Spent blooms splay like mould on dry soil. Half price now, the plant takes up more shelf space than it’s worth. And yet, vibrant among dark leaves, a bud springs as hope from sorrow. Edith places the pot in her basket. She’ll tend it back to life. Use crone magic.

Jann Everard’s fiction has been published widely in Canada, as well as in the U.S., New Zealand, and Australia. Her debut collection of short fiction is due for release in March 2024. She lives on Vancouver Island.