You are listening to a Clark's World magazine podcast with your host and narrator Kate Baker.

Greetings Clark's World Citizens. I hope this podcast finds you very well.

It's August 1st, 2014, and this is our first story of the month.

For those of you lucky enough to be going to is our first story of the month.

For those of you lucky enough to be going to Lon-Con, the World Con held in London,

Neil will be there.

So please say hello or go visit a panel he's speaking on.

I know he's very excited to get across the pond.

And wish him luck on the Editor Short Form Award.

Our first story is titled Five Stages of Grief After the Alien Invasion.

It is by Caroline M. Yoakum.

Now Caroline lives in Seattle and loves cold, cloudy weather.

I guess if you live in Seattle, that's probably a thing to do.

She is the author of over two dozen short stories appearing in such markets as light speed,

as moths, and daily science fiction among other places. So I invite you to sit back, relax, and let me tell you a story.

Denial.

Eley huddled in the corner of her daughter's room.

She sang a quiet lullaby and cradled her swaddled infant in her arms.

Lexi was four months old or maybe 13 months,

Ellie shook her head.

There hadn't been a birthday party and 13-month-olds didn't need swaddling.

She tried to rearrange the swaddling blankets so they didn't cover Lexi's face

...