The 2024 winners of Grist’s climate fiction contest, Imagine 2200, have been announced, offering hope-filled, diverse visions of climate progress. You can sign up for email updates to get new stories in your inbox.
Huaxin cherished the old-fashioned way in which she met her partner. They both joined a crew of elders doing tai chi in the park, their moves fluid as the stream that ran nearby. She met a thin, curly-haired, bespectacled man with a gentle smile who was as young as she was, and they felt drawn to each other. After engaging in conversation, they began meeting for tea following tai chi sessions.
Despite his impulsive nature, they continued to nurture their slowly aging bodies through tai chi and shared bowls of noodles, even discussing the prospect of having children. However, nine years later, Huaxin’s partner left her.
When asked to provide information for “Science,” Huaxin was hesitant after leveraging her experience with phone conversations. She clicked the support button to express that she didn’t want to download the app and was surprised when an actual human, named Anshui, replied to her. Despite her initial reluctance, Anshui convinced her to gather observations specifically related to the behavior of bees.
Her apprehensions were gradually eased as Anshui demonstrated the necessity of monitoring bees to prevent natural disasters. Huaxin realized that the relationship with the bees was based on mutual respect, which was unlike her experiences with humans. She found herself enjoying frequent communication and working with Anshui, who seemed to enjoy receiving messages from her as well. The story concludes as she goes about her daily tasks, considering the inexplicable feeling in her stomach when she realizes her growing fondness for Anshui.
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