on my list!
Honestly obsessed with how calmly horrifying this is. You captured the voice perfectly. A fantastic read.
Thank you so much! I like this one, too. (Are we not supposed to have favorites among our stories?)
Gaia meets Judge Dredd. Fascinating!
"I AM THE LAW!" says Mother Nature. Love that description. Thanks!
I was really hooked by this. That's a fascinating concept: an Earth that decides our purposes, and you have this beautiful dialogue between Phoebe and the Sheriff about choice and being seen by nature. The little bits of snark from the Sheriff were lovely, it was really thought-provoking (and made me realise I need to be more green in my own life), and I am dying to know what happened to the girl! I know you said in another note you were considering doing more with this concept - I would be down to see what else happens in this town! But I also love pretty much everything you write, so whatever stories you write, I will keep reading 💚
Thank you so much for sharing this, Kelly. I'm really glad you enjoyed it. And I started outlining a couple of other ideas set in this world. I think we all need to be a bit more green. I know I do...
Wow! Jenifer, this was so immersive. Absolutely great work!
Thank you! I think this world may have to stick around and get some more stories, because it's still growing in my brain.
I love that, I think intertwining stories set in the same universe would work really well with the world you’ve set up.
This is an entirely new side of you and I can't be more excited to get to see it. The horror, the dread, the psychological control mechanism?! You write it like the Earth isn't taking revenge, but simply taking what belongs to it. You do it in such a powerful way, too. This is exactly the kind of story I'd devour every book in a series of and I hope we get more!
Okay, that's amazing to hear. Thank you.
I've been building this world in my head for a while, where the Earth decides it's had enough and humans need to be controlled because we're destroying the planet. I wanted it to feel like judgment and balance. Every being has a purpose, and most creature accept theirs, but not humans. I'm so glad it's coming through.
This is sooo metal - I love it!
Thank you! This one has been brewing in my head a long time. Feels good to get it out.
I love how you frame judgment as both biological and moral, as if evolution itself took sides.
I wanted to imagine how the work might be if nature decided to fight back. Not just with violence, but control.
I'm glad?
I mean, I am glad, honestly. Because it means I did something right.
But I'm sorry you're haunted.
Sorry. Not sorry?
I think of it as just the earth being done putting up with humanity's nonsense and selfishness. It gave us the chance to make better choices, and we didn't. So it took away that power.