The Luminous Dead

by Caitlin Starling

But carbon polymer just scraped over carbon polymer, a frustrating reminder that for the next several weeks—or even months—she wouldn’t be able to feel her own skin.

Oh god

What if the cave wasn’t ready to let her go?

“You’re a monster,” Gyre agreed. Em’s flinch brought her no joy, no vindication. “But a human monster. People are selfish. You are. I am. Humans are selfish. It’s what we do.

I just took advantage of how this world drives people to do horrible things just to survive. I just—played the game, from the winner’s chair. Gyre, I thought I was smart. I thought I was brilliant, that I was perfectly using my resources to chase this goal, and I never—the goal was the problem, wasn’t it? I solved the question as best I could, but I never stopped to ask myself if I should solve it.”