Geoffrey W Cole's "Teaching Bigfoot to Read" (short story, free): An abused child in a lunar slum is seeking a better life

Among the strongest stories I've yet seen from Clarkesworld.

Story summary.

9 year old Ace Jones in a dying mining town on moon in twenty-second century has mother dead, & father both unemployed & uncaring. So he finds friendship with mythical Bigfoot on earth; he's got an email address that doesn't bounce mails & that he believes is of Bigfoot.

These emails tells us his story. Eventually, he will stage an escape to earth by stowing away in a cargo container thrown to earth via a catapult on moon. But he won't be received on earth, & is suspected drowned (how could he get out of container at sea after landing?).

Fact sheet.

First published: Clarkesworld, January 2009.
Rating: A.
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