The Eraser in His Hand

Ages 15-18

Elkanah comes back to the classroom for his eraser.

It lies beside the leg of his desk. He picks it up.

One boy is still at the next desk. He rubs out the heading on his page.

"What are you writing?" Elkanah asks.

The boy brushes the crumbs into his palm. He writes a new heading, then two short lines beneath it.

Elkanah stays beside the desk.

The boy's pencil stops. His other hand rests along the top of the page.

Elkanah leans a little closer.

"Is it for-"

He stops. He presses his thumb into the eraser. It leaves a shallow mark.

He steps away from the desk.

The pencil moves again.

At the door, Elkanah looks back. He looks toward the corridor.

He puts the eraser into his pencil case and closes the classroom door.