You are listening to a Clarksworld magazine podcast. I'm your host and narrator Kate Baker.

Welcome to the fifth story for the month of May, 2026, issue 236. As per usual, my sincerest thanks goes out to you for showing up and listening, for telling a friend about the podcast or stories that you like, and for checking a few bucks your way or going to patreon.com

for slash Clark's World or buying a subscription to the magazine. Every bit helps bring you these

stories, these worlds, these characters, gives a little bit of escapism in sometimes an overwhelming

world. So thank you. Our story is titled Allie and is by Grace Chan. Grace Chan is an award-winning

speculative fiction writer. She writes about brains, minds, and space. Her critically acclaimed

debut novel, Every Version of You, is about staying in love after mind uploading into virtual

reality. Her short fiction has been published widely, translated into

multiple languages, and appeared in the best science fiction of the year. Grace was born in Malaysia

and lives in Australia. In her other life, she works as a psychiatrist. And if you like what you

hear, I implore you to go back after you're done with this one to listen to post-hacking for the uninitiated.

He leaps for the stars. He leaps for the stars.

And jigsaw children.

So, my dear listener, I hope that you can sit back, relax, and let me tell you a story.

Part 1, 2075.

It might be good for you to take a new route, said Allie.

Chavi jogged out of his tenement building.

He joined the stream of lunchtime runners pounding the flagstones of the Riverside Promenade.

Ethereal boats floated over the lustrous reflections in the Yarra River's crystalline

projection. The thin struts of the climate control shield divided the sky into bright blue

squares. As his stride settled into a steady rhythm, Shavi considered Ali's advice. His usual route took him west past the

orderly restaurants where people sat eating at individual booths, past the last of the tenement

...