A True Trial

The indoor hallway grew stale, so I slipped past the sliding screen door into the open air. On the patio concrete sat a solid terra-cotta plant saucer, thick and coated in damp garden soil. I planted both feet squarely into the rough grit, dropped my hips, and wrapped my fingers under its heavy, curved lip. I hauled upward. The coarse rim bit deep into my palms. Sand ground under my soles with a harsh crunch as the stone broke suction from the slab, lifting an inch clear before settling back down. Out here, the earth actually answers.