The Palette Pt. 13: Stranger
TW: dehumanization, whumpee as an object, discussions of selling of human beings
The palette pressed it's hands deep into the soil. It was cool and gritty between it's fingers. It pulled it's hands back out, bringing the soil with it and turning it over, exposing the darker earth beneath. Mark had shown the palette exactly how to do it. Living things were in the soil that the palette didn't want to hurt. It picked out the worms and put them over by the side of the house and helped the little spiders and bugs with their delicate legs get to safety. It found itself wanting to name each one, like the palette was given a name, but there were so many.
Jesse reached deeper into the soil this time, almost covering it's hands completely and pulled the earth out again. The palette was given tools to break up the soil but it liked the feel of the earth in it's hands. Mark said it was okay. There were roots this time and the palette didn't want to break them. It was scared it would sever the life of one of the little plants growing in the garden bed. Mark said it was okay three times now. He called it tilling and said it was important in order to help the new seeds grow. The palette trusted Mark so it kept going, hoping the plants would be okay.