A bearded woman who conceals that fact by shaving works as the manager of a fast food restaurant. When her restaurant is plagued by an imposing fat man, she must figure out how to make him leave or risk losing customers. From Teresa Milbrodt s Bearded Women: Stories, this tale is one in a phenomenal collection (Asimov s Science Fiction) of short fiction about the so-called freaks trying negotiate a world that is quicker to stare than sympathize.

ChiZine Publications (CZP) curates the best of the bizarre, bringing you the most excitingly weird, subtle, dark, and disturbing literary fiction. Look for more titles in the ChiZine short stories collection to build your digital library.