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Joanna earned her Bachelor’s degree in English last year. She has
written five book reviews all posted on the Long Ridge Writer’s group website. She also has sold her first short story to an Internet writer’s
newsletter.
The body lay sprawled upside down atop the long glass table, exhausted.
“Can she be saved?” Mary asked through a veil of tears in her eyes.
“I don’t know.” Michael answered. “But, I’m sure going to
try.” The roommate frowned as he
hunched over the body to examine it. They had three heavy early morning
classes and needed it live!
Mary tucked her dark hair behind her ear and wrung the tissue in hand as
she watched.
“Screwdriver.” Michael announced and put his hand out. A
screwdriver with a gold handle and a brown flashlight lay beside the
machine. Mary took the screwdriver and slapped it in the middle of
Michael’s hand. His full lips
flattened into a straight line of concentration as he meticulously
unscrewed the silver plate and put it aside.
“Flashlight.” Mary took the
flashlight and handed it to Michael. He
flashed the light inside.
Michael
dipped the screwdriver inside the many-colored nest of entwining wires and
began to work with a surgeon’s precision. Meanwhile
a quiet candle vigil outside their dorm room had been going on since word
got out.
“Handkerchief.” Michael held his hand out again. Mary
plucked Michael’s handkerchief from out of his shirt pocket and softly
patted the beads of sweat prominent on his forehead. A
few minutes passed and Michael stood upright. He shook his dark hair away
from his face and swiped a tear from his eye.
“It’s no use,” he sighed. “She’s gone.”
“No!” Mary sobbed. “ She can’t be dead.” You’ve got to try it
again.
Michael
raises his arms for Mary and she walks into them. He holds her small body
against him as she continues to cry. “It’s
ok,” he said. “She’s in a better place.”
Mary lifted her face from Michael’s chest. “I’ll
have to tell everyone outside.” Michael said.
“I’ll go with you.”
Michael and Mary held hands and opened the door. The student’s eyes
looked up at them their eyes watery and hopeful.
“We’re sorry, but there was nothing we could do,” Michael announced.
Loud, howling, hysterical sobs filled the hallway as the students mourned
the popular coffee machine’s death.
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