Apr. 7

4/7/2026 10:06 Correspondence 201

My mind is heavy with the uncertainty of my future, so I present to you a short story instead. Unfinished, some claim, but I think it's all there: 

Lucy Van Pelt

The air smelled distinctly of soap and summer. A deep breath could fill your lungs with sunshine and nostalgia. And so Henry breathed deeply. He was just now stepping over an overgrown root in the shrinking woods at the far end of his street. He had wandered into the forest at around half past eleven. It was two o’clock now, but he wore no watch. 

Maggie had followed her classmate into the woods. She hung about a yard behind him, eyeing the root where Henry just walked. She saw Henry walk past her house in the late morning and asked to follow. She was curious. She has always been curious, especially about Henry. They were in the same math class and sat beside each other. She would inform you, with little provocation on the matter, that she did not get to choose her seat. But they sat nonetheless, and would even talk like friends.

Maggie would not tell you Henry was her friend, though. She would describe their relationship as “more like a psychiatrist and a patient.” She enjoyed studying him and all the strange things he said. Her greatest pleasure was cutting her eyes and tilting her head when he would say silly things about bats or frogs.

At this moment, though, she was growing bored with her patient. And sweaty. They had been walking for a good while now, and he had yet to say much at all. She glanced at her watch. “Can you at least tell me what you're doing out here? It's already two, and I have to be back home by five. This weather isn’t helping anything either. I can feel the pollen fill my lungs with every breath. ” 

Henry kept walking, unmoved. “Enjoy the sun, Maggie. Enjoy what it brings.” Henry took another deep breath. “You know… sometimes I like to imagine myself as a big leafy shrub that ruffles in the breeze and feasts on the sun.” Henry smiled proudly at this thought and continued to walk confidently, blissfully unaware of the eyes that rolled behind him.  “And don’t worry about the time, I’m sure we'll get back by five. Things will work out.” 

Maggie was unsatisfied with this response and attempted to probe her patient for more info: “That still doesn’t tell me what you’re doing!”

Henry continued his steps without saying a word.

 At this point, the sun was starting to dip, and Maggie considered turning around. She was ready to call it a session and clock out for the day. But deep down, she was struck by the mystery of this puzzle. He had never acted this way before. He is usually forthcoming about his strange thoughts. Why keep things from me now? She held on to those questions in her head as she followed in silence. 

By silence, I mean the absence of two young voices. The forest itself was abuzz. The orchestra of the woods was in full swing. The sun served as the audience and the wind as the conductor. Things were alive at every inch of life. From ancient trees that towered above, to an ant who was on patrol for food and watched as two giants stepped by. The two explorers were gods and toys to the woods around them.  And it was captivating to be both. Even Maggie thought so as they ventured deeper into the golden green castle.

“Do you ever wish you could turn into something?” Henry asked, breaking the silence and her spell. It made Maggie a little uncomfortable to be asked a question. She wanted to remain silent, as a way to keep distance from her case study. She thought she was the one asking questions. And so she didn’t answer – for about 15 seconds, before she inexplicably heard her own voice. 

“When I was younger, I used to have a bearded dragon. Her name was Buckets. I loved watching her bask in the artificial sun of her heat lamp. Sometimes when she was on the other side of her glass terrarium, I would stick my hand under her lap, just to feel the same heat.” 

Maggie didn’t like sharing this fact, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. 

“Yeah, I've always thought being a big reptile would be fun too,” Henry responded, without ever looking behind.