Top: Maya Jackandjill

Maya had always loved spinning tops. Her favorite was an old wooden jack-and-jill top her grandmother had given her — two tiny carved figures, joined at the waist, balanced on a single stem. They were painted in faded blues and golds, faces barely smiling from years of being spun and set down.

“You can set things right,” the woman told Maya. “When a jack-and-jill top falls, it tips more than wood and paint — it tips stories. We spin them back into balance.” maya jackandjill top

Maya’s brow furrowed. “Who are you?” Maya had always loved spinning tops

A woman with silver hair and a coat the color of stormy sea met Maya with a knowing smile. “You brought the top,” she said. “Good. We need a spinner.” She led Maya to a small circle where a carved stone showed two figures much like the ones on Maya’s top. Around the stone, the ground answered the woman’s words with a faint vibration, like a heart waking. “You can set things right,” the woman told Maya