Bloodchild and Other Stories

Octavia Butler

These short stories are parables of human society and consciousness, thrown into deep relief by their science fiction settings. The author's afterwords add creative value, enabling your reactions to interact with her inspirations. For those who like their tales of the imagination to have a strong moral aftertaste with high relevance for our humanity now.

Extract

Yet I undressed and lay down beside her. I knew what to do, what to expect. I had been told all my life. I felt the familiar sting, narcotic, mildly pleasant. Then the blind probing of her ovipositor. The puncture was painless, easy. So easy going in. She undulated slowly against, her muscles forcing the egg from her body into mine. I held onto a pair of limbs until I remembered Lomas holding her that way. Then I let go, moved inadvertently, and hurt her. She gave a low cry of pain and I expected to be caged at once within her limbs. When I wasn't, I held on to her again, feeling oddly ashamed.

Parallels