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In the quiet haze of a dust-laden garage, where tools whispered stories and sunlight filtered through decades of stillness, he dreamed aloud — not of grandeur, but of freedom. He arrived in 1998, seeking a foothold, bringing his older children and ex-wife, planting roots that have branched into a thriving family with nine grandchildren, all born on this soil. His youngest daughter, born just as thoughts of returning flickered, anchored him to this place, transforming fear into resolve. For the past 35 years, he’s worked on cars—a craft he loves—and today, he continues that work in a small, dusty garage that doubles as both sanctuary and cell. The dust makes him cough, but the doors stay shut. He doesn’t open them, fearing what might happen if he does. Still, his spirit remains hopeful. He dreams of a large auto shop one day, a place where his skills can breathe and grow. What he wants most is simple and powerful: “I want to see all people, not scared, living good, free, and outside.” His story is one of many, a reminder that behind every label or headline are real people, dreaming of a world where they can simply live.
Na Forest Lim (they/them) is an autistic, queer, and trans artist, film director, and photojournalist from South Korea, who practices sustainable poetic living in Waawiyaatanong, using visual storytelling to tenderly lift up the resilience of marginalized communities.
More of our 2025 Fiction Issue:
“Cottonwood Creek” by Nora Chapa Mendoza
“Fair Trade” by Aaron Foley
“The Colored Section (after Gary Simmons’ sculpture: Balcony Seating Only)” by La Shaun phoenix Moore
“In The Silence of the Ruins, We Speak” by Ackeem Salmon
“Thin Air” by Jeni De La O
“In th Mornings” by V Efua Prince
“More Than 1 Thing.” by Joel Fluent Greene
“Sacred” by Brittany Rogers
“Crossing” by Sherina Sharpe
“Smoking with Emmett Till” by Lucianna Putnam
“ancestry.com reveals i am 24% spaniard” by jassmine parks
“The Dream of a Passenger in Peril” by Joshua Thaddeus Rainer
“Séance” by Zig Zag Claybourne
“SECOND HAND SMOKE” by Satori Shakoor
“Untitled” by Lauren Williams
“The Cameras are Always Rolling Until…” by Natasha T Miller
“The New Detroit, circa 2115” by Kahn Santori Davison
“Where Dreams Gather Dust” by Na Forest Lim
The print edition of the 2025 Fiction Issue is set to publish June 25.
