My science fiction story, “Comfort Zone,” is featured in the spring 2021 issue of British scifi magazine, Mythaxis.
In “Comfort Zone,” a new technology designed to improve empathy has the unintended side effect of putting a mom and daughter at odds.
This story was inspired by my time reporting on emerging technologies while a science journalist. Topics of quantum computing, brain-machine interfaces and neural imaging came together in a tale about the speed of which technology advances, and what happens when it’s hard to accept how fast the world–and children–can change.
You can read the story online for free here or an excerpt below.
Editorial introduction:
There’s a certain theme in science fiction and fantasy that’s always been popular – hard to set this up without spoiling it! Hollywood movies have repeatedly run with it (usually for laughs), so too surely every TV show in either genre. It has clear horror potential too, but very rarely are such stories approached from the outsider’s point-of-view. KC Grifant does so here, and with a similarly atypical air of loss, rather than gain.
Excerpt from “Comfort Zone”
Mar breathed shallowly as she headed inside the apartment complex and up the stairs, trying not to inhale the scent of cat litter and creamed corn soup. She paused in front of one of the apartment doors, and pressed her fingers together to keep them from shaking. Once they were steady, she knocked.
“Come in,” a voice said, catching like a jagged nail. The voice cleared itself with a cough and tried again. “Come in.”
Mar pushed the door open. The scent of lilacs, her daughter’s favorite, sent a twisting spike through her stomach.
A figure in a pressed plaid shirt tucked over a slight potbelly turned to her. Older than Mar, Leif was thinner since the last time she had seen him, maybe three weeks ago. Then, he had still been her daughter. Leif started to speak, but stopped when Mar showed him the pristine gleam of her handgun.
She pointed it directly at his cerulean eyes.
“Jenna wouldn’t want this,” Leif said.
“What could you possibly know about what she wants?” Mar spat and, just as she had practiced in the shooting range, took aim at his chest.
KC Grifant 
I popped over and read your story. It’s fantastic! I was drawn in right away and wanted to know how everything would turn out for Mar. The premise is interesting, lots of food for thought.
Thank you for reading Priscilla, and for the kind feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed it!