So, I just wrote a novella!

[Elvish Pillager]

Actually, that's a lie. I wrote it about half a year ago, but kept getting delayed from publishing it, for one reason or another. And now, I've put it on my website! You can read it with in-context trigger warnings, or without them.

Its title is "Not What I Am", which is subtly mysterious! And, some people I trust have told me it's very good, so I am forced to conclude that it is, and that you should read it!

[Zeroignite]

^ officially endorsed by Zeroignite.

[Microscopic cog]

I liked it.

Spoilered for maybe spoiler?

Spoiler:

The ending was a great twist. ( Even though I wouldn't have minded a happy ending because I liked the characters )

[bobbeathome]

Hi! I read this and was deeply absorbed -- would read more about these characters for sure. I just have a couple of questions about the ending:

Spoiler:

Is the 'twist' that Chloe was an unreliable narrator, actually hurting those around her carelessly throughout the story? Or are her friends misinterpreting her somewhat misguided actions with Rose? Or is the whole thing intended to be that morally ambiguous? If the answer is 'it's supposed to be ambiguous, don't kill the frog' that's ok.

[Elvish Pillager]

Hi! I read this and was deeply absorbed -- would read more about these characters for sure. I just have a couple of questions about the ending:

Spoiler:

Is the 'twist' that Chloe was an unreliable narrator, actually hurting those around her carelessly throughout the story? Or are her friends misinterpreting her somewhat misguided actions with Rose? Or is the whole thing intended to be that morally ambiguous? If the answer is 'it's supposed to be ambiguous, don't kill the frog' that's ok.

I'm glad you liked it! If you'd like to be informed of more stories I post in the future, consider subscribing on my website - it's quite straightforward, and you can sign up to be notified only when I post a new story, if you like.

Responses to your questions under the spoiler:

Spoiler:

Well, I'm only the author; your interpretation is as good as mine. For what it's worth, here's what I think:

Chloe is a somewhat unreliable narrator; she doesn't say anything *factually* incorrect, but she doesn't understand everything that happens around her, and so you get a slightly distorted view. Rose also isn't good at communicating her feelings. So Chloe's actions do hurt Rose a lot, but you also couldn't have expected Chloe to realize that on her own. Whether that's "morally ambiguous" depends on what your sense of morality is.

Personally, I think the solution is to teach people about enthusiastic consent (which Rose clearly does NOT give, even as Chloe tells it).