The Black Iron Almanac
You are now a contributor to the Black Iron Foundation’s Parliament Memory Programme. This device, the Black Iron Almanac, belongs to you. You are to keep it close for exactly one year.
Inside are three hundred and sixty-five entries—your daily destinies. Your instructions are absolute: read only one entry each day, do not skip ahead, and do not compare notes with others. Your task is to reflect on how your life intersects with these words, categorising every entry into four interpretative categories: Affirmation, Warning, Confession, or Entertainment. Doing so will help unlock the answer that we -- that the world! -- requires.
The Foundation is here to help. Only we can protect you from the distractions of the everyday world. Let's get you back on your feet and rebuild your mind from the ruins of what happened on that fateful day.
You were there. You know what happened. Soon you will remember. Together we can prevent any further destruction.
In one year and one day, you will return for your exit interview. Attendance is mandatory. The reading is the test, and the answer to the world's survival is hidden within your own reflections.
Start tomorrow. Good luck.
Author's Note
The Black Iron Almanac is my new novella. It took me a few months to write it, and is the project that broke my 'block'. Obviously, the format of the almanac being daily flash-fiction length entires helped with this. It appears my brain can only do this now.
I offer it free of charge as a PDF on the download link beneath.
The Almanac is presented as an interactive exercise, and closes with a single question which is asked of 'YOU', the reader.
It would please me greatly if you would respond to me with the choice (of four) you make at the end of the reading. There's a feedback form below which you can use to send me an email with your final choice.
If you wish, you can also complete the enclosed workbook for each of the daily entries and return them to me. This is more work though, and I can't imagine anyone actually doing it. Even so, if I receive any responses I will compile them into some kind of exciting (yes, exciting) chart or summary page.
I might put out an actual ebook version down the line but the particular formatting requirements means it will take more work.
Go ahead and download the PDF and read it at your leisure. It should upload nicely to an e-reader (tried it on my Kindle and it looks ok).
Oh, and if you want to 'buy me a coffee' (i.e. donate something for the download) there's a widget down there. 'Preciate it.
Happy reading.
(The text is set in Marcellus and Calibri. Cover designed in Affinity designer and also in the Marcellus font. Cross on red background image by Kelly Sikkema via Unspash)