“Go ahead,” said one elf to the other.
“Take it, no one is watching. Go on. Don’t worry.”
“But you’re watching, you’ll know I took it.”
“I won’t look.”
“But you’ll know even if you don’t look. That’s the same as watching.”
“No it’s not. Not at all the same. Now come on, you’re wasting time.”
“All right,” agreed the other elf, and he strained to grasp the brightest biggest red apple within reach. And he grabbed the apple, pulled it hard and fell back delighted.
“I’ve got it!”
“Great. Let’s go.”
The two elves ran off, away from the fenced in orchard. Above them, beyond the curved dome of the digital sky over their heads, a sky they couldn’t see, three kids in coveralls, baseball hats, and short sleeve T-shirts watched them as they crossed a field and ran up the road to their home.
The two elves were brothers and they were greeted by their mother when they opened the door.
“That’s a beautiful apple,” said the mother, and she looked at them wryly. “Did anyone see you take it?”
Looking away from their mother, and glancing involuntarily at the sky above, both elves spoke at once.
“No Mom, no one saw us. No one was watching.”
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