Starfish and Secondhand Sunshine: Two Short Stories
Magical Realism
John Franz
'Starfish' follows Leeroy, a man deeply infatuated with a librarian he calls Starfish. Despite never having spoken to her, Leeroy believes they share a silent, profound connection through eye contact, convinced that they understand and love each other. However, every time Leeroy visits the library, Starfish's boyfriend Frank is always present. Leeroy is certain that Starfish doesn't truly love Frank; she told him with her eyes.
'Secondhand Sunshine' centers on Chester, a retired detective who returns to work for the Syndicate to uncover the mystery of the stolen sun. Chester's daughter, Joanna, suffers from dark-sickness, and the opiate-laced sunshine pills no longer alleviate her condition. In a world where the rain never stops, and the towering neon-trees exhale only plastic, filmy air, even the Unified I of the People cannot cure dark-sickness in the Forever Night, despite their easy distribution of sunshine pills. Desperate to save Joanna, Chester seeks answers from Safe, the wealthiest man on the Sunshine Strip.