The Premiere

"The Premiere" by Richard Sabia is a science fiction story set in the mid-20th century featuring a futuristic theater where audiences experience movies through intense emotions called "feelies". The story revolves around Robina Rowe, a highly emotional young woman, and her brother Jason, as they confront the dangers of this technology. Robina's extreme sensitivity to emotions pushes her to attend forbidden horror feelies, resulting in a near-death experience that exposes her vulnerabilities and attracts medical attention. Meanwhile, Jason discovers he has a rare talent for projecting powerful emotions, taking him from obscurity to stardom. However, his newfound success takes a dark turn during a premiere, unleashing fatal consequences on the audience due to the overwhelming authenticity of his performances. This raises difficult questions about the ethics of immersive entertainment and its impact on human emotion, questioning where the line is drawn.