This is a podcast extra from Nature.

Each week, nature publishes a science fiction story in its futures slot.

At the end of every month, we read you our favourite.

This month's story is Duck, Duck, Duck,

written by Samantha Murray, published on the 25th of February,

and read by Charmany Bandell.

Duck, duck, dark, says Maddie, touching each head in the circle with a perfunctory authority.

Dark, dark, she pauses almost imperceptibly at the curly blood head in front of her.

Alien! The owner of the

curls Rebecca scrambles to her feet as Maddie tears off round the circle. Go Maddie! Go Maddie!

The other children screech their voices getting higher and more feverish as Maddie passes the

empty space and starts on her second lap around. No one cheers for the little blonde girl.

No one wants the alien to win. Go Maddie! He else Candice, along with the others, feeling the

tightness in her chest, her hands making little crescent moon marks in her palms. The alien is gaining

on Maddie despite her head start. His arms look longer than they should, stretching out, stretching out,

as Maddie skids into the vacant spot and fills it with her warm panting body. The circle is complete again.

Rebecca stops. Her face is red and there's a little bit of spit in the corner of her mouth.

Then she smiles and starts walking, a slow measured gate.

Duck, she says. Duck. Duck. Duck. The teachers don't like this game, Candice knows, but they don't

cross over the expanse of grass to where the kids play it at recess time. Everyone plays it

now. The climbing frames

are desolate in the sun and the skipping ropes and footballs are left in the sports cupboards.

...