Ekaterina Lisina (2027)

She slipped out of the hotel’s back entrance, ducking under the awning. Milan in autumn smelled of espresso and wet cobblestones. A group of tourists spotted her. A man nudged his wife. A child pointed.

She didn't say it’s fine , because it wasn't. But she also didn't say go away , because that would be a lie. She had learned that her body was a public monument whether she liked it or not. The only question was whether she would be a statue or a living woman. ekaterina lisina

She posed. One hand on her hip, chin tilted up. The flash went off. The tourist smiled, thanked her, and scurried away, showing the photo to his wife. She slipped out of the hotel’s back entrance,

The world was built for people five-foot-five. Airplane seats, showers, doorframes, poetry about small, delicate things. But tonight, walking alone in Milan, she felt a strange gratitude. The world might not fit her. But she didn't need it to. A man nudged his wife

Yes , she thought. I am that tall. And you are just noticing.

She stopped walking. She turned to face the tourist directly. She didn’t smile, but she didn’t frown either. She simply stood . In her black leather boots and long cashmere coat, she looked like a gentle tower, a lighthouse in a fog of ordinary people.

The man blushed. “I… yes. Sorry.”