An author discusses with his friend the best way to write about a poor aunt. Their words take on a new power when he manifests a literal poor aunt on his back and draws in spectators.

A young woman begins to work for an influencer, Seraphina, who she secretly hates. After vicious gossip about Serphina and the young woman pops up on anonymous message forums, the young woman must decide just how far she'd compromise herself for this job.

In intense discussion a group leader ponders aloud, asking why hermits hide and what defines outcasts, among other cerebral queries. A group of friends discusses the oddities they have seen and perceived in their lives leather-clad hermits and criminal astronauts among them. They debate the purpose of hermitage, the classification of outcasts, and the purpose of their own reflections.

A writing critic reviews the construction of Charles Chesnutt’s stories and how to write surfiction.

In a futuristic society in which free speech is illegal without a license, a man works to get his license by having strange and touching conversations with a bizarre cast of characters.

A writer receiving feedback from a professor on their drafts is sure that the person on the other end is a man. They wrestle with their own hidden identities until the end of their literary relationship comes with an unexpected revelation.

Short bursts of inexplicable silence envelope an unnamed city and its residents, inspiring self-reflection and—much to their surprise—contentment.

A person driven mad by a voice in their head tries everything to stop it, but the voice is quite persistent.

A schoolboard debates the merits of history—and how to remember it.

In a dystopian society in the Archipelago, a select group of people are trusted with memories from history, and they serve the ruling council as advisors. When one of the councilman disagrees with the advisors' most recent decision, he makes it his mission to put a stop to their influence by any means necessary.