Jessica sat knees bent, head leveled to the mismatched shoes beneath her jeans. She doted on the necklace folded delicately under her fingers. The silver star was all that remained, all she had of Beth. She could only stare at the symbol and coat its glimmer in memories.

Eventually, she turned from the star to the sun above, scanning its sidereal sequence. Wherever the great fire in the sky rested, it seemed unchangeable. The most concrete evidence of inevitability. Can you ...