The Divide
by Opal H.
· 02/01/2026
Published 02/01/2026 15:25
The white line glowed at dusk,
perfectly straight, drawn by someone
who needed to split the world
into left and right, this and that.
A child stood straddling it,
one foot on each side, refusing
to pick. Her friends called from both edges.
She didn't move.
The line was already scuffed
where other children had tested it,
wondering if chalk could really hold them,
if standing on the border meant you belonged nowhere
or everywhere at once.
I think I understand why she stayed there.
The moment before you have to choose
is the only moment you can still be
the version of yourself that fits on both sides.
After that, the line divides you too.