The Drawing

Lisa arrived at work a little tired that morning. She loved teaching at the preschool, but twenty four-year-olds could be exhausting. After handing out paper and crayons, she smiled. "Today, you can draw anything you like." As the classroom grew quiet, Lisa walked between the tables. Houses, dinosaurs, rainbows... the usual drawings. Then she stopped at one child's desk. "Can you tell me about your picture?" she asked. The child shrugged. "I don't know."

Lisa placed the drawing face down and finished the lesson. After the last child left, the teacher next door came in holding a phone. “One of my students has been sick all week. Her mother sent this. Do you know what it is?” On the screen, seven children stood by the water beneath a black sun. A thin red line reached from the water to their feet. Lisa turned over the drawing on her desk. The figures, colors, even the crooked horizon were identical. “When did she draw it?” “Just after ten.” Lisa looked at the clock. Her student had begun at the same time.