George kicked a tuft of grass as Benjamin disappeared around the corner of the house. “What good’s a knight without a dragon to slay?” he muttered to himself, scowling. He his wooden sword into the one of the belt loops of his pants and marched around the side of the house after Benjamin, determined to convince his friend to return to the game.
Benjamin was nowhere in sight as George reached the front yard. The street was empty except for a young girl, about George’s age, drawing absentmindedly on the sidewalk with chalk. George decided she was a better playmate than no one at all and walked up to her.
“Hey,” he said, hands thrust deep into his pockets in what he hoped was a nonchalant way.
“Hey,” she replied, not looking up from her doodling.
“Whatcha drawing?” George asked after a moment of silence.
“Dunno,” the girl replied. “Just stuff.”
“Wanna play?” George asked.
“Depends,” she replied.
“On what?”
“On what you want to play,” she answered, finally looking up at him. She had dark hair and bright blue eyes that seemed to see right through him.
“Well,” George said, reaching for his sword, “I was playin’ dragonslayer earlier, but Ben decided he didn’t wanna play anymore. We could do knight and princess, an’ I could rescue you from a castle or somethin’.” He showed her the sword, swinging it around for effect.
“No thanks,” she said, returning her attention to the sidewalk.
“Why not?” George asked petulantly. “You’re just doin’ some dumb drawings.”
The girl’s head snapped up, and she stood. She was George’s height, but seemed much bigger in his mind. “Because I’m not some stupid princess waiting in a stupid castle, you….you stupid boy!” She whirled around and stormed off.
Sketches From Memory 