Conditional Reality

Papertrail Chainlock wanted to live with dragonflies. She had wings surgically attached to her spine. They didn’t allow flight, but they imprinted in her body the feeling of being a dragonfly. Papertrail’s husband didn’t like the wings. He fretted and worried about Papertrail’s sanity. Are you okay? he asked her. Papertrail flitted about the house, buzzing here and there, pausing momentarily at potted plants. She hummed. I’ll save you from the evil knight, she said. He put his hand to his forehead. You give me a pain, dear, he said. Please go out with the other dragonflies and eat bugs.