Sunkeeping

Some said the Sunkeepers would never move on from the collapse, or heal from the blight. Yarl didn’t know what to think.

Yarl spent most mornings immobile, watching swaying branches through xir window as the healers came and went. Some days Yarl could not move, could barely speak. On those days, Rhyme sat by xir bedside, whispering in excited tones about soil samples, "promising microbiological analysis," and "flourishing microfauna.” Yarl turned the words over in xir mind until xe drifted off, only to be roused later by Pika's wet nose and yelping bark, signaling another visitor's arrival.

When it wasn't Rhyme, it was Clover, bringing nectarines from the new greenhouses (plus treats for Pika), linen sheets with embroidered flowers, blankets ornamented in colorful plants and animals. These gifts transformed Yarl's sickbed into an abundant, inhabited landscape, a reminder of their collective’s purpose. Yarl gripped the blankets in stiffened hands, and xe whispered thanks, before sending Clover home to her partners.

Some said the Sunkeepers would never move on from the collapse, or heal from the blight, but the grid was coming together. Soon the solar farms would power half the residents' homes.

When Yarl next managed to venture outside, xe could smell the difference in the air, a rich sweetness not witnessed since xir childhood. Pika curled up in xir lap as xe settled into a chair, and xe relaxed, fingers coaxing the soft space between Pika's ears.

Yarl looked on, and a swift breeze blew through the treetops.