Hi, I'm Lovar Burton and this is Lovar Burton Reads.

In every episode I handpick a different piece of short fiction and I read it to you.

Only thing these stories have in common is that I love them and I hope you will too.

Today's story is Salt by Rosemary Melcure.

It was first published in Luna Station Quarterly and Rosemary has said that the setting was

inspired by a trip she took to the western coast of Iceland.

Having never been to the western coast of Iceland, I will take Rosemary's word for it

that I do not need to go there.

Salt opens with a young woman, a teenager, really.

Who arrives on an island.

She is accompanied by other people but she is for all intents and purposes spiritually alone.

This island is cold, hostile, littered with rocks and objects that can literally and figuratively

trip her up.

You might remember that I said earlier in the season that I found so many of the stories

that I'm reading on the podcast to be about difficult decisions that we as humans have

to make about standing up for what's right, about consciously choosing our reactions to

the circumstances of our lives.

Hard to make a decision without knowing the consequences and it may be even harder to

make a decision knowing exactly what those consequences are likely to be and still determining

that whatever said action is worth it.

Please check out the episode description for a content advisory if you are so inclined

and if you're ready.

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