A tiny seed was pressed into damp earth beneath the first blush of dawn. A faint chill was felt in the air, and a gentle patter of water was allowed to soak the soil. Rustling leaves were heard nearby, and a hint of fresh grass was carried on the breeze. “It must be protected,” was often whispered by worried voices, though no faces were seen. A tense pause was experienced when dark clouds drifted ...

I stood in the doorway, my breath fogging in the icy air, staring at the trail of footprints in the fresh snow. They started from inside my house—right at the threshold where I now stood—and led outward, disappearing into the pale morning light. The snow had stopped falling just minutes ago, and the layer was pristine except for the steps. Which meant whoever—or whatever—had made them was here onl...

The cold bites harder today than usual. Even under my thick layers, I can feel it creeping into my bones as I watch from the ridge. They haven’t seen me yet—I’ve made sure of that. It’s not hard to stay hidden out here, with the blinding snow whipping around like a living thing, obscuring everything more than a few feet away.

From here, the scene below is surreal: a team of people, dressed in bri...

Dear Mia,

I hope this letter finds you well in your corner of the Solar Network. I was delighted to receive your last holographic missive; it’s amazing how much clearer the image quality has gotten with the latest updates. It felt like you were right here in my living pod, though I could’ve done without your digital cat pawing at my face during the call!

Life here in Neo-Seattle is as bustling a...