Only one way to find out. With one last heave of my boots through the sludged-up yard, I dropped to my knees and cradled a brittle petal in my palm. Darby's fists were full of branches, so I took a deep breath and said, "Break the ties that bind you to death."

All the black stems unfurled and straightened as if in one perfectly choreographed dance routine. The petals unfolded and relaxed into normal flower shape, brightening in color from their tips to the middle. Not quite ...