“Cat’s Cradle” is a tiny story about mimicking someone. It’s not quite sci-fi, but it feels like it…maybe because it was inspired by a scene near the end of Annihilation. (I won’t spoil the movie and neither does the zine.)

A hand is holding a small booklet titled Cat's Cradle: a tiny story, with colorful lines on the paper. Colorful, curved lines swirl across a two-page spread with text, resembling abstract string patterns. Two zine pages with colorful flowing lines with text describing a rhythmic exchange of poetry, doodling, and yoga poses. A colorful, abstract drawing made with wavy lines is accompanied by text about a training protocol and progress reporting.

Here’s the full text of the story:

It’s like playing cat’s cradle, but we aren’t using string.

I do one thing. She does something else that feels like… an extension. A continuation.

And then we swap.

She does one thing— says a phrase, draws some lines, moves her arm just so.

I extend— a line of poetry, a floral doodle, a yoga pose.

And then we swap.

The training protocol doesn’t specify how to teach. Just that I’m supposed to.

I report progress back to the team.

And then we swap.

A stack of five zines titled Cat's Cradle. The cover has abstract line designs.