Ficlets

Held Up at Customs

They wanted his pinky finger at customs.

At first, he’d thought maybe they just wanted a print or a blood sample. But then, he’d seen what happened to the tentacle of the sapient in line ahead of him: It walked away with a fresh blue-weeping stump, the tip excised by the eye-blink swipe of a sterile blade.

He knew that that particular genotype could regenerate tentacle tips – but he doubted that the customs agents here knew or cared that pinkies didn’t grow back. At some passport inspection earlier, one of them must have made a mistake in classifying him and shuffled him into the wrong lane.

No one spoke English here – and why would they? He was the first human being ever to be processed by the gateway station. All he’d had going for him was the universally encoded information in his travel papers.

Alerted to the hold up in the queue as he balked at the tissue sampler, a hard-shelled uniformed agent trundled over. It squawked and helpfully directed his hand toward the machine.

Comments

Average Reader Rating:

Held Up at Customs
Saint Chuck
Posted about 1 year ago

Great work.
Held Up at Customs
Snarky
Posted 7 months ago

That is most unfortunate.
Held Up at Customs
someday_93
Posted 7 months ago

Creepy!
LoA
Held Up at Customs
insomniac
Posted 7 months ago

Very… Interesting.
Held Up at Customs
Storykeeper of Fae
Posted 7 months ago

This is probably the most intriguing ficlet I’ve read to date. It leaves so much open, but is so skillfully written. Lovely story opener.
Held Up at Customs
uselessness
Posted 7 months ago

Excellent, excellent writing. This one needs a sequel (or prequel). :-)
LoA
Held Up at Customs
Nouvelle Bardot
Posted 7 months ago

wow, freaky. brings up a lot of questions.
Held Up at Customs
Mask By The Moon
Posted 7 months ago

Oh wow. I want something added.. pwease.

LoA
Held Up at Customs
Melia
Posted 7 months ago

I’m looking at my pinky fingers and feeling entirely grateful I still have them. I’m with the other commenters – would love to see where this goes.
Held Up at Customs
Tad Winslow
Posted 6 months ago

wow, I’m only halfway through but I feel possessed to say that this is incredible writing!
Held Up at Customs
Tad Winslow
Posted 6 months ago

trundled—what a word.
I thought it was interesting you mentioned the pinkie, refering to the finger of course, but I also felt like it could work as a racial slur that the fellow aliens could use to describe white humans. “Pinkie” could be universal racism in the world within your story and not offend anyone who reads it because its made up. Anyway, I feel a rant breathing down my back. Fantastic story. Fun characters.
Held Up at Customs
Mistress Elsha Hawk
Posted 6 months ago

My pinkie hurt just thinking about it!

Funny Tad, “pinkies” would be a good stereotype name.
Held Up at Customs
Lone Writer
Posted 6 months ago

Wow!
Just totally completely wow!
I am impressed!
Excellent Writing!
Held Up at Customs
White Hat
Posted 6 months ago

Reminds me of a line from Buckaroo Banzai...

“Wherever you go, there you are.”
Held Up at Customs
A Cerebral Mosh
Posted 5 months ago

Oh gosh. Wow. I feel bad for that guy. What happens now?
Held Up at Customs
thebetweenspace
Posted 3 months ago

I simply cannot believe no one has written a prequel or sequel to this story yet. It’s brilliant. I guess maybe we’re too intimidated by its excellence to go and mess it up. :)
Held Up at Customs
Laine P. Grey
Posted 3 months ago

Lovely… Yes, I did just use that word in reference to your finger stealing story.
Held Up at Customs
Bilfurd
Posted about 1 month ago

Nicely done!
Held Up at Customs
The Unnamable
Posted about 1 month ago

Great! I think this manages to capture the generic anxiety people feel at customs.