Ninja Games

A dash. Another dash. Eyes shift sideways. Check the key. Two more red dashes. Lips move with the pencil, "Minus one." Flip the paper. Two left. Check the name. Four dashes. Red 'x'. Lips move with eyes, "The proper approach to a target is-". Pencil's turn, "variable". A dash. A dash. "Minus one". Flip the paper. Last one. Breeze. Move paperweight in between stacks. Glance at clock. Squeals and pattering footsteps. Last one. Thud of cardboard shuriken. More squeals. Dash. Red 'x'. Lips move with pencil, "Target A". Red 'x'. Check the key. Two 'x's. Recross legs. Double check key. Breeze. Triple check key. Red 'x'. Scratch face. Itch scar. Sigh. Pencil speaks, "incapacitated, immobilized, in motion, invisible". Squeals. Pattering feet. An 'excuse me ma'am'. Laugh. Soft footsteps. Frown. Dash. Rub eyes. "See me," lead breaks. Drawer slides. Reach for the trashcan. Drawer slides. "See me after class". Pencil jumps down the margin. Lips move through the numbers. Pencil and lips say, "Minus five". Scratches on the pavement. Breeze. Sigh. Underline. See me, footsteps stop, after, scratches stop, class. Flip paper. Straighten on desk. Drawer slides. Paper clip. Flick through folders. Drawer slides. Pencil in container. A smile. Another smile. Eyes meet. Check the clock. Two chair scoots. Cross to window. Start a different ninja game.


Step. Another step. Many steps. Dance, hop, step. Careful. Too many steps. Stop. Check hair. Oh. My. Hard day. Long day. No use trying to fix it. Better hurry. Check time, but no clock. Clock, clock. Tiptoe aaand…Oh! That late!? More steps. No steps, time to run now. Claws scratch. Better hurry: he gets off in two minutes. Shove door. Turn around: can't forget the card this time or you get fired. This time. Turn around again. Shove door. Again. How much time now? Better hurry. Hand in coat… still have it on? Oh… What's this? Dissection scissors? Oh. My… Too late now, can't be late. No claw scratches now, just four pounding feet. Hurry. Wonder how he's doing? What he's doing? Always something with him… Oh!

"Oh!"

"Excuse me ma'am!"

"Oh!" Smile. Big smile.

"You're fine." Ninja… I remember that game. There's the window now. Better hurry. Look to see… Tiptoe aaand… oh. What a sweet boy, just a sweet, sweet- here he comes- so meticulous- still a mess- looks fit to be at a Kage council- God damned hair- look at his sweet flinky ponytail, neat as ever- but it's always like this. Pretty different people I guess. But we both like our little game. Lean in towards the window. Don't look students.