3er Turno and Other Normal Tales : Short Speculative Fiction

Abstract

3er Turno and Other Normal Stories is a collection of short speculative fiction. The seven short stories move from a trilogy of flash fiction about everyday encounters with Puerto Rican legends such as La Llorona and a gargoyle, to a sci-fi tale about multiverse translators of the language of a forcibly relocated race, to the most experimental near-future story of weather warfare using man-made hurricanes. Though differing in narrative style, all the stories explore the blending of the fantastical with the mundane.

“3er Turno” peeks into one night in the life of a janitor at a nearly normal Puerto Rican airport. “Jangeos Folklóricos” gives us three micro-stories about a guy who bumps into a gargoyle, a la Llorona who no longer must just wait and wail by the side of the road, and an eldritch salvage yard worker who has any replacement part you need, for the right price. “Lost in Translation” follows a Puerto Rican and an alien as they work on a universal translator. “Fausta” shows how a demonic sacrifice can be tricky for both the devil and a bargaining woman. “Thick of the Woods” warns about the dangers of making friends with cabin dwellers. “New QuickMemo” recalls the encounter between a passenger and what lurks in the JetBlue terminal. Finally, “The Last Weather War” tells the fragmented story of world empires trying to control the weather.

Meshing the ordinary with the extraordinary, the inviting and subtly ironic stories play out accidental meetings between strangers, unexpected connections between diverse human, supernatural, and otherworldly characters, and geopolitics on both a planetary and intergalactic scale.