Civic Flyers on Library Board Before Dawn

Wet paper posters cling tightly to a weathered notice board in a Ludhiana courthouse corridor, their edges curling where moisture has seeped underneath. String lights cast a warm, uneven glow across layers of civic announcements, political manifestos, and community alerts stacked in overlapping rows. The damp air has swollen the fibers, making the surfaces glisten under the artificial light. Behind the primary board, the corridor stretches into shadow, revealing additional bulletin boards that recede into the distance, creating a tunnel of printed paper. Late autumn chill is visible in the condensation on the glass cases and the heavy, soaked texture of the cardboard backing. One flyer, peeling at the corner, reveals a sliver of the gray concrete wall beneath.