Age of Vice

by Deepti Kapoor

She let herself float and drift, and the only thing she could hear was the gentle slap of water against her skin. Every time her brain tried to ask necessary questions, the ocean intervened.

“The chains of existence,” she said, “have to be weak enough to break.” She kissed him. “But strong enough to carry you through in the first place.” She turned to face the stars. “By the way . . . Happy birthday.”