The Door That Followed Me

Read the whole story

Every word, start to finish. The pictures come next — painted around your child, from one photo.

1. For Maeve, who shut it herself.

   For Ezra, who shut it himself.

   For Sana, who shut it herself.

   Dedication

2. The gate was the deal. Maeve would walk in, and the door would stay home. The door had other ideas.

   The gate was the deal. Ezra would walk in, and the door would stay home. The door had other ideas.

   The gate was the deal. Sana would walk in, and the door would stay home. The door had other ideas.

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3. Everyone else went in. Maeve stood on the blacktop with the hall behind her, wide open, smelling of toast.

   Everyone else went in. Ezra stood on the blacktop with the hall behind him, wide open, smelling of toast.

   Everyone else went in. Sana stood on the blacktop with the hall behind her, wide open, smelling of toast.

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4. So she walked away from it. Fast. Not looking. Behind her, something heavy scraped across the blacktop.

   So he walked away from it. Fast. Not looking. Behind him, something heavy scraped across the blacktop.

   So she walked away from it. Fast. Not looking. Behind her, something heavy scraped across the blacktop.

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5. It got to the cloakroom first. It took up the entire cloakroom.

   It got to the cloakroom first. It took up the entire cloakroom.

   It got to the cloakroom first. It took up the entire cloakroom.

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6. So she buried it. Coats, bags, somebody's forgotten boot. You could hardly see it at all.

   So he buried it. Coats, bags, somebody's forgotten boot. You could hardly see it at all.

   So she buried it. Coats, bags, somebody's forgotten boot. You could hardly see it at all.

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7. At register it swung open. The whole class turned round and smelled Maeve's hallway.

   At register it swung open. The whole class turned round and smelled Ezra's hallway.

   At register it swung open. The whole class turned round and smelled Sana's hallway.

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8. So Maeve went back through. The hall was warm and quiet and nobody was in it. It was nine thirty.

   So Ezra went back through. The hall was warm and quiet and nobody was in it. It was nine thirty.

   So Sana went back through. The hall was warm and quiet and nobody was in it. It was nine thirty.

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9. The door was not keeping her at school. It was keeping home open, and she had already gone through it twice.

   The door was not keeping him at school. It was keeping home open, and he had already gone through it twice.

   The door was not keeping her at school. It was keeping home open, and she had already gone through it twice.

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10. Maeve stepped out onto the blacktop, took the handle in both hands and pulled it shut.

    Ezra stepped out onto the blacktop, took the handle in both hands and pulled it shut.

    Sana stepped out onto the blacktop, took the handle in both hands and pulled it shut.

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11. It clicked. Then there was only playground, going all the way to the fence, and a bell somewhere.

    It clicked. Then there was only playground, going all the way to the fence, and a bell somewhere.

    It clicked. Then there was only playground, going all the way to the fence, and a bell somewhere.

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12. At home time Maeve opened the front door and, for about a second, the classroom was on the other side of it.

    At home time Ezra opened the front door and, for about a second, the classroom was on the other side of it.

    At home time Sana opened the front door and, for about a second, the classroom was on the other side of it.

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13. Then it was just the hall again. Maeve hung her coat on the bottom of the stairs, where a peg would have been.

    Then it was just the hall again. Ezra hung his coat on the bottom of the stairs, where a peg would have been.

    Then it was just the hall again. Sana hung her coat on the bottom of the stairs, where a peg would have been.

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