Notes on Exiting Reality

No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality. —Shirley Jackson

Because reality is absurd. 

A teenage girl once religiously experimented with story prompts during English language tests. Teachers grew tired of ghosts and the like and complained to her mother—unaware she was responsible, having introduced the girl to Harry Potter, Baba Yaga, and Professor Shonku. They hoped she would coax her into writing something more ‘mature’.

But there was more to it.

If someone trained in psychology were to get hold of her, there’s about a 71.19% chance they’d label her a maladaptive daydreamer. She wouldn’t blame them. With a history like hers, she’s fucked nine ways to Sunday, and she doesn’t like discussing it. Instead, she chooses to live elsewhere. In her head, she’s an Avenger; as I write this, she’s hunting with the Winchesters. There is absolutely nothing she cannot do.

So when reality digs its talons into her flesh, I pull my head out of human cadavers and their laws to come to the rescue. I put on a curator’s hat, type up a spell, and stories find their way to us. She finds new worlds, while I attempt to make something of it in the real world.

What is literary speculative fiction?

Don’t bore yourself with academic explanations. As far as I am concerned, it is fiction that helps you question your reality—or make sense of it, depending on your needs at the time.

In the pages ahead, an evil painting can corrupt its viewers, a mechanical creature can become sentient, water can talk, androids can mimic humans to near perfection, and AI can become God. I could give away more secrets, but I am acutely sensitive to the crime of spoilers.

Consider this your launchpad. We’ve reached escape velocity.

Step through the door. Reality can wait.

Tejaswinee Roychowdhury, a founding editor of The Hooghly Review, is currently pursuing a PhD in Law at the University of Calcutta. She writes fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, and captures the occasional photograph.