8/1/26

Episode 2 — The Egg

Anna’s grandmother kept eggs on the counter in a white bowl. One egg had rolled close to the edge.

Grandma was in the garden.

Anna stepped closer. The egg was brown with one pale stripe near the middle. A little dirt still rested near the wider end. Sunlight from the window stopped at the curve of the shell.

Anna lowered her face until her eyes were level with the counter. The back of the counter was beyond one cutting board. A folded dish towel rested there.

She slipped the egg onto her open palm. It was lighter than Anna expected. Her other hand followed beneath it without touching.

At the cutting board she stopped. The board sat slightly higher than the counter. Not much. Enough. She lifted her hand just enough to cross it. The egg stayed still.

Then the back door closed harder than expected. The counter vibrated once. The egg turned on her palm. Not far. Enough. The narrow end rolled toward her thumb. Anna lowered her thumb to meet it, but the egg continued turning until it rested against the side of her hand.

She stopped moving. Her other hand came a little closer underneath. For one moment the egg rested between movement and falling. Then it settled.

The folded gardening gloves waited near the back wall. Dark soil still filled the seams. Anna lowered her hand. The egg touched the counter. It rolled once toward the wall. Her other hand moved beside it without touching. The egg stopped by itself.

Anna waited another moment before lifting her hands away.

A little later Grandma came in from the garden. “Anna, have you seen my—” “The trowel is on the porch step,” Anna said.

Grandma looked at the egg. Then at Anna. Then at the egg again. The pale stripe faced upward now.

Anna looked at it for another moment. Then she nodded once.