“MISCARRIAGE,” by James L. Sutter. Read by Jonathan Shockley.

The second time the stick turned blue, it was intentional — they had good jobs, a car, a house, and a strong desire to take the next step. They’d surprised their parents with it on Mother’s Day, and were immediately enveloped in a whirlwind of blue and pink, both grandmothers good-naturedly attempting to outdo each other with baby preparation. Ryan’s father, the paragon of stoicism, had cried and hugged him, tears leaking out from behind Coke-bottle glasses. Annie glowed.

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James Lafond Sutter is the Fiction Editor for Paizo Publishing, creators of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. He is the award-winning author of numerous game products and short stories, and his fiction has appeared in such venues as Black Gate, Catastrophia, and Apex Magazine, as well as been translated into several languages. His anthology Before They Were Giants pairs the first stories of SF greats from William Gibson to China Miéville with new interviews and writing advice from the authors themselves. For more information, visit jameslsutter.com.

Jonathan Shockley is one-half of Travis and Jonathan, creators of the political comedy show Red State Update, a once-regular feature of Salon.com. Originally from Tennessee, he now lives in Los Angeles.

In the book, “MISCARRIAGE” is illustrated by Rene Engström!