Who Is Your Executioner?
By Maria Dahvana Headley, first published in Nightmare Magazine #1
In a contemporary American town, a middle aged woman takes a magical trip through the past upon hearing that her mysterious childhood friend has recently died.
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Plot Summary
In the present day, 30-something year old Zell looks through an old Victorian photograph admired by her old friend and lover Oona. The photographs always scared Zell but enraptured Oona because of their subjects: families posing with their dead children. Later, Zell receives a phone call from an old friend, Trevor, telling her that Oona has died. Zell and Trevor were both in love with Oona as children and still have strong feelings for her, although they'd both broken off from her long ago. They agree to meet at a bar to discuss Oona's death. At the bar, Trevor says that the last time he saw Oona, he could've sworn that she conjured up black beetles from nowhere. Zell waves this off. She looks out the window and she sees a girl that looks like a young version of Oona. This triggers memories of Oona during various stages of her life: their relationship during college, prom, swimming at a community pool, their first playdate. As she explores each anecdote, Zell notices that Oona was always surrounded by mysterious and potentially deadly happenings involving black beetles and haunting childhood games. Zell returns to the present day in the bar, with a nearby window shattering. Suddenly, a hoard of Oonas of different ages enter the bar. Trevor tries to reconcile with one and he kisses her. Zell follows suit. In proximity of the Oona she's kissed, Zell chants an old song from the childhood game, "Who Is your Executioner?", that Oona used to love. The chant disperses with the extraneous Oonas, leaving one, who comments on how old they've all gotten.
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