SFERICS
by jlynn


lightning
long distance tweaks
laser tag in double time

chorus waves
dawn songbirds
echoed by electrons
driving
solar winds brushing
Earth’s magnetosphere

space sounds
emotional
experiential
grounded

i recognize you
your data points
singing the galaxy

THROUGH HER EYES

Zophia
stoic
lit
by feral green eyes
she had once looked
to the stars

Red
never part of the plan

the baby farm
Zophia signed on
to create life

sons
daughters

four more
unnamed
unheld

she watched Red
reach for the stars
scowled at Issi
then advanced
chasing away
any warmth

Zophia sauntered
closer
Red
sought Issi
had he betrayed her

through the goggles
her mother seemed
larger
stranger

she wanted to run

Zophia
eyes of seething slits
as she marked Issi
she huffed
turned to Red
no wriggling free

You don’t listen!

frustration laced with
something raw
too late
quieter
There’s nothing out there
but disappointment.

choking away
her own childhood fragments

the goggles
grabbed from Red’s head
heavier than reckoned
her grip faltered
a weak moment
she considered
allowing Red
to keep this one thing

but …
too dangerous

her fingers curled tighter
dreams
shattered
stolen

Nonsense!

Mum, please!
words raw
desperate
but already gone

Red
vision blurred

Zophia
clenched

Red
desperate

Zophia
colder
You know nothing of loss …

regret flickered
too late

too late
she pulled Red away

the hissing door of the AOD
sealed away the stars
Red’s anguish hung
like
a fragile echo

half a heartbeat
Zophia remembered
then didn’t

WHEN THE STARS REACHED BACK


the low hum
thrummed heavier here
as if the ship
itself
was holding its breath

Red
could never have dreamed
so big
she was
suddenly small
too small
she trembled
at the disquiet

alone
with the vastness
of space

Hear me.

it lingered in the void
then circled back
home
connected to
an unreachable expanse
no more

Didn’t we all come
from stardust?


tick-tock

goggles on
engulfed by awe
wisps of 
a thousand
unnamed colors
spider silk
spinning among the stars
glowing
pulsing
like breath in the dark
stirring
deep inside

cosmic dance unfolding
resounding
in her very bones

We are stardust.
elemental dust
connection

fingertips stretched
toward the universe
tentative
tingling
… recognition
soft and uncertain
unmistakable

delicate caress
the universe breathed on her
boundaries blurred
between herself
and the presence

then sharp
a rupture
an unwelcome shadow
at the edge of her awareness
shattered moment

there stood Mum

STAR KEEPER


Red woke
only two days left

sneaking out
easy peasy
explaining later
… later

the AOD
Advanced Observation Deck
off limits
tick-tock

she rode the hovolator
tenth deck
found the AOD
straightaway
she thought

someone approached
an Origin
the badge
official

her skin flushed
rubbing her throat

Can I help you?
official

her stomach lurched
scrambled for an answer
but—
the walls opened
a figure
broad-shouldered
draped in shadows

Master Beathan.

she braced
trembled

Thank you.
Seems you found my guest.
official dismissed

Issik Beathan
not easy to ignore
echo of starlit lochs
and wind-battered cliffs
tartan cloak
silver brooch
no ordinary relic

he bowed
invited Red
into his realm—
the AOD

inside
air thinned
Red at the brink

space
itself

alive

Red
at the center of the universe
she turned
deep, complex wrinkles
endless tales
of an extraordinary life

his voice
filled the room
Miss Jayla Finn, I presume.

Just Red, sir. 
I mean, they call me Red.

he chuckled
Issik Beathan, most humbly.
You shall call me Issi.

Your father told me
you might be dropping by.

Poppy?
she dropped her guard
liking this ‘Issi’ 
more and more

he faced the void
Some say
space talks
to those who listen.

she blinked
You’ve heard it too?

To be sure…
I’ve heard a great many things.
unending curiosity cast back
toward the universe

she smiled
not intending to ask
May I look around?

rules softened
his smile softened
Space is bigger than
you might imagine.
Mind how close you get.

Thank you, Issi.
charging toward the universe
slowing
inching
cautiously
toward the edge of everything
an infinite
breathtaking forever

That’s a big universe 
out there, Echo.

near the unseen glass
feeling
as if
something pressed back

stars
they were watching
tiny eyes
blinking in rhythms

she didn’t understand
…but somehow felt

rust-red pillars of ancient echoes
fading light in the mid of day
below her crunched
redwood needles
softened by a verdant carpet
delicate heart-like leaves

each step
whiffs of almond
a kitchen scent pulled her
back to task

skipping onward
faded quickly to
   dawdling
her mother’s word

exploring
   wonder
her word

onward

bright yellow banana slugs
curled up under
a golden mushroom cap
as a distant wren
pleased with herself
whistled

coastal fog seeped in
     curling
        gliding
   dodging

she chased
then was chased
too close to
chipmunk’s hoard
a giggle
a chitter
then sang in agreement

onward slowed 
growing silence
mingled among
brilliant green swords
rustling fairy bells rang
soft
unseen magic

‘til the forest rumbled

guttural


mist swirled and thickened
huddled
muffled all around

then a silent swoosh
a spotted owl
warned

the forest
hushed

for now

Don’t  worry.
but she did
always
first time alone
through the wood

caring too much
dawdling
she fussed
Mother 
tied the bow tight
raised the hood just right
and warned

straight there
straight back
don’t dawdle
don’t wander

she pretended
to hide her own fear

the girl child listened
as much
as anticipation would allow
wondering
excited to prove

the basket
sat perfectly still
while out the door
went the child

the mother waved
hiding her dread
until

The basket!
she called

so the child returned
then skipped away
now with the goods

off

deep
deep into the woods

Grandma rocked 
on the porch
spied the red hood
and grinned

inside
Huntsman
dressed his kill
stewing

Company, dear.
as the girl child tap-tapped

My dear!
greeted Grandma

curtsied
the girl child

howled 
the huntsman
You must be Red!

Come inside.

hesitant the child
as the wolf's tail dangled
from the backside
of its ender

Grandma?

she puzzled
the huntsman

A friend
come for dinner.

basket of goods
on the kitchen table
slick and clean
newly so
save one trickle of red
inching
down
one wobbly leg


dinner of bread
and of stew
the girl
no longer hungry
stayed quiet

then a wave goodbye
none too soon
red hood pulled tight
for home

no skipping
still quiet 

yellow eyes blinked
then turned
a lingering hoot

the girl shivered

then
wondered

what else had been stolen
from the forest

GROUNDED FIRE 

goggles
deep in her sling pack
Red
dashing for escape

unexpected
in stepped Poppy

Indeed.
emerging from
convenient shadows
Zophia
spun her attention
her husband
he tousled Red’s curls
something tugged

then—
Red
stiffly before her
Zophia leered
flash of regret

her fingers closed
around the sling pack
for a moment
barefoot
wide-eyed
a cracked window
sky that stretched forever
she blinked
best to forget

Zophia—
half-baked sentimentality
or dangerous memory

girded steel
plucking the sling pack
away

Red crumbled
the door swooshed
closed

not just about the goggles
not just about Mum
it was about
she wasn’t wrong

One day they’d all know.

grounded
dinner alone
loved Mum, probably
mostly
didn’t like her

Red pouted
stabbed her food
how to
get the goggles back

Then—
Little One?
Poppy
Red hurled
into him
overwhelmed
he dropped
the goggles

Red
delighted
squealed

Shhhh!
Mum mustn’t know.

then—
Echo
so much heavier
now

Poppy saw
Oh dear.
his voice softened
Well, some things…
some things
are for you to reach for.

THE GOGGLES

Ti Tayme
future of humanity
three days ‘til docking
tick-tock

palpable energy
Origins—the first to awake
from stasis
GenOnes—
offspring born enroute
buzzing

Talamh Ru—
a new home
home to some

Red
growing unease
tick-tock

bustling mall
holovators
ferrying people
between decks
air swirled
then—
she saw it

AR goggles

augmented reality
able to see
what she already felt

the cosmos
a living tapestry

Tera had a pair
old enough
Tera
smack dab
in the middle of puberty

Red doubted
hurried home

Tera’s room
across from hers
clutter everywhere
untouched
the goggle case

a voice
too close
Red froze
Okay, baby GAGA…
Tera taunted
Red
Don’t call me that!

GAGA12
Red—
very youngest of twelve

Tera teased
suddenly stern
Red caught
red-handed
goggle case in hands

heart pounding
Please.

Your stupid stars again?

words stabbed
Red stiffened
eyes locked
I thought you understood.
Tera
sympathetic heartbeat

Take them.

couldn’t help it
admired Red

The stars were calling
Red
fingers twitched
… if they didn’t work?
she needed to know

brushed against her skin
tingling
through her
her world shifted
her room breathed
a living weave of fibers
whispering secrets
to each other
magnificent kaleidoscope
one extraordinary moment

What would she see in space?

SPEAK TO ME

Echo … lifeless
green flash
or
imagined?

needing it
to be real

life continued
voice among the stars
or not

No.
it meant something

Poppy would know
Poppy always knew
maybe
Do Not Disturb
heavier than usual
EchoHub
she’d do it herself

access panel open
small nudge
deep breath
Click
a pulse of light
yellow
blue
green
Green!

something
had answered

three days to prove

 

high above
neural archives
GAP already knew
silence
a beat
then—
She’s a child.

 

whooshed
whooshed again
first a sibling
second—Mum
pointed steps
cleared throat

surprise
Zophia’s frame
silhouetted
by sterile light
Red
thoughts splintered

Zophia
sharp breath
rigid
…chasing
what you cannot understand?

Red studied her
You don’t get to tell me.

Zophia reached back
fought the memory
Be there.
then she was gone
Red sat
breath hitched
afraid to touch
failing circuits?
wishful thinking?

Echo—
gone

the universe
heavy
suffocating
let it settle
let it crush
let it threaten
then—

she pushed back
Speak to Me

her reflection
wide-eyed
defiant
small

but not silent


not alone

I will find you.

GLASS GHOSTS

lower decks
a dark assembly
stasis vaults
glass sarcophagi
all quiet, but two

Zophia awakening
alone
arms crossed
unreadable

pulsing
tanks hissing
thoughts stuttering in time
not supposed to be here

two vaults
twitching with life
out of sync

Gurdjieff
man of careful words
man of careful betrayals
Couldn’t forget.

hand hovered near glass
fingers twitching
cold breath curled
Something doesn’t sleep quietly.
words heard before

Stable.
For now.
Zophia’s gaze
Gurdjieff’s pod
slowed pulse

Some things wake
long before they’re meant to.

forcing herself to leave
hesitant
sterile air pressing
against her skin

silent watcher
Once me.
unbidden
unwelcome
I’ll find you.