Baba and the Sea | Alexandria
Runner-up "Alexandria" by Sarah Al Adayleh In his sleep, his fingers move in twisted circles, dancing a silent, drug-infused choreography. Eyes shut, his body lies slumped back in the pale green armchair. The liquid in his lungs makes it hard for him to lie down without drowning, so he sleeps in his chair while I sit on his hospital bed. At times, he speaks out loud in sudden bursts, speaking confidingly as if to an old friend. Not to me. He mutters about his knee surgery, conspiracy theories, and loneliness. Then he falls back into silence in the armchair. From his bed across the