Title: Dancing Chickens
Author: Edward Bryant
In: Alien Sex (Ellen Datlow) & Darkness (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Horror, Science fiction
Dates read: 8th November 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: ROC
Year: 1990
5th sentence, 74th page: “Good-bye,” I say.
The aliens have been lingering over the city for a year, so people mostly ignore them. What do they want and when will they take it?
I’ve read a lot of science fiction stories that start to dabble in the world of horror. Nothing intense and outright, but enough that when you close the last page, you do have goose bumps running up and down your arms. This short story doesn’t flirt with that line. It is firmly in the horror realm of writing and completely creepy. I don’t think I’m going to want to be eaten any chicken for a little while now…
My biggest question as I was reading this was WTF?!?! Who thinks its funny to dance a chicken carcass across the table? Or the road? Or really make a dead anything dance at all? This is where the horror aspect comes in… there was just something so graphic and horrifying about that imagery. Something that I still can’t get out of my head as I write this review…
The imagery, the graphic nature and the questions that this poses (what do the aliens really want?) in this short story left me feeling seriously uncomfortable. Not in the least bit interested in picking up another Alien Sex short story again for a little while… too many ick factors going on in my brain (although I’m still super intrigued for the next story)…
Earth and Skye 
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