Bachir Miloudi / Sputnik Photography
Hands in soil.

Hands dug out from below the surface. Wiggling their way to the top.  Dig. Dig. Dig. The woman climbed out of her birthplace. Grown from the soils of the earth placed in the middle of a maze. Giant walls of green stood all around her with their imposing stature. She wordlessly looked up towards the sky.   

She got to her all fours and began until she reached the wall and learned to support her weight.  

Walking while keeping her hand on the leaves along the walls. It was as if they were whispering into her ears. Leading her someplace.  

Then she met someone. Covered in dirt all over stood another. They reached out to one another and walked together as the maze continued. Until the other one moved to another wall.  

Walking and walking, she continued to discover a songbird. She let go of the wall and chased after the bird. Following it through the maze until she came to a dead end. The bird sat on the top of the wall and tilted its head at her.  

Hunger.  

She climbed the wall. And for the first time, she saw her way out of the maze. A bit more dangerous. A bit more terrifying, but she was ready to make her way out. 

This story was originally published in print Volume 23, Issue 7 on Thursday, March 7.