Lexa had just seen Dolphus. That evening she insisted that Dolphus soothe her to sleep, curling against him.
Elena’s eyes were fixed on her phone while sitting on the couch. News feeds scrolled endlessly beneath her fingers. Not only the voices of local and foreign media but even lone scribes of self-run channels filled the screens. They all carried one tale, how the land had conquered the secret of microchips and the power of photolithography machines.
A quiet smile crept over her lips as she read. She knew what that meant.
By the time her eyes lifted from the screen, the clock read past ten. Elena rose, padding silently across the floor. She pushed open the bedroom door.
Dolphus sat on the bed. Lexa was already fast asleep in his arms.
When dawn broke, Elena rose alone. Dolphus h
