Fable for the End of the World

In a future shaped by rising water and a widening wealth gap, Inesa and her brother Luka earn too little from their taxidermy business to escape the debt their mother has accumulated. When Inesa is selected as the next Lamb in the Gauntlet, her family’s debt will be erased if she is killed during the livestreamed hunt. Melinoë, the cyborg Angel assigned to pursue Inesa, has been unable to erase memories of a previous hunt despite repeated reprogramming. When Melinoë is injured after catching up with Inesa, Inesa responds with compassion, delaying the hunt’s expected outcome.