## The Static Bloom The salt spray stung Elara’s face. Not actual salt, not anymore. Metallic tang, like old blood and static electricity. She braced against the rail of the *Argonaut*, watching the bloom unfold. It wasn’t a color she…
## The Static Between Stars The chipped Formica counter felt cold under Anya’s elbows. Rain lashed against the diner window, blurring the neon glow of “Rosie’s” into watery streaks. She traced patterns on her lukewarm coffee cup, ignoring Earl the…
## The Beekeeper’s Compass The scent of beeswax and damp stone clung to Adelheid like a second skin. Dust motes danced in the single shaft of sunlight piercing the apothecary’s window, illuminating rows of labeled jars. Not remedies for coughs…
## The Stone Speaker The chipped Formica of the kitchen counter felt cold under Leo Maxwell’s elbow. Another Tuesday, another grocery list scrawled in shaky handwriting: milk, eggs, bread, almond flour. His aunt Millie, bless her practical soul, left meticulous…