Harbinger
by Elena Zhang
Put a hat on the plum tree. It’s winter and the blossoms are shivering. Hunger is purple, like a bruise. Your friends will return someday as birds.
Elena Zhang is a Chinese American writer and mother living in Chicago. Her work can be found in HAD, The Citron Review, and Flash Frog, among other publications. She is a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, and was selected for Best Microfiction 2024 and 2025.