A Century
No one moved for several seconds. The weight of it sat heavy in the room. Elias finally inhaled. “Excuse me.” It was so soft it barely carried. He didn’t look at Iris. Didn’t look at Mara. He just turned and walked toward the sealed door. “Elias—” Iris’s voice followed him quickly. “Elias.” He didn’t stop. The door slid open. Closed behind him. The sound felt final. Sadie hesitated only a second before stepping closer to Iris and gently squeezing her arm. “I’ll go after him.” Iris nodded, though she wasn’t sure she meant to. Sadie slipped out. Silence returned. Thicker this time. Iris stared at the old sketch still resting on the table. The charcoal lines suddenly felt heavier than before. “If that was around a hundred years ago…” she said slowly, turning back to Mara, “
- Writer
