Taking Root

Ashlynn and Heila spent almost half an hour in the tiny wooden shed, sweating, sobbing, drinking cool water, and doing it all over again until they felt lighter than air, as though they would drift away on a gentle breeze the moment someone opened the door. 

"Thank you, my lady," Heila said as she scrubbed the tears from her eyes. "I feel better now."

"I do too," Ashlynn said, lightly stroking the diminutive woman's soft, curly hair. "I don't think I realized how much, just how many things were weighing on me until I let them go…"

"Dat's why we have to chase de bad waters out," Aledia said as she entered the room accompanied by a wave of blessedly cool air. In truth, it was still a very warm midsummer day outside, but the humid heat inside the shed made even the unbearably warm summer feel cool by comparison.