ALIEN STORIES
WINNER OF THE SHORT FICTION PRIZE
ALIEN STORIES
by
E.C. OSONDU
AMERICAN READER SERIES, NO. 36
BOA EDITIONS, LTD.
Copyright © 2021 by E.C. Osondu
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Edition
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Osondu, E. C., author.
Title: Alien stories / by E. C. Osondu.
Description: First edition. | Rochester, NY : BOA Editions, Ltd., 2021. | Series: American reader series ; no. 36 | Summary: “Short Fiction Prize-winning collection of short stories that use science fiction to explore immigration, diaspora, and the concept of otherness”—Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020048760 (print) | LCCN 2020048761 (ebook) | ISBN 9781950774319 (paperback) | ISBN 9781950774326 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Science fiction, Nigerian (English) | LCGFT: Short stories.
Classification: LCC PR9387.9.O856 A79 2021 (print) | LCC PR9387.9.O856 (ebook) | DDC 823/.914—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020048760
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020048761
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CONTENTS
On the Lost Tribes of the Black World
Alien Enactors
The Instaratings from my previous week’s enactments were stellar. At the Ranch when one received an outstanding Instarating as I just did, one figuratively walked on air. One did not need to do a Selfcrit like the others. One did not have to ask oneself seven critical questions and provide seven critical responses. Great Instaratings made one feel like a contestant in that show from long ago, Survivor, who did well in the team challenge and got a chance to scarf down caviar and Gruyère cheese and chilled Pinot Grigio while their opponents who lost subsisted on locust and wild honey or whatever miserable victuals losers were allowed to eat.
Not that we were allowed to gloat at the Ranch. We were one big team. We were one happy family. We were here to support each other. We would be nothing without each other. That was the whole idea: to be each other’s keeper. So gloating was not allowed,