Cardboard Boy

A humanitarian worker measures the true impact of his commitment.Theo, a dispirited workplace inspector, audits Malak, a child working at a cardboard plant in a port city somewhere in Asia. The child's resilience and low-key fortitude, displaying a maturity beyond his scant years, touch the man.When Malak, the same age as his own son, disappears, Theo cannot let it rest. His quest for answers only raises more questions about the traps of structured help and acquired privilege.An unsettling 11 000-words psychological drama, quietly told by multiple awards-winning Canadian SF author Michèle Laframboise. Michèle Laframboise feeds coffee grounds to her garden plants, runs long distances and writes full-time. A science-fiction lover since she can walk, she has published 19 novels and over 50 short-stories in French and English. She is also a comic enthusiast who drew a dozen of graphic novels and maintains an illustrated blog.Her short-stories have appeared in Asimov's, Solaris, Galaxies, Fiction River, Compelling Science Fiction, Future SF and other venues.Michèle uses her scientific background to create stories filled with humor, adventure and wonders. You would like to live in her worlds!