Ben Marcus reads his story from the October 2, 2017, issue of the magazine. Marcus has published two novels and two story collections, including “The Flame Alphabet” and “Leaving the Sea,” which came out in 2014, and was shortlisted for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award.

"“Terrorism” wasn’t really the term anymore. Ida found that it soured in her mouth, like a German word for some obscure feeling.“Tax”seemed to be a finer way to put it. A tax had been levied in St. Louis. In New Orleans last year, in Tucson three years back. Et cet- era. A tax on comfort, safety. A price paid for being alive, for waking up."