Octavia Butler is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This is one of the most rich and compelling short stories I’ve ever read. Butler drops you right into a world ravaged by a plague that affects people’s abilities to speak, read, communicate. Despite the short story format, she’s able to explain the complications of this new world, tell a story within that world and inspire hope. It’s such a vivid glimpse into a dystopian society that will stick with me.