Milky Way Over Beirut Sorting Belt in Autumn

Gray yard light spills through cracked bay doors onto a plastic pallet exchange dispute shelf at a parcel sorting belt in Bourj Hammoud. Honey-colored window light from the setting sun washes the concrete floor in warm amber tones. Condensation beads on nearby glass surfaces, catching the light in sharp, clear droplets. The impossible arch of the Milky Way stretches across the blue sky above the open warehouse doors, visible in broad daylight as a matter-of-fact reality. Conveyor belts sit still, holding stacks of packages, while the cosmic band contrasts with the industrial gray metal of the sorting mechanism. One package rests on the belt, its edge reflecting the starlight.