The New Ending

Ages 12-15

Roizy draws a little square in her picture, then sketches the first curve of a chest inside it.

The group story ends with a wooden chest beneath the table. She plans to finish it after the rest of the room is done.

Her classmate arrives with a new ending.

"I changed the chest."

Roizy holds her pencil above the little square.

On the corner of her scrap paper, the chest already has a curved lid and two little feet.

"To what?"

"A cloth bag. It has to fit under her arm."

Roizy turns the scrap over. Her picture has a whole table ready for the chest beneath it.

Her classmate lays down the new page and reaches for the picture.

Roizy puts her hand beside its edge.

"Let me read that part first."

Her classmate gives her the page.

Roizy reads the last scene. The character leaves the room with the object beneath her arm. At the door, she puts it down, then picks it up again.

Roizy looks at the curved chest lid on her scrap.

She reads the ending once more.

Then she draws a cloth bag inside the little square. Its top folds beneath the table's edge.

Her classmate points to the rest of the room.

"Do you have to change all of that?"

Roizy shakes her head. She nudges the table's leg a little so the bag fits beside it.

At the picture's corner, she erases the first tiny curve meant for the chest.

The cloth bag rests under the finished table. Beside its folded top, a faint old curve remains.