This narrative is a commentary on how we perceive identity as a contemporary society, the pilgrimage and fountain being a direct metaphor for queerness and coming out. There are many communities beyond just the LGBTQ+ that this metaphor could stand for as well, but as this piece is from my perspective, my non-binary identity is the main inspiration.

In our far future, society has melted into obscurity. What left is a feeble interpretation of cultural practices from the past. Now all of humanity, from what encampments have survived, clings to a pilgrimage of identity.

Individual identity is a luxury of those who complete the pilgrimage. Deities have long held the secrets to true freedom and self-expression. The only path to discovery requiring survivors to submerge and baptize themselves in the waters flowing through a sacred fountain. Only once emerged from the fountain, can one perceive their true self and find belonging within the Deities.

I’ve found that once we shed this sense of insecurity and nervousness about how we are perceived by those around us, we join this legion of others that have a sense of freedom and confidence. This transcends my personal anecdote of trans identity and can be held true to many different aspects of the human experience. I encourage any viewer to express yourself and discover who you are beyond the constraints of what is “allowed” by the world we live in.