//say when
just say when
just say when- Tori Amos//

Paper Jam.

Press the black button

His blue eyes gazed at the small screen.

Digital words racing across so fast he had to read it 3 times ,just to assemble it in his head.

Finally he figured out… there was a paper jam. All he needed to do was clear the jam then press ok, the black button.

But still.

He found him self simply sitting there.

Completely bewildered at what to do next…what the hell to DO.

He sat, staring at his cream hands, noticing every line, every cut and remembering where it came from. These weren't the hands of paper jam fixers. These weren't the hands of a young smiling boy. His hands were…

"Zero, what's taking you so long" Clay's voice traveled through the air, gently riding through his ears. For once he was speechless.

How stupid would he sound saying "It's a paper jam" to CLAY of all people.

A simple problem with a simple solution…yet still.

"Zero"

"Just go ahead Clay, I'll catch up"

Clay looked intently, examining Zero's face then nodded, "I see" his feet dragged against the floor as he left.

He wondered how many more times this would happen. How many more times would a simple problem with a simple solution become so…

Pale white hands yanked out the jammed piece of paper.

The ink was smudged, the paper wrinkled.

He glanced up to see red eyes boring into him.

Zero held his gaze, completely transfixed as if the boy in front of him had done some miracle.

"Umm…" his words fumbled clumsily out of his mouth " it was jammed"

Hiead's eyebrow rose ever so slightly…waiting.

" And you see…well"

The other boy sighed and began to turn away " All you had to do was clear the jam and then press ok, or can you not read?"

The wiring of the machine began to fill the room, it was reprinting.

Zero examined Hiead's hands, which were once clean but now had small stains of black ink and a paper cut.

One small paper cut.

And Hiead.

Who happened to STILL be there.

"You can leave you know."

Hiead shrugged, " Ahh, But what if it jams again?" his voice taunting.

Zero's eyes flickered to the tarnished sheet of paper on the floor and then to his hands… "It won't."

"Of course not anymore."

Zero returned his focus to the printer

Document failed to print. Printer out of paper. Please fix problem then press ok