What is Marbles about?
Can childhood survive in a world that no longer allows it?
The Story
Amy (22) tries to give her younger half-sister Mika (8) a playful, childlike upbringing in a post-apocalyptic world that demands a survival mindset.
Although Mika senses this deep down, neither of them is emotionally ready to let go of that last safe illusion, until the loss of Mika’s marbles and the growing danger force them to move on, leading to a fracture and conflict between the sisters.
Mika 8
Mika (8) is a playful, imaginative child who clings tightly to small rituals and objects as a way to hold onto her sense of safety and normality.
She is emotionally open and stubborn, using curiosity, humor, and resistance to push back against a reality she doesn’t fully understand or accept.
Beneath her energy lies a deep fear of loss, and when that fragile world begins to break, her innocence starts to crack.
Why This Story?
I’ve always been a maternal person myself, and my relationship with my niece and nephew has deeply influenced the way I write and what I write about. That connection inspired Marbles, where I explore what it means to care for someone who isn’t your child, but means the whole world to you.
The story also grew from my interest in responsibility, and the emotional weight of caring for someone in a world that doesn’t allow softness or slowing down. I wanted to explore the moment where innocence, childhood and reality collide, and the choices and sacrifices that come with trying to protect someone you love.
~ Isadora Meurer