The landscape below looks like a massive mountain range out in the middle of nowhere. Until the birds show up – tiny, scurrying seagulls shatter the illusion. No mountains. They’re just ordinary pebbles washed up on the damp sand. The sun has peeked out for a moment, and the glint of light flickering on the water tethers me a little closer to the real world. Noik is standing behind me. He’s quite far back, so I can’t make out what he’s saying. But he's motioning for me to follow him...

Drifting through Noikosmos #9, 2011