Gray's 100-word story for July 1, 2025

Gray wrote the following micro-story on Hectalex on July 1, 2025. Each story on Hectalex is inspired by a daily visual prompt and must be exactly 100 words.

For the first time since Lily met Joon, time slowed. He spun the ring on his finger, stared at the pyramid below, and felt like a nuclear reactor at her shoulder. She breathed, traced mountains' spines, and realized the traveling, parties, and adventures were Joon running, dragging her behind him. "They killed people. Buried them at other sites," he said. "But everyone's all boo-hoo, smallpox." "That was the Aztecs. Not here. And nobody deserves conquest and disease." "Nobody?" He turned to her, smooth forehead lined like the mountainous horizon by his raised brows. "Societies grow. People grow. You can, too."

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