By: Eric Fomley.

“Look at the lion,” I said.

Dillon frowned. “It looks sick.”

I blinked. “What do you mean, baby? He’s beautiful.”

“I don’t like it.”

I realized what he meant and linked to his oculars.

The creature was pinkish, with patches of flimsy hair and sores covering its wrinkled body.

I fixed the filter. It shouldn’t have auto-adjusted like that. I’d need to make him an appointment with the eye doctor.

“I don’t like the zoo. I want to go home,” Dillon said.

I hoped he didn’t see the sores on my arms, or the ash falling from the blackened sky.

© 2026. Eric Fomley

Eric Fomley’s stories have appeared in Flash Fiction Online, Clarkesworld, and Flame Tree Press. More of his stories can be found on ericfomley.com.