How to Prove You’re Human

Written By David Armstrong

by Sky Brubaker

College of Charleston

Sky Brubaker is an English Major with Creative Writing Concentration at the College of Charleston.

How to Prove You’re Human

Select each image containing a stoplight. A crosswalk. A bridge. Your childhood bedroom. Select each image containing your ex. (You thought you deleted all of those.) (You thought you could unfeel that feeling.) Select each image you refuse to delete. Tell your friends that you’re “doing well” when they ask. (Because they’re not really asking.) Get yourself coffee, again. Accidentally run into something very slightly and say “ow,” even though it didn’t hurt. Go online shopping, I mean, put everything you like into a cart, check the total, (or don’t), then close the tab. Cry. Cut your own hair. Dye it. (Again.) Listen to a song so many times your heart beats to the melody. Forgive every version of yourself except this one. Wish you could tell your sixteen year-old self it gets better. (But somehow it also gets worse.) Prepare for everything. Never feel prepared. Then select each image containing a stoplight over and over again.

David Armstrong
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