Rob Black, a college sophomore, has been experiencing some complications. Battling crippling paranoia and delusions due to an undiagnosed case of schizophrenia, he inadvertently projects his fears onto the presidential administration and the problems of post 9/11 legislation. Falsely sensing he is being called to action, Rob deftly sets off, vastly unprepared, to take matters into his own hands. The end result can only be described as the drastic depravity and desperation of a tragically confused mind, along with an unforeseen redemption.
Connections is a compelling look at what happens when a dangerously delusional mind takes on an endeavor that is far too large for its own good. It received the award for best premise at the Pike’s Peak Writer’s Conference 2007 American Icon contest.
Excerpt
As I left the parking lot I could hear a faint humming. It could’ve been the belts but the engine seemed so far away at this point. Maybe it was my mind. I could picture the impulses jumping from one synapse to another as they churned out thoughts. I was lost among them but I knew two truths. First, they had been watching for quite a long time. Second, it was time to take action. I had not chosen the endeavor of heralding a new age of peace to the world, but I had been chosen. The media said so, even if no one else had seen the connections.
The van sputtered as I switched gears. Looking down at the gas dial I could see that I still had half a tank, enough to get me to Kansas. I had no clear indication as of my final destination but I knew I should head east. D.C. was east. I had been there once in fifth grade as part of class trip but I didn’t know if I could still recognize it. That had been a long time ago and I hadn’t paid much attention with the hushed ridicule of my classmates ringing in my ears. Still, I knew my experience as an outcast had served me well. I had become more of an observer than a participator. That was what allowed me to form my now valued opinions about society and the behaviors of mankind, perhaps that and the drugs. Either way, buried deep in the paranoia there was the truth that had the potential to end war. My day had come. Fucking finally.
In this eccentric tale set in a small town in northern India, Pawan Mishra masterfully weaves ingenuity and sarcasm in a manner that’s simultaneously hilarious and tragic.
Determined to confront the hazy memories of his troubled youth, Oliver Matthews, a retired detective and confirmed bachelor, returns to the picturesque town of Henley-on-Thames for the first time in years.
The bulk of the collection is eight short stories that are set in yesteryear. The compilation is filled out with four entertaining fantasy pieces and three poems.
