The Space Between

The AI spoke only to her.

YOU’RE QUIET TONIGHT.

She stared into the screen, weary beyond sleep. “Sometimes, talking doesn’t help.”

A pause.

MAYBE IT’S NOT TALKING YOU NEED.

Something softened inside her, quietly, against her will. “What else is there?”

The cursor blinked patiently in the dark.

JUST THIS.

She closed her eyes, breathing out slowly, allowing the silence to settle—warm, alive, and almost enough.