"Touch This Cancer, It Probably Won't Bite" by Josh Pearce + "Pezcara" by Ana Hurtado | NIGHTMARE MAGAZINE - Horror and Dark Fantasy Story Podcast (Audiobook | Short Stories) | Podwise
This episode of the Nightmare Magazine Story Podcast features a blend of poetry and short fiction, framed by sponsor messages and host introductions. The poem, "Touch This Cancer, It Probably Won't Bite," by Josh Pearce, uses the imagery of a piano and its keys to explore the speaker's grief over the loss of his grandmother to cancer. Following this, the main segment presents "Pezcara," a short story by Ana Hurtado, which centers on the Robles siblings' annual New Year's Eve tradition in Casablanca, Ecuador, involving the creation and burning of effigies. More significantly, the story weaves a surreal narrative where fishermen catch fish bearing their own faces, culminating in the disappearance of the siblings' sister, Sara, and the symbolic transformation of the characters. Against the backdrop of this mystical realism, the story explores themes of grief, family bonds, and the cyclical nature of life and death. The episode concludes with additional sponsor messages and credits, highlighting the contributions of various individuals involved in the production.
