"Second Chance" is a short story by

Orson Scott Card Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951) is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is the first and (as of 2022) only person to win both a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for both ...

. It appears in his short story collections ''

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

'' and ''

The Worthing Saga ''The Worthing Saga'' (1990) is a science fiction book by American writer Orson Scott Card, set in the Worthing series. It is made up of the novel ''The Worthing Chronicle'' (1982) and nine related stories. Six of the stories are from Card's sho ...

''. Card first published it in the anthology ''Destinies'' (January–February 1979).

Plot summary

When Batta Heddis is a child, her father loses his legs in an accident. Because her mother is not responsible enough to take care of the family, Batta ends up taking care of everyone. While attending

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...

, she meets a man named Abner Doon. They become very close and spend a lot of time together. After Batta graduates from college, they go their separate ways. A year later, Abner comes to her house and asks her to go out with him. She refuses because her family needs her. When Batta’s brother and sister grow up and move out, Abner returns and asks her to marry him. While they discuss it and the possibility of them both going under the fictional drug Somec so they can undergo

suspended animation Suspended animation is the temporary (short- or long-term) slowing or stopping of biological function so that physiological capabilities are preserved. It may be either hypometabolic or ametabolic in nature. It may be induced by either endogen ...

for a few years, he has her memories taped. However, just as Abner is about to give her the Somec, she changes her mind and goes back to take care of her parents. By the time her parents die, Batta is almost insane from the hardship of taking care of them. When Abner shows up and offers to wipe her memories with Somec and play the recording he had made of her mind years earlier, she jumps at the chance. However, when she wakes up, Batta cannot escape the feeling that she has abandoned her parents and asks to have her old memories back.

Connection to the ''Worthing Saga''

This story uses several plot elements also used in ''

'', such as the sleeping drug Somec and the taping of memories. It takes place on the planet Capitol years after the events in the story "

Skipping Stones ''Capitol'' (1979) was Orson Scott Card's second published book, and first foray into science fiction. This collection of eleven short stories set in the Worthing series is no longer in print. However six of the stories have been reprinted in '' ...

". The story of Abner Doon’s failed relationship with Batta Heddis also appears in a much shorter form as a part of chapter 5 in Card's novel ''

The Worthing Chronicle ''The Worthing Chronicle'' (1983) is a science fiction novel by American writer Orson Scott Card, part of The Worthing series. This book by itself is out of print having been published along with nine short stories in the collection ''The Worthi ...

''.

External links

The official Orson Scott Card website
Short stories by Orson Scott Card {{1970s-story-stub

Plot summary

Connection to the ''Worthing Saga''

See also

External links