This story was a lot of fun to write, and almost wrote itself. The first inspiration was a snippet about ancient fossil footprints (human) that I found in my files, from one of the archaeology classes I took at Stanford through Continuing Studies. I decided that the character who could best "deploy" that image would be an archaeologist, but I've had so many archaeologists in stories—so, of course, a paleontologist. Okay. And from somewhere, or nowhere, came a convalescent, as the main character. (Someone not making footprints, to be drawn by footprints?) And the being shut in bit of course reminded me of Rear Window, a favorite, and drew me to ask about plot, at last. What could the paleontologist in the yard next door be doing to arouse a watcher's suspicions? Burying bones, of course . . . But why, oh why?! And therein lies my tale.
The story has just been published in the Fall 2021 issue of Rathalla Review, and can be read by following this link.
image: Gum-leaf Katydid, Brisbane Insects
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