The River’s Cipher
## The River’s Cipher The wind tasted of dust and rain, a gritty film coating Li Wei’s tongue as he swept the courtyard. Red banners snapped above the gates of Pingle, a defiant splash against the grey Sichuan hills. Zhu…
Vortex
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The Bloom
## The Bloom The air hung thick, sweet with pollen dust that clung to my throat. It tasted like sunshine and something else—something ancient, almost metallic. I ran a hand across the velvety petal of a Skybloom, its color shifting…
The Echo in the Static
Dust motes danced in the beam of Leo’s headlamp, a miniature galaxy swirling within the dome of the abandoned Lowell Observatory. The air tasted of rust and regret. He traced a finger across the chipped enamel of the telescope’s base,…