"On the Sunlit Side of Venus" by Benjamin Parzybok - published in Apex Magazine, issue 133, September 2022.

Read it here: https://apex-magazine.com/short-fiction/on-the-sunlit-side-of-venus/

Content Warning: suicide and grief

Benjamin Parzybok is the author of the novels Couch (two-time Indie-Next pick) and Sherwood Nation (chosen for the Silicon Valley Reads program). Among other projects, he founded Gumball Poetry, a literary journal published in gumball capsule machines, co-ran Project Hamad, an effort to free a Guantanamo inmate (Adel Hamad is now free), and co-runs Black Magic Insurance Agency, a one-night city-wide alternative reality game. He lives in Portland, Oregon and can be found at levinofearth.com and @sparkwatson.

Kira Nesbit has always had a love of storytelling and worldbuilding, and a fascination with characters, their motivations, and the way drama and conflict shapes a narrative. Their favorite avenues of storytelling are video games, TTRPGs, visual media, and audio dramas/podcasts. They run a duet actual play podcast, RPG For You and Me, and are a cast member on another actual play podcast, Sounds Like Crowes. They love voice work and finding new ways to bring stories and characters to life, and spend most of their time exploring the worlds and creations of others who share that love. Kira is not on any public-facing social media but they can be found on the RPG for You and Me show Discord server which can be accessed through their Patreon at patreon.com/rpgforyouandme. 

This Apex Magazine podcast was produced by Alli Nesbit.  Theme music by Alex White.  Music in this episode is by Alli Nesbit.

Apex Magazine podcast, copyright Apex Publications.

Apex Magazine is a bimonthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.