Pseudopod 141: Flash on the Borderlands I
May 8th, 2009 12:01 am

Three flash fiction stories in one gut churning episode.


“Jordan, when are you going to settle down, get married and have us some children?”

By J.R.
Read by Ben Phillips

Beth, my most recent girlfriend, said I look like a hanged man when I walk because I always stare down at my feet.


Thinking About Polar Bears

By Mike Battista
Read by Matt Arnold

I wake up exhausted. I hadn’t slept well. My heart still beats quickly; the aftermath of vaguely remembered dreams.


Exit Exam, Section III: Survival Skills, Question #7

By David Erik Nelson
Read by Alasdair Stuart

7a) You are a werewolf. You kill and eat people. You are a vicious animal.


Theme music as usual: “Bloodletting on the Kiss” by Anders Manga
Additional music in this episode: rare rendition of “LabRatB” by Harmaline



This week’s episode sponsored by Audible.com, who offers Pseudopod listeners a free audiobook download of their choice from Audible’s selection of over 60,000 titles.

 
icon for podpress  Standard Podcast [30:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download


Posted in Flash, Podcasts, Stories by Alasdair
RSS 2.0
01
AgnosticBroJake
May 8th, 2009 2:42 pm

I loved this format. Very well done!

02
phignewton
May 10th, 2009 1:00 am

that first one would have been interesting assa much lonnnnnnger story… just saying… or perhaps an amusing cartoon show…

03
Jay
May 11th, 2009 7:35 pm

Loved this format the stories were interesting to say the least.

04
Kevin Anderson
May 16th, 2009 12:34 pm

Great foramt. Keepin it fresh. Way to go Pseudopod!

05
scatterbrain
May 18th, 2009 5:45 pm

What a selection: polar bears, werewolves and demonic turds. What more could a horror fan want!?

06
Nathaniel Lee
July 22nd, 2009 2:34 pm

“Exit Exam” has really stuck in my brain since I listened to it. I find the narrator’s desperate plea for guidance and commiseration to be deeply disturbing. I was reminded of the film “The Woodsman” and some articles I’ve read about pedophiles/rapists released from prison and struggling to keep themselves out of temptation’s way, knowing that they might not be able to resist their urges. It’s a horrible situation to contemplate in many ways, and I think the hint of the supernatural provided a compelling way to examine the concept. Top marks, definitely.

07
Hel Zalazar
July 26th, 2009 2:56 am

I demand more Jordan. I seriously must know, WTF is going on there? Although, I was quite disturbed by the thought of bowel movement after hearing this.

08
OhMeSoEmo
July 27th, 2009 11:16 pm

I’d LOVE more Flash on the Borderlands! I vote for this style again very soon! I could barely listen to the first story (Not a poop fan) I could hardly STAND the second story (Seeing images of carnage and bloodshed only to understand, too late, that it’s your impending departure from the mortal coil?) and the third was ingenious in its delivery and subject matter. Drawing a parallel the beastly curse of the Lycan and the very real and unsettling lust for something as sinister as pedophilia.

Kudos to all involved and Alasdair for his overall insight and amazing delivery of the final tale.

You guys are AMAZING!

09
David Steffen
August 13th, 2009 1:09 pm

Wow, all three were great in their own way.

Story 1 comes back to me every time I use the toilet (just like after I read Dreamcatcher).

10
Me, Elsewhere « Mike Battista’s Blog
September 28th, 2009 11:42 am

[...] you haven’t already listened to my very first musical horror story, Thinking About Polar Bears is here. Reviews are in, and it has been described as “eh,” “okay,” and [...]

11
Symptoms of Lycanthropy? - EN World D&D / RPG News
September 28th, 2009 3:30 pm

[...] those who like horror fiction I can recommend this episode of PseudoPod (a weekly horror podcast). The third short story in the episode has, sort of, to do with recognizing [...]

12
Pseudopod » Blog Archive » Pseudopod 223: Murdock The Nobody
April 1st, 2011 12:02 am

[...] Read by Matt Arnold, who previously read “Thinking About Polar Bears” for us way back in Flash On The Borderlands I. [...]