After

£ t ? ? t Y ? tZlfflGk byKatherineStuart *f ? ? t * V A heavy feeling hovers above -*·¦ \ your head as you turn ? T T Î the familiar brass knob. ?*?£ You call her name. ?¿f There is no reply V«$? except echoes J" ?> of your childish voice. t I ?> t ?*? V You have no other choice Î V but to walk through silent rooms J^ *t* sensing her everywhere. «*? J In your own room the bed ?*? J waits unmade for the hands that turned ?*>? t back the covers, tucked you in. V X Lately you had done the same for her. V : y 1,>? ??< ^ In the kitchen you stare out J & at the magnolias she loved. 1 ?*? You wish they did not turn brown and die. J^» You do not want to take her place. J^ ?a* You do not even want to live here. ??< t 4 V A shiny razor blade edged with paint «a j lies in the window sill. ?*? J You had just begun to remove Y X the spots left too long. *f JE You pick up the blade. J fo It will take patience, but you must start sometime. j ??* The cutting edge is still very sharp. i, Z Y t 4 t 4 ? 4 t 4 T T ? ? ? T ? ? T T T ? T Y T Y ? T ? Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y t ? ? Y T Y 3 ...