ISSUE 0

Prelude

2026

She didn’t notice me in the doorway

eyes closed against the dawn light

joint between her lips

hair messy from the night before.

After a final drag

she dropped the joint

in yesterday’s wine

and laid down

once more

Are you coming?

I want to stay in bed

a while longer

Happily I obeyed

Made my way back to her

embrace

She rested her head

on my chest

arms wrapped around me

and like that we

remained

the quiet

I had only known as the

prelude to violence

took on a different shape

we spoke little

drifting in and out of sleep

our embrace only broken

by

full bladders and dry throats

each of us took turns rolling

sometimes

she'd hold the joint to my lips

other times

she'd hand it to me

your turn

all she'd say

the quiet

only disurbed

by the rumbling of passing trains

and the chirping birds

after some time

I turned her towards me

Her brow ever so slightly raised

faint smile on her lips

What is it?

I kissed her gently

Are you hungry,

love?