February 2018, APEX MAGAZINE
This was a weird one! Still one of my favorite story concepts. When I learned about the “living museum” of Colonial Williamsburg and the real pre-industrial farming and blacksmithing skills of its many reenactors, I couldn’t help but think a walled-off version would be a pretty ideal place to ride out a total apocalypse. Following that thread, I wondered how useful I’d be in such a place. I can be handy when I have access to YouTube tutorials–and useless when I don’t. So what would happen to the non-skilled employees already inside? The gift shop workers? Admin assistants and management? It allowed me to explore the anxiety of those (like me) who earn their living entirely by creative–but insubstantial–thought.
Plus it has aliens. Maybe.
Free to read online at Apex Magazine.