Swanwick, Michael. "The Edge of the World"
What if: Earth has an edge.
Summary: Three teen-agers living at an American air force base in the Middle East climb down a stairway on the edge of the world.
Published: In Full Spectrum 2 (eds. Lou Aronica, Shawna McCarthy, Amy Stout and Patrick LoBrutto), Doubleday/Foundation 1989 (0385260199) and Bantam/Spectra 1990 (0553285300); The Year's Best Science Fiction, Seventh Annual Collection (ed. Gardner Dozois), St. Martin's 1990 (0312044518, 0312044526), v.t. Best New SF 4, Robinson 1990 (1854870572); Gravity's Angels, Arbor House 1991 (0870541625); and The Legend Book of Science Fiction (ed. Gardner Dozois), Legend 1991 (0712650105, 0712648615), v.t. Modern Classics of Science Fiction, St. Martin's 1992 (0312072384BUY), 1993 (0312088477BUY).
Original in: English.
Translation: French by Brigitte Mariot as "Le Bord du monde", in Etoiles Vives #5, Orion 1998 (2843440165).
Translation: Italian by Massimo Patti as "Il margine del mondo", in Stelle di neutroni (ed. Gardner Dozois), Mondadori 1992 (8804360429).
Awards: Nominee: 1990 Hugo for best short story. Nominee: 1990 World Fantasy Award for short fiction.