The Streak

Ages 12-15

Hadassa cleans the board after the teacher goes, and there is one streak that will not come off.

It is the last job of the day, and it is her turn. She takes the damp cloth and goes over the board from the top, left to right, in long strokes. The gray writing goes. The board is black and wet.

When it dries, a streak is left across the middle, a pale smear the width of her hand.

She wets the cloth again, and goes over it. The streak is still there. She rubs at it with her thumb. She rubs it with the corner of the cloth, hard, until her arm is tired and the edges of the cloth are gray.

The streak is there. It is under the wet and it comes back as the board dries.

The corridor is quiet. A teacher's door closes, far down the hall. She looks at the clock, and then at the streak.

She puts the cloth back on the shelf. She takes her bag, and her coat, and goes to the door. She stops with her hand on the switch.

The sun is low, and it comes in through the high window onto the board. The black is smooth, all across, except for the one dry streak, which shines.

She switches off the light, and goes out.