Barrels and Barrels
Two objects sit on my desk. One is a bottle
Celestial
We all see it: the extra star, third from Orion&
no-one
Waiting
Chair one: five minutes pass. Chair seven: decades. We learned
Permit
Grief requires Form 7-B, approved in triplicate. Joy needs
Paperwork
The form asked about my education. I checked "Bachelor&
Authentication
Security question: "Your first pet's name?"
Commute
At 5 PM the city folds upward, buildings origami into
Frontier
The border moves with belief. Nationalists see it miles inward,
Expansion
My apartment grows with shame. Lied to my mother: the
Ascent
Originally published as substack note on December 26, 2025.
The