Bates & Landon [Wattys2015]

BATES

I couldn't lay down, I could barely concentrate on anything but my emotions. I had too many right now. I bit my lip, grabbing my paint. My easel was propped against the wall, I grabbed that too. I looked around for a blank canvas. Luckily, I found one. I need to go shopping for food and art supplies.

I slipped on a sweater and shoes and carried my stuff out to the backyard. I turned on the back porch light so I could see.

Usually I'd paint outside. Occasionally, I'd paint inside once it got colder but I was in the mood to paint outside. I sighed, thinking, and running my fingers over the canvas. It felt a little rough, like it always was, and it was comforting to me.

Painting was like a safe haven to me. My artwork was there for me when no one else was. My artwork held all my battling emotions.

My hands had a mind of its own while my thoughts went off to some other world.

Mr. Fell walked up to me, "Hello, Bates." he said, fondness in his tone. He had a certain liking towards me.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fell," I looked up from my drawing to smile at him politely.

"What are you drawing here?" Mr. Fell pointed towards the paper on my desk, curious. It was a drawing of a bird in a man's cupped hands. The bird was flying out of the man's hands.

"I like it," Mr. Fell said, giving me a encouraging nod, "so was the man holding the bird or..?"

I nodded, still gazing at my drawing, "The man was setting it free, too."

"Oh, that's nice. All birds need to be free, correct?" Mr. Fell asked me, crouching beside my desk to look closer at the drawing and me.

"Yes, and people too." I replied.

"But we already are free." Mr. Fell frowned at me.

I'm not, I thought.

I dipped my paintbrush in the black paint before running it along the canvas before me.