Four People I Need You to Kill Before the Dance Begins
Novelette 12,590 words Recommended by 3 award/anthology sources
"Do you remember being born? I expect that you do. After all, it happened only a very few minutes ago. Sensation comes first. Perhaps it was my voice you noticed—a ragged voice, new-carved. These are your first sounds. Sandpaper words, and the even temper of your breath. In time, you will acclimatize to both."
Content warnings 1
death
Quasar links out; the story lives on Clarkesworld, where the author gets the click.