“I have to try.”

Nervous, she begins the process of crushing the specimen, taking great pains to crush to a fine powder. After she takes it to the pot over the fire to boil to a reduction. After an hour she takes the reduction, adding in a series of other ingredients then takes the liquid sludge and gives it to her mother.

“Mama, I made some medicine, you’ll be well soon.”

It nagged at her that she was unsure, and doubtful of her cure.