Through A Dragonfly’s Wing

Arms trembling, stippled at the touch of air, I claw my way out of the dirt. As my head breaks the surface, the warm weight of sunlight causes the membranes to flick across my eyes. I see, through a dragonfly’s wing, the hazy faces of my sister Lera, my hyber-mate Rol. It is time for our days in the sun.

I pull my body upward. Flop onto the hard packed sides of the den, exhausted. The way out has taken us several hours, though our hands are strong and our bodies accustomed to the work, even af...