Welcome to stories from Among the Stars.

You're listening to The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean, narrated by Katie Eric.

Chapter 18 The Many F of Devon Fairweather

Present Day

The book eater inability to write by longhand in any form,

including codes or picture grafts, is truly fascinating.

They cannot even type electronically.

I am reminded of situational mutism, such as that experience by some autistic individuals or

people with anxiety, where someone may have healthy vocal cords and academic knowledge of

human language, yet still be unable to communicate verbally.

I believe book eaters experience a similar communication processing barrier. Any action the brain categorises as written

communication becomes psychologically impossible for them to perform. The fact that mind eaters can do

it easily must surely to them seem a cruel irony. Amarinda Patel,

paper and flesh, a secret history. Devon dreamed again of hell, with that same sense of absurdist

comedy. Instead of a pit opening up, she found herself riding a train whose destination was heaven.

Although no one wanted to take her ticket, Kai sat next to her, Hester in the seat across.

Both were keen to see what heaven looked like.

But Devon knew better.

Heaven was a lie.

They needed to jump off the train into the fields of fiery

death outside. She flung herself from a ghostly train, but her companions did not jump with her,

only watched from the doorway with sad faces. Devin crashed into a pit of fire and kept going.

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