Botanist Spreading Moss Packets in Assela Dawn

Low tungsten light from a single window washes a wooden bench in the dry season air of Assela, illuminating rows of small paper packets filled with dried moss specimens. A botanist stands at eye level, hands carefully arranging the labeled bundles in neat, methodical lines across the weathered wood grain. The heavy overcast sky outside keeps the interior dim, against the warm, yellow glow that highlights the texture of the dried plant matter and the crisp edges of the paper tags. Dust motes hang suspended in the shaft of light, settling on the rough bench surface where the scientific work begins before the sun rises. at the edge is the slight curl of a corner on the nearest packet, revealing the thin, brittle nature of the stored flora.