Credit: orchidia.com/insight

She had roses woven into her flowing hair. Their thorns must have been digging into her scalp, because I saw a trickle of blood behind her ear.

She laughed.

‘It’s all so clear,’ she said, ‘it’s like the universe is a pearl of dew on a blade of grass and the sunrise beams all the colours into my mind.’ She spun around, her arms stretched out wide as if inviting the heavens to dance.

She collapsed too suddenly for me to catch her. When I eased her head onto my lap, she seemed unconscious, but she was still smiling.