In this chilling episode of Speculative Fiction Tales, Jon Cronshaw delivers a nightmarish glimpse into a post-apocalyptic world where human reproduction has been fundamentally altered by plague.

"Host" follows an unnamed narrator confined to dark tunnels, their body transformed into an incubator for the children of surviving humans. Neither male nor female, the host has become something "other"—revered yet feared, necessary yet loathed.

In just a few paragraphs, Cronshaw creates a deeply unsettling vision of reproductive horror where the boundaries between human and other have collapsed, raising profound questions about bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, and what constitutes personhood in the aftermath of catastrophe.

Themes & Topics

• Body horror and reproductive nightmare

• Post-apocalyptic adaptation and survival

• Dehumanization and objectification

• The thin line between reverence and revulsion

• Reproductive enslavement and bodily autonomy

• The cycle of othering and violence

Listener Discretion

This episode contains disturbing imagery related to body horror, forced reproduction, and infanticide that some listeners may find deeply unsettling.

About the Author

Jon Cronshaw crafts speculative fiction that examines bodily autonomy and social hierarchies through visceral, often disturbing imagery. His flash fiction often condenses complex ethical questions into brief but powerful narratives that linger in the mind.

Support the Show

If you enjoyed this story, please consider supporting Jon Cronshaw by becoming a patron. Your support helps bring these stories to life and gives you early access to audio stories plus exclusive text versions of every episode. Visit patreon.com/joncronshawauthor to learn more.

Keywords

Body horror, reproductive horror, post-apocalyptic, plague survivors, biological transformation, forced breeding, body autonomy, flash fiction, Jon Cronshaw, horror fiction, biological dystopia, reproductive enslavement