Able Seaman Pol has a lot of problems — getting the cats fed, watered, and reporting for duty, keeping tree roots from destroying the wiring, the monkeys out of the pantry and the mines from exploding on deck. Talking octopuses, though? That was new.

Content warnings: Mention of a battle in a flashback, threat of bombing, description of a panic attack and disassociation

Copyright © 2026 khōréō magazine. Story by Sonia Focke, edited by Isabella Kestermann. Audio edition read by Chanisha Somatilaka, with production by Lian Xia Rose, casting by Jenelle DeCosta and additional sound by Scottie the cat.

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Music: This Too Shall Pass by Scott Buckley https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported CC BY 3.0