Friday short fiction #26: three non-science fictional considerations of time and space

Unknown  Universe Closed  2006
Elias Farkouh, 'Creation'  (ANGELS OUTDOORS, 2002)
Farkouh is a celebrated Jordanian author, and here goes back to childhood memories of finding the universe a scary place.

John Hudak, 'Hours of Life on This Planet'  (OZONE: A MAP OF ALTERNATE REALITIES 1992)
This flash fiction explores a way of seeing the lives of others by comparison to time-lapse photography of the trails of stars. It's an appealing idea, but even after a few readings I still don't know where the ending is meant to take you (or leave you).

Alberto Ruy-Sánchez, 'Poetics of Wonder: Things They Say About Mogador'  (POETICS OF WONDER, 2005)
Mexican author Ruy-Sánchez is best known for his series of novels that use the Moroccan city of Mogador as a background to express, in interesting ways, how time and space intersect with love, desire and sexuality. This is pleasantly mind-expanding stuff, even in small doses: his series on Mogador was published by City Lights bookstore in San Francisco, and is something I've spent a few worthwhile hours exploring this week.

Favourite short story of the week: Darran Anderson, 'I Will Have My Revenge on the Bastard Tree that Broke the Neck of Albert Camus'  (DEAD DRUNK DUBLIN, 2005)
I can't resist a story with a title like this, and I'm pleased to say it does exactly what it says on the tin, complete with all the implied manic energy. This is the kind of stuff that actually makes me want to have a go at this writing lark myself, and right now I can't think of any higher praise than that.