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The Touches

Brenda Peynado

First published November 2019
Type Short Fiction
Length Short Story

Salipa and Telo have perfect lives in the virtual reality world that humanity has retreated to after bacteria and viruses resistant to all medications take over the outside world. But when the robots that take care of their necessities in the dirty outside world start glitching, Salipa must figure out what it means to truly live if they can never return to the outside world.

7,152 words

Date Publication Publisher Type Page
November 2019 Cover The Touches Tor Chapbook
November 2019 Tor.com, November 13 2019 Tor.com MAGAZINE
January 2020 Cover Some of the Best from Tor.com: 2019 Edition Tor Anthology |19
May 2021 Cover The Rock Eaters Penguin Books Collection 167
May 2021 Cover The Rock Eaters Penguin Books Collection |167
May 2021 Cover The Rock Eaters Penguin Audio Collection |167
July 2023 Cover Some of the Best from Tor.com: 15th Anniversary Edition Tor.com Anthology |45