Award-winning short story (Writers of the Future Honorable Mention, 2025).
In a dystopian future where human art has been banned to spare society the pain of unfulfilled creative dreams, only machines are permitted to create. But Michael, Earth’s last defiant artist, has found sanctuary in an illegal computer simulation where he sculpts in freedom.
When authorities discover they cannot collapse his digital refuge, they deploy their most dangerous weapon: Leila, a beautiful operative tasked with seducing Michael and luring him out of his virtual paradise.
In this battle between human creativity and authoritarian control, love becomes the ultimate trap—and Michael must choose between his art, his life, and his heart.