Challenge 128

Eerie Coincidences

We like to bring you a little something, maybe a story or poem, to help celebrate the holidays, and Robert Payette’s short story came through just in time. By a strange coincidence it also causes some of this issue’s titles to take on a coherence that borders on the eerie:

Rome, Italy
A Matter of Duty
Prophets in the ’Hood
Advent Now
And the Truth Shall Set You Free

As for the titles not on that list, look at the contents. How does “The Ghosts of Christmas Otherwise” relate to the holiday? “Five Cities” may constitute a reverse example, because sacrifice is made in violent resistance to evil. As the Readers’ Guide notice says, “The Colors of Time” resonates with the seasonal story in issue 76. The conclusion, in issue 129, will bring this issue’s theme full circle.

This year we seem to have gotten much more than we bargained for. Is Somebody trying to tell us something?