HAVER, by Brian Evenson
The Paul Di Filippo Presents series
showcases modern masterpieces of
science fiction and fantasy selected by
acclaimed author and critic Paul Di Filippo.
By December, six months into his institutionalization, Festus had begun exclusively to draw his own apartment. Or rather, just one room of his apartment, his studio, nothing but that, over and over again. He had given up painting entirely, was only drawing now. When Haver asked him why, he only shrugged and said, I must not give in too easily to color.
“Why not?” asked Haver.
For a long time Festus did not respond, which was not unusual for him. Indeed, Haver had come to think of the times when Festus did respond as the exception rather than the rule. Festus kept drawing, kept sketching with a nub of charcoa
