The tip of the lead hits the paper. Sarah stares at the blank page. The blank page that represented the opposite of how her mind was. She writes. The pencil glides on the paper with a scratching noise from a cat asking to enter a room. Her eyes study as each wordwas printed from the pencil.
‘I love you’ it read.
The pencil halts, as Sarah processed how to continue, After a second, the pencil starts again. ‘I know you don’t understand. How can it be possible? Conner, you have a smart mind. And ever since I started to realize how feelings worked, I knew I was in love with you. I enjoyed watching you talk to me. To express what you did over the weekend or what you plan to do the next. I enjoyed it when you would work, creating new things or getting ready to make the best great machine.’
The pencil spins and Sarah erases those words. The bits of eraser scatters around the page, black from led. Sarah spins the pencil again, staring at the mess. Her hand swipes them away and continues where she left off.
‘creating new things. I enjoyed it when you would check on me. Opening my chest and looking inside, seeing the blue box you call my heart. And Conner, my heart stays awake for you.’ Sarah’s eyes scan the paper again, blue lanterns going back and forth through each word. She turns her head quick, hearing a door open. Sarah folds the paper neatly but swift and puts it inside a shelf with the pencil, each movement she made making a ‘zz’ noise. She stands from her chair and looks towards the doorway.
Conner walks inside, holding a folder filled with papers. He looks at Sarah, smiling “Hey Sarah.” “Good Morning,Conner” Sarah greets, her white metallic hand raising and going side to side in a pendulum motion.
HOWLER LIT 