Karen Joy Fowler's "Always" (short story, non-genre): Description of life in a quasi-religious commune

I would not have made a separate post on this story if it had not made past the Nebula Awards 2007 preliminary round.

Quite a readable story - even sometimes amusing, but a) it's non-genre, & b) it's the story of a loser - not my cup of tea. I did not know Nebula allowed just any story, even those not speculative fiction.

Full text of this story is available for download.

Story summary.

One Brother Porter has been running the self-sufficient commune called the city of "Always" since his early twenties. His USP is - those who enter the city are granted immortality! You need to have faith in his word; don't demand a proof, please!

Year is 1938. Commune is located somewhere in Santa Cruz area of California, US.

There are separate hostels for men & women, & a big house for Brother Porter. Even married couples need to live separately. And women need to provide sexual services to Brother Porter regularly, whenever he demands. For Brother Porter, it's business - there are tourists, a "petting zoo", probably other things too.

Story describes life in commune from the perspective of an unnamed girl, the narrator. She was 17 when she entered the commune, with her boyfriend Wilt Loomis. Cut off from world, she will soon become a dull woman.

Wilt will leave after a while, as do some other people. Eventually, Brother Porter will be murdered by Frankie, an inmate. Other inmates are confused, but stay put. Yet another inmate will gun down 4 during dinner. Government gets active. Eventually, the commune is vacated - save for narrator.

She doesn't know what else to do. Lot of years have passed. She doesn't even know if her own mother is still alive, & is not interested in really finding out. Sole ghost in Always - tending to things the best she can.

Collected in.

1. David Hartwell & Kathryn Cramer (Ed)'s "Year's Best SF 13" (2008).
   

Fact sheet.

"Always", short story, review
First published: Asimov's Science Fiction, April/May 2007.
Rating: B
Winner of Nebula Awards 2007 in short story category.