Monday, February 19, 2024

“Arrivals at Hope Station Have Been Indefinitely Postponed” • by Warren Benedetto


Attention, Travelers. 

Due to circumstances entirely within our control—but beyond our collective will to change—all arrivals at Hope Station have been indefinitely postponed, and the Station is now closed. Travelers entering the Station should abandon Hope and proceed to the exits immediately.

Travelers currently en route to Hope Station will be diverted to alternate dimensions, with stops at Disappointment, Disillusionment, Depression, and Despair. Travelers may disembark at any of these dimensional gateways, where Administration officials will provide you with long- term accommodations. If you have already passed through all these dimensions, please alert the Administration—you may be eligible for a free transfer to Dissociation, which is lovely this time of year.

While all arrivals are cancelled, departures from Hope Station will continue as scheduled. Residents departing Hope from surrounding neighborhoods, including Truth and Reality, should pack enough essential items for at least four years. Be sure to leave ample room for student loan debt, generational trauma, or anything else you are unable to leave behind. Transportation of optimism of any kind is strictly prohibited.

Once packed, proceed immediately to Hope Station, descend the moving stairs to Departures, and board the blue transport with the elderly gentleman in the pilot’s seat. Be sure to fasten your seat belts, as forecasts call for severe turbulence en route to your destination. Upon departure, Travelers leaving Hope may experience nausea, uncontrollable sobbing, and impotent rage. If you feel ill, thoughts and prayers are available at no extra charge.

All aboard!

Next stop, Fascism.

 


 

Warren Benedetto writes dark fiction about horrible people, horrible places, and horrible things. He is an award-winning author who has published over 200 stories, appearing in publications such as Dark Matter Magazine, Fantasy Magazine, and The Dread Machine; on podcasts such as The NoSleep Podcast, Tales to Terrify, and Chilling Tales For Dark Nights; and in anthologies from Apex Magazine, Tenebrous Press, Scare Street, and many more. He also works in the video game industry, where he holds 40+ patents for various types of gaming technology. For more information, visit warrenbenedetto.com and follow @warrenbenedetto on Twitter and Instagram.

 


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