Imaginary by Lee Bacon

Author:Lee Bacon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abrams
Published: 2021-10-12T00:00:00+00:00

Your art project is put on pause when your mom calls you to the table for dinner.

“You’ve been busy in your room for a while now.” She spoons rice and vegetables onto your plate. “What’re you working on? Is it something for school?”

You pop a carrot into your mouth. “Kind of.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It’s just something Principal Carter said I should try.”

“Like an extracurricular assignment?”

You nod. “I’m still trying to get it right.”

That’s one way of putting it. You’ve done at least twenty versions of the same exact drawing. And each one has gone into the trash.

Your mom takes a bite, then asks, “Do you want to show me what you’ve done so far?”

You think about this for a moment, then shake your head. “Maybe once I’m done.”

She accepts this with a smile. “Well, I’m glad you’re excited about it.”

Once your plate is empty, you set down your fork. “Hey, Mom?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it okay if I go back to my room now?”

“So you can keep working on your assignment?”

“Yeah.”

“Sure, kiddo.”

Soon you’re back at your desk, leaning forward in your chair, scratching at the page with your pencil. It’s amazing how far you’ve come since that first attempt. The picture has depth and shadows. Any second, it looks like the knight might climb out of the page and charge into battle.

You’ve even added details that aren’t a part of the miniature.

Mud caked to the bottoms of his metal boots.

A small dent in his armor.

But the biggest difference is in the face. He looks younger.

And there’s something about his eyes.

They remind me of your eyes.

It’s getting late. Night presses against the windows of your room. While you work, I look down at my hands, my round belly, my feet. I can’t help noticing—

There’s less of me now.

It’s unmistakable.

The fading is getting worse.

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