Uphill Before the Sun Bites
Before he opens up, Bagus climbs the mountain. It's the first thing he does, while the village still sleeps and the dew is letting loose the scent of the leaves, which is when a plant tells you what it's got. He picks slowly, smelling everything, a blade of grass in his mouth, and comes down loaded right as the sun starts to bite, because the first hour is his hour. A fabric bag with long handles is exactly what that job calls for: you sling it over your shoulder, it holds the weight of the herbs, and it comes down the slope with you.







