"[CURTAIN]" in Artifice Magazine 5

My short fiction "[CURTAIN]" appears in the latest issue of Artifice Magazine, alongside work from Alexander J. Allison, Molly Brodak, Chris Emslie, Matthew Reed Corey, Matt Rowan, Jess Dutschmann, Jerimee Bloemeke, Cassandra Gillig, Russell Jaffe, Laura Kochman, Russ Woods, Mike Lala, Meghan Lamb, Megan Milks, Jessica Newman, Seth Oelbaum, Brandi Wells, Gregory Sherl, Emma Sovich, Christopher Phelps, and Steven Teref.

"[CURTAIN]" is, in part, a conversation between Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" and ELIZA, a computer program that emulates a Rogerian therapist. Here's a bit of that conversation:

ELIZA: Please go on.
ESTRAGON: I can't go on like this.
ELIZA: Have you tried?
ESTRAGON: If we parted? That might be better for us.
ELIZA: What do you know about we parted?
ESTRAGON: And if he comes?
ELIZA: What does this speculation lead to?
ESTRAGON: Well? Shall we go?
ELIZA: Tell me more about that.
ESTRAGON: What?
ELIZA: Have you asked such questions before?

You can read the rest of "[CURTAIN]" as part of the issue's online preview, or you can order a copy and enjoy all of the great work editors Peter Jurmu and James Tadd Adcox have assembled.