On a sunny day, an Empress in tight black jeans and sleek sneakers waits, completely unaware of the two snails beside her foot. She shifts to the right — and her sneaker comes down cleanly over one, breaking it apart beneath a single effortless movement. She notices only after the crush, nudging what remains aside with the edge of her sole. The dark denim sharpens her silhouette as she stands composed. A moment later, she pushes the second snail away just as casually. Then she returns to stillness, continuing to wait for the bus as if nothing at all had happened.