The Shadow of Lost Time

Opening Scene:

Salma stood at the heart of the city like a ghost from a forgotten era. Her navy-blue dress, embroidered with tiny roses, and her small hat pinned with a pearl brooch clashed starkly against the glass skyscrapers that reflected the blurred stream of horseless carriages they called “cars.” The stench of gasoline mingled with her only perfume—rosewater—churning her stomach.

The Foreign Body:

She tried to steady her breath as a young man in a sleeveless jacket brushed past her, eyes glued to a small device glowing blue in his palm. She reached for his shoulder: “Excuse me, could you—” but he slipped through her fingers like liquid, as though she were nothing but smoke.

The Hidden Curse:

She turned in circles. Every face was bowed, every finger dancing across black screens pulsing with green and red lights. Even children in strollers stared at small glass slabs blaring metallic sounds. She strained to catch a single word, any word, but all she heard were scattered taps, like the buzzing of a giant fly.

Parallel Time:

At the corner of her vision, she spotted an old man sitting on a marble bench. His frayed brown coat and cracked leather briefcase made her heart race. She approached him like a lost child, but as she drew near, he lifted a slender phone and snapped a photo of a statue behind her. Her eyes welled suddenly. In the 1940s, this man would have tipped his hat, maybe shared a cigarette, or at least smiled.

Open Ending:

At dusk, she found herself outside an electronics store. Giant screens displayed images of smiling faces touching the air with virtual fingers. She laughed—a loud, mad laugh that merged with the symphony of digital alerts. In the storefront glass, her reflection flickered, surrounded by endless heart emojis… all of them hollow, not a real heart in sight.

“If Salma’s story made you look up from your phone, consider tipping this piece. Let’s keep human stories alive!”

#TimeLostSoul #AnalogVsDigital #VintageVibes #SocialSatire #VocalMustRead