Waiting
He squirmed around in his chair, unable to stay still. Hands with fingers entangled in each other, feet shifting, tapping away to their own silent rhythm, he was all movement.
The old woman sitting across the room, glared at him, prune wrinkled face all twisted up in disapproval. Her eyes were two shiny beads that pinned him to the seat. He held still, frozen silent under the weight of her terrible stare.
Time passed, marked by the steady ticking of the clock, as both hands drifted around the face of time. One minute came and went, with a second following right behind it. A third passed by, followed by a fourth, both seeming to slow down, unwilling to move faster than a relaxed walk. The fifth expanded to infinity, crawling along, trying hard not to get anywhere.
He trembled, muscles straining to move, the terrible power of her eyes weakening. Suddenly, the spell broke and he was free to move at last. The minutes jogged along once more, his feet tapping out the beat of time. He smiled, white teeth flashing, hands waving, sending a flood of warmth in her direction.
The icicles in her eyes melted and her mouth quivered, as stiff frown lines struggled to go the other way, trying to overturn all those years of stiff disapproval. Bit by bit, her icy mask cracked, crumpled, and disappeared, revealing the glowing humanity hidden beneath. With one final twitch of her lips, the last bits of ice gave way, and the old woman smiled.
A bell rang, marking the end of the hour. He stood up, and with one last smile and wave to the old woman, quick-stepped out of the room, whistling softly to himself. He stepped outside and sunshine spilled onto his face and shoulders, bathing him in light.
Back to the beginning!
Back to the beginning!