Taking Sheila Legge’s image and Kafka’s Gregor Samsa as equal parts inspiration, I arrived at this short story as my response to The Kick-About No.36. There’s a bit of horticultural knowledge in there too, a thing about nasturtiums thriving in the poorest conditions, and likewise, the situation unfolding in Afghanistan for women and girls. Despite the story’s seemingly outlandish premise – a woman waking one morning to find her own head transformed into a vegetal ‘lump’ – it wove itself together with surprising ease, proving once again, to me at least, how genre is placed perfectly to tell the truth.
You’ll find a PDF version here.
Red's Kingdom 
Like all your stories, this touched me deeply. May they all find home. (K)
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Many thanks, Kerfe – and yes, off to blossom again, here’s hoping.
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Absolutely loved it! Glad I put aside some time to sit down and read it properly.
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Morning Judy – thanks so much for sitting down with this for a bit and I’m very happy you enjoyed it.
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Thank you for the great read!
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