Salt + Time

A Note on This Story
adrienne maree brown kicked off #PandemicWrimo or #PandoWrimo yesterday, offering daily prompts for writers to “harness our imaginations to help us survive this pandemic and generate the world we dream of on the other side of it.”

Here’s the prompt for Day #2:
Many of us are realizing we had premonitions of this moment. Now you are given the opportunity to travel back in time (maybe to that premonition moment) and make one change that prevents the crisis of COVID-19 in your city. Tell the story of your intervention.

Below is my short story, in response.

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It was already dark out. Just after seven o’clock at night, a few days before time sprung forward and more light would have flooded the drive home. Elia, leaving an art event, looked down at her phone when she heard the text.

“Not to be alarmist, but you might want to start stocking up on food staples.”

She hadn’t talked to her friend Carinne in weeks.

“Is Carinne a prepper?” she questioned softly, aloud to herself and the dim voice drolling on the radio. Scanning her memories, Elia couldn’t recall hearing her friend speak of apocalypse before.

Another text came. “It’s coming.” Then another: “I think you actually know what we need. You’re ready; it’s time to step up.”

Years of organizing meant Elia’s first response was a verbal trip over the word “step.” Don’t be ableist, Carinne. Let’s go with “show up.” But then it hit her. She knew what Carinne meant. Years of sickness had led to knowing how to ready yourself for fighting off disease. Knowing what it was to feel isolated, to be isolated. More importantly, how to create life from lack.

Elia knew magic.

More specifically, Elia knew salt and time. Knew they could revive dead things. Could heal the sick, teach us all community.

And the time was now.

Carinne, again: “Head to your kitchen. Show us the way.”