Branching Paths

I stepped onto the soft weave of the living room rug, where an open graphic novel lay flat across the floor. Curious lines and colored panels stretched out side by side. I paused, tilting my head to inspect the drawings. In one square, a little creature wandered into an overgrown thicket; right next to it, another scene showed the same path opening toward a sunlit meadow. I pressed my forepaw lightly against the paper margin, careful not to crease the corner, and traced the sunny trail with my gaze. Seeing different futures quiet and still upon the page was fascinating. I sat down beside the ink, gently watching.