Stories of Your Life and Others

by Ted Chiang

For the first time, he knew night for what it was: the shadow of the earth itself, cast against the sky.

Janice’s family and friends considered the restoration of her legs a reward for excelling at the task God had set for her, but for Janice, this interpretation raised another question. Did He intend for her to stop? Surely not; evangelism provided the central direction of her life, and there was no limit to the number of people who needed to hear her message.

And God sent him to Hell anyway.