too small for the si

in the middle. The only sounds were the clinking of f

s. She passed him the gravy boat. Then she sat down, picked up her

ing with hunger, the smell of the food making her mouth water, but sh

her eyes cast down, counting the faded flo

in half, and scraped a large portion onto the empty plate in fr

feeding extra mouths, Bryan," she said, her voice tight. "The grocery b

e a slap. Can't afford

e. The noise was loud in the quiet room. Tears pricked her

she hadn't touched. She walked over to the trash can, scraped the meatloaf and potatoes into the bin with a quiet finality

tly open. She had never seen a child

r hands clasped in front of her, her voice barely a whisper. "I do

the sleeve of the flannel jacket rode up, revealing a jagged, silver scar that c

ornered-it all evaporated, replaced by a sharp, visceral ache in her chest.

ompletely changed. It was soft now, g

ke it might be taken away at any second. She picked up her fork and shoveled the mea

tuck in her throat. She started to cough

d a glass of water and held it to Izzy's lips. "Slo

own on her back, patting it gently.

escaped her throat, then another. She dropped the glass, water spilling o

wn eyes burning. He gave

eep the yard," she said, pointing to the back porch w

s-desperate to be useful-made her agree. "Oka

he yard lit by the single bulb over the porch. She swept the fallen le

creaking voice, like the

e. Little

e of the yard. It was gnarled and twisted, its bark dark and scaly

hurts my roots. It is hard and cold. I have held

stepping closer to t

t is heavy. It

yan! Mrs. Caitlin!" she yelled,

their faces pale with panic. "What's wrong? Are you hur

er eyes shining. "The tree told me! There's s

ey, trees don't talk. It's just your imagination." She reac

g the car ride, the "plants told me" comment. He

the look on his face. "It's mud. It's

t," Bryan said, his

ry

the s

He didn't understand it, but he trusted her. He had promised to

the shed to get t