First Place Winner (June 2025) "In the Space Where a Name Was Erased"
I kneeled before the altar; my knees planted firmly on a red cushion that had been worn thin with age. Winds of incense slowly spiraled upward. Sandalwood drifted in with its calm aroma, merry to heighten the contrast of this ancient ambiance. To me, the smell is ancient, familiar in a way that drew something from the depths of my chest. Every spring, we gather for Taigong Ji. The ceremony is a rite held to honor our earliest recorded ancestor. The family comes together to bow, burn incense, and speak the names of those who came before, reaffirming the unbroken chain of lineage. I fought for this moment to stand beside these people-for the youngest in six centuries. I thought standing with them would make me one of them.
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