I was told to draw my fear like an animal you could pet. I thought of my mother counting the seconds under the stairs. The cloud came out too heavy for my palms—I almost erased it. The facilitator placed her hand on the paper: “Let it have weight.” Two people said they recognized the same cloud that same evening. I didn't sign the drawing; I only dated the back.

"Fear as an object" exercise. Ivan remained silent after the group read; his drawing was enough. We hung the sheets on the basement clothesline—clouds lined up like winter laundry.