Life: Here & Now II

As he waited for Windows to boot, he skimmed his finger across the scratched surface around the laptop's touchpad. His lips formed a crooked smile at the sounds that had accompanied each scratch. Over and over, those scratches had irritated him. Now they made his heart ache. John and Tara had met at the university, each pursuing their separate degrees, but on paths that would cross. His first encounter with Tara was hearing her yell across the commons.... "Mister!"

"glorious wealth of love, of life, of rest and warmth, of strength to dream of light in dark" The words echoed in his head as he trudged down the stairwell, avoiding the laggardly elevator and its threat of close-quarter conversations. It hadn't been long ago that those words had ignited a hopeful smile, but today his whole body seemed furrowed by their puzzle. The phrase bounced in his head as he silently mouthed each word and punctuated his recitation with his steps.