Newspaper Blowing Across Oruro Crosswalk

Wet asphalt reflects the flat noon glare where a folded newspaper skids across the white stripes of a deserted crosswalk. Steam rises in thin, translucent ribbons from metal grates lining the sidewalk near the metro entrance in Oruro. Rain-slicked surfaces turn the gray concrete into a dark mirror, catching the pale light. The paper crinkles slightly, caught mid-motion against the damp ground. Behind the crossing, the dark mouth of the subway entrance yawns open, framed by weathered stone and rusted metal railings. One puddle near the curb holds the inverted image of a red bus sign. The wet pavement glistens under the heavy, cloudless sky.