The Sentinel is a piece I wrote for those who stand when there’s no one left to. It’s about the ones who carry the weight, not for glory, but because someone has to. Told from the voice of the Earth itself, it’s a meditation on memory, resilience, and what it means to endure — long after the noise, the fire, and the people are gone.

This isn’t a warning. It’s a memory. A quiet defiance. A reminder that even in ruin, something always reaches for the light again.

I wrote this for my daughter, and for anyone who’s ever held the line when no one was watching. If that’s you — this is for you.

— Dave J. Smith