Elias felt a tightness in his chest loosen. He stood up, his knees popping like dry kindling, and walked to his desk. He took out a piece of stationary he hadn't touched in years.
After a few minutes, the whirlpool formed. The "lake" vanished down the drain with a satisfied gurgle. The boy stood up, wiped his muddy hands on his jeans, and turned to walk away. But he stopped. The Good Is Still Alive Beautiful
Elias expected the boy to splash through it or perhaps film the flooding for a laugh. Instead, the boy knelt in the freezing downpour. With bare hands, he began pulling handfuls of sodden leaves and trash from the grate. He did it methodically, ignoring the cars that splashed him as they sped by. Elias felt a tightness in his chest loosen