“That is not art.”
Ms. Brennan held up the paper.
Nine-year-old Elise wished she could disappear.
Her drawing showed a house beneath a black sky.
No windows.
One yellow door.
The teacher frowned.
“Why is everything so dark?”
Elise shrugged.
“I like it.”
“Well, I don’t.”
Several children giggled.
Ms. Brennan placed the drawing face down.
“The assignment was ‘A Happy Place.’”
“It is.”
That stopped the teacher.
“How is that a happy place?”
Elise looked at the yellow door.
“Because nobody can come in.”
The room went quiet.
Ms. Brennan laughed awkwardly.
“Try again.”
She tore a fresh sheet from the pad.
Elise didn’t move.
“Use brighter colors.”
“I don’t want to.”
The teacher leaned down.
“Then you get no grade.”
Elise picked up a crayon.
At home, her father found the dark drawing crumpled inside her backpack.
