The person who stepped into her room was not what she expected. An elderly woman with grey hair and deep smile lines walked to her bedside and knelt down to speak to her. Their conversation lasted hours, as the old medicine woman seemed to explore every detail of her life and illness. Finally, she said:
“I do have something that I believe will help you. But I will warn you: the substance I will treat you with I have not even begun to understand. It will heal you, but I cannot predict what sort of other changes it could make within your body.”
Celeste was caught between disbelief and elation. The medicine woman inspired trust, and her eyes were kind. The years of suffering, however, had taken their toll and Celeste couldn’t bring herself to believe she could be cured. On the slightest possibility that it was true, she decided to accept the offer. From her bag, the medicine woman pulled a jar containing a strange smoky substance, one that seemed to be almost alive.
