Chloe stood with broom in hand, intent on ridding her kitchen of the dust, hair, and dried leaves that sat in the corners. She swept a pile of trash into the dustpan. Something rattled against the plastic. She assumed it was a pebble and emptied the contents into the trashcan. A dark object in the floor caught her eye. She almost didn’t see it at first because it was black, blending in with the baseboard. It didn’t look like a pebble.
The woman stared at the object. It was about the size of a watermelon seed. Its shiny black surface reminded her of one as well. How did that get there? she wondered as she picked it up. It was hard and diamond-shaped. Neon green striations marked its dark surface. Burrs on the outer edge of the seed poked her fingers.
“I guess I tracked it in,” she said aloud. “What kind of plant comes from this, though?” She turned the thing over in her palm. It moved on its own.
“What the hell?” Continue Reading
