No one was listening. Yellow lights highlighted every student’s face from underneath, like ghouls in a graveyard. I assumed they were all playing some game.
“Class, this is ridiculous!”
Everyone continued staring at their phones. I stomped forward to the first desk in the row and snatched the phone from Susan’s hands.
“I’m confiscating this!”
Susan looked up at me with long bags under her dull eyes.
I looked at her phone. It was just a blank, yellow screen.
The whole class looked up as one, each with the same dull expression. The glow from their screens accentuated their lifeless features.
A truly appropriate “Signs of the Times” story. First Cable TV, the Iphones, Ipods, and a whole bunch of other I-distractions. Liked it!
This was a nicely-chilling idea. I think a little sentence re-ordering would have enabled some paring of repetitive words and drawn a greater contrast between the lifelessness of the students and the frustration of the instructor. And a real peeve for me–“Everyone…their.” Perhaps better to have said “They..”
Good point, thanks!