An Empress in tight black leggings and sleek sneakers waits for the bus, laughing with her friends. Between her feet, an snail rests unnoticed — entirely at the mercy of her next shift. She moves once, nudging it lightly. Nothing happens. Then she shifts again. This time her sole comes down fully, crushing it completely beneath her weight, breaking it apart under her sneaker. She feels it and lifts her foot to look. Her friends glance down at the flattened remains. She brushes her sole lightly against the pavement to clear it, then resumes her conversation as if nothing had happened, the moment already beneath her.