22.10. Final Salute to No One
Location: Parade Square, Port Arthur
Description:
At sundown, the square fills with vapor. A single trumpet sounds, followed by silence. No troops. No flag. Just a cadence line painted on the stone. Juna stands at the far end. Judai walks it, counting. Midway, he stops. “There,” she says. He salutes. No one returns it. On the western wall is etched: *This Square Awaits Completion.* Overhead, a drone circles, recording absence. The salute continues nightly. It’s for someone who hasn’t yet been born—or perhaps already surrendered. The stone is warmer underfoot than expected. The square holds echoes in storage. Each step disturbs them. They rearrange.
Keywords:
empty parade, cadence line, unreturned salute, memorial echo, square of future surrender
Very Short Story:
Judai raised his hand and held it. Nothing moved. Juna filmed from the edge. The trumpet faded. A gust of wind drew shapes in the vapor. Footsteps echoed, not theirs. A child appeared at the far end—then vanished. “Did you see—” he began. “Yes,” she said, “but let’s not say who.” The stone beneath his boots pulsed faintly. He lowered his hand. “It’s done?” “Only today’s.” The drone blinked once and left the square.
