He Noticed First
A quiet account of what happens when the truth is seen, spoken, and ignored
He said it before it mattered. They heard it when it was too late.
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Brian was quietly thoughtful. He liked it that way; he was perfectly comfortable with his own company. His classmates always went in cliques; his recesses were often spent in the library or alone in class.
They saw the teacher's dull dresses; he noticed the little tear at the heel of her shoe.
Then, there was the crack in the ceiling. Just needed fresh paint, they said.
Brian tugged at the teacher's sleeve. "The ceiling's about to..."
His classmates filed out of the class for lunch.
The teacher smiled gently and gathered her books. "It's just paint. See you later, Brian."
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Again, Brian spoke in muted tones.
"The ceiling is about to.."
"There, there. It's just a paint crack."
"But the ceiling is about to..."
The sympathetic teacher patted his shoulder. "It's just paint. You're overthinking."
His classmates giggled, then filed out of the classroom for recess.
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Alone in class, Brian gazed at the crack. It seemed deeper than before.
The ceiling sank a little. So did he.
He tugged at the teacher's sleeve. She was in the middle of an explanation of plant life cycles.
"Miss, the ceiling's about to..."
"Again." She nodded. The others filed out to the science lab, giggling.
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Brian gazed at the crack, now growing deeper than before. Again, he tugged at the teacher's sleeve.
She completely ignored him - saplings were part of the next day's test.
Cracks only served to distract.
The rest of the class filed off to the science lab, giggling.
They didn't notice the plasterboard on the floor.
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Science class again the next day. That was when they saw the mess.
By then, it was too late.
Plasterboard and cement.
Exactly where they should not have been.
Brian tugged at the teacher's sleeve. She gathered the apparatus for her science lesson.
Brian's classmates filed off to the science lab in silence.
It also gives credence to his autism.
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Original story for Autism Awareness Day by Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin. AI tags are coincidental.
About the Creator
Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.
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More stories from Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin and writers in Fiction and other communities.
A Deadly Mistake in the Desert: The Merchant’s Fate
By(Haris Barki) SIRE, there was once upon a time a merchant who possessed great wealth, in land and merchandise, as well as in ready money. He was obliged from time to time to take journeys to arrange his affairs. One day, having to go a long way from home, he mounted his horse, taking with him a small wallet in which he had put a few biscuits and dates, because he had to pass through a desert where no food was to be got. He arrived without any mishap, and, having finished his business, set out on his reurn. On the fourth day of his journey, the heat of the sun being very great, he turned out of his road to rest under some trees. He found at the foot of a large walnut-tree a fountain of clear and running water. He dismounted, fastened his horse to a branch of the tree, and sat down by the fountain, after having taken from his wallet some of his dates and biscuits. Whilst eating the dates he threw the stones right and left. When he had finished this frugal meal he washed his face and hands in the fountain.
By Mariana Farias5 days ago in Fiction
Comments (2)
Should have listened to Brian! This is also reminiscent of The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
💗💗💗💗💗💗 WOW 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗