Episode 8: The Shadow of His Wings by Ray Nayler

Separated from their group’s camp on his brother’s orders, a lonely Bashim lulls himself to sleep by practicing English with Top Hat Avatar, his holographic tutor. When he awakes in the middle of the night, there’s gunfire down at the camp, and Top Hat Avatar is telling him to run. Escape with Bashim and Top Hat Avatar in “The Shadow of His Wings,” from Analog’s March/April 2021 issue, written and read by Ray Nayler.