Clarkesworld Magazine The Cold Burns by Anne Wilkins (audio)
Dec 18, 2025
In a chilling tale, a narrator explores life in a dystopian world governed by a sinister supply chain. Working in a freezer facility, they grapple with rationed meals and family struggles while uncovering dark truths about frozen families. As reality unfolds, a desperate plan for liberation ignites hope. This gripping narrative combines suspense and social commentary, revealing the harsh cost of survival in a cold utopia. Prepare for a journey filled with twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
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Footprint As Social Control
- Utopia enforces social control via a visible "footprint" metric tied to survival and status.
- That metric structures daily life, rationing, and who faces forced freezing or removal.
Erasing Identities Before Disposal
- Workers erase names and histories from pods, symbolically erasing people before disposal.
- The facility's routines sanitize removal and hide the true fate of those frozen.
First Viewing Breaks Jacob
- Jacob and Gary watch a young family prepared for freezing while intercom announcements force them to remove clothing.
- Jacob vomits at the sight and faints, marking his moral revulsion at the process.