Some zones exhibit change without morphology: perception shifts, materials behave incorrectly, recordings disagree with memory. Drift is treated as “background” until it isn’t.
Sound does not travel “wrong.” It travels inconsistently: dampening in open space, clarity through obstruction, perceived delays with no measurable lag.
Materials behave as if warmed or aged without corresponding thermal evidence: ice sags, wood feels damp in dry air, metal flexes under static load.
Drift is frequently noticed first through paperwork: timestamps disagree, transcripts do not match recordings, identical footage produces different summaries on repeat viewing.
In prolonged drift zones, populations begin to mirror each other unconsciously: walking cadence aligns, speech rhythms converge, decisions become group-default without discussion.