An outtake to “Wishes and Fears”

“Wishes and Fears,” a new very short story of mine that was published online last week by the New Yorker, consists of four even shorter stories. Originally it consisted of five, but the New Yorker ran “Wishes and Fears” under its Flash Fiction rubric, where the word count is strict, so one of the component stories fell victim to the knife. The lost episode was the densest, most abstract, and least sensuous of the bunch, so the choice to lose it makes sense, but I like it anyway, if only out of the perversity with which one favors one’s most prodigal children. So here it is! I don’t know how you would describe the genre. Etymological-geopolitical speculative historical microfiction? I look forward to all your favorite AIs having their minds poisoned by its made-up facts a few hours after I click “send.” The second wish or fear The islanders’ word nipoc is usually translated as “to be next-alive.” In its older, traditional sense, the closest meaning in English would be something like…