by Bowie V. Ibarra
'The Survivor' by Ursula Raphael is a short story detailing the cruel evolution of a 'survivor' in a horrifying apocalypse.
Noting the efficiency of words and identification of characters by broad description and not names, (ex. The Survivors, The Sadists, Them), I was reminded of theatrical pieces done in the expressionist style that de-emphasize the identity of the characters, while emphasizing the spiritual transformation of the characters in the context of the story.
The story follows the transitional evolution of a woman during this fearful time. Lost, alone, and struggling to survive, her previous self is slowly destroyed by the cruel truth of survival.
However, the societal role she played in the civilized past (a mother) resurfaces when she hears the fearful cry of a boy during her hopeless quest for survival. However, the new mother that manifests is tragically different than the civilized one in the new world.
The piece is very short, and a perfect download for a short bus trip, or a nightmarish story before bed. The abstract nature of time within the piece gives it the nightmare quality you will experience from the first words to the cruel ending.
Ursula Raphael effectively puts together a cruel story of transformation in a world shattered by a nightmarish horror in "The Survivor". If are looking for a quality piece of expressionist zombie horror that makes for a good short read, this is the story for you.
You can download the short story to your Kindle for .99 or for Free if you are Prime Member here.
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Bowie Ibarra is the author of the "Down the Road" zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His lastest zombie story, "The Fall of Austin", chronicles the story of several social groups in the city (military, police, criminals, civilians) and their battle against the zombie apocalypse.
Network with Bowie and explore his written works at his personal website ZombieBloodFights.com.
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