Thirty Paces

In this world people have no faces. They have light — and by it you can see how much warmth is in someone, and who they are willing to give it to.

The premise

Warmth can be given. It cannot be taken — only accepted from someone who is giving it. So there is only one thing worth looking for here: a light that comes back.

We follow someone across five years and six places, each of which closes off one guess about where that light might be. He carries an object in his pocket that keeps him warm for exactly five seconds — and each time, for less.

Above all of it stands a mountain. The fog never reaches it, and you can see it from the first minute.

The loop

A press gives you warmth and takes back twice as much. The trap is never blocked and never punished: you can press as long as you like. There is exactly one way out — stop pressing, and hold the same button instead.