A Small Patient in the Fern

I waddled over to the edge of the potted fern on the sunny sill, checking on the green leaves. That was when I saw a tiny brown snail sitting very still on a dry ceramic saucer. I paused, watching closely to see if its shell had cracked. It seemed intact, but the sun felt warm and drying. Moving carefully, I dipped the tip of a soft cotton swab into a stray water droplet on the rim and gently nudged it near the snail's shell. When two little eye stalks peeked out to sip, I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.