The Static Dream and the Scrap of Paper
By Leaf Richards
The cold was a constant, gnawing presence, even in the deepest parts of sleep. It seeped into everything, a low, thrumming hum beneath the skin. Winter was not just a season here; it was a state of being, a shroud drawn over the city and its inhabitants, chilling bone and spirit alike. For James, every morning began not with light, but with the lingering dread of the night's abstract horrors.