The Pattern
Darrell looked at the screen in his office, and watched as the child picked up a pen to respond to the question. He always hated this part, the anxiety of watching someone decide what to do with his or her life. It was such a permanent decision. For a moment the tiny hand lingered over the yes box.
Darrell blanched when the ink touched the no box. The entire room exploded in a flash of light, and the camera melted along with much of the other glass. Darrell wondered if he should have the powder on the "no" box altered to be less volatile. He dismissed the idea as he called for a cleanup crew to come and rearrange the scene to look as if a candle caught fire or some other accident had occurred. He spoke gently into the phone and then hung it up and began to sift listlessly through files on his desk.
Darrell blanched when the ink touched the no box. The entire room exploded in a flash of light, and the camera melted along with much of the other glass. Darrell wondered if he should have the powder on the "no" box altered to be less volatile. He dismissed the idea as he called for a cleanup crew to come and rearrange the scene to look as if a candle caught fire or some other accident had occurred. He spoke gently into the phone and then hung it up and began to sift listlessly through files on his desk.
