Page 62 of Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad World

“Hey, guys.” Annabelle waved at the phone screen, feeling comfortable meeting them this way, as most of her social interactions happened online.

“You’re famous?” Sam said in awe. “Did you draw Spiderman?”

“No.” They were hilarious. “But when I was just starting out, I worked on a Fantastic Four book. Does that count?”

“Which one?” Jacob asked. “We’ve got some Fantastic Four comics back in Houston. I bet we have yours.”

“I don’t know. It’s a pretty old one now. I have a copy, though, downstairs in my storeroom. You can come read it when you’re back in Houston if you’d like?”

Jacob’s eyes went wide, but he was thirteen and far too cool to express his excitement. “Can we, Dad?”

“Sure, as long as it’s okay with Annabelle.”

She nodded. “Anytime. I’m always here,” she joked. “There’s a whole filing cabinet full of comic books downstairs. You’re welcome to read any of them.”

“Wow,” Sammy said, his eyes wide. At nine, he was unafraid of showing his awe.

“Are you drawing something now?” Jacob asked, angling his head as if to better position himself to see her board.

“I’m working on my new graphic novel about Jade Justice. She’s a heroine I came up with on my own.”

“Without Marvel?” Jacob looked intrigued.

“There are lots of comic book artists who don’t work for Marvel or DC.”

He nodded sagely, like he already knew that. “What’re you drawing?”

“Well…” She turned toward her board but realized where Noah stood wouldn’t provide them with the best angle. “May I?” She gestured to his phone.

“Sure.” He handed it over.

Annabelle flipped to the rear camera so the boys could see her board. They let out excited exclamations.

“Is that guy turning into a werewolf?” Jacob asked.

“Is he the bad guy?” Sammy added.

“Are you drawing in pen?” Jacob rushed on. “How do you erase your mistakes?

“I wish I could draw like that,” Sammy said in admiration.

“Okay.” Annabelle shifted in her seat, turning more fully toward her board. “If you have some time, I can answer all of your questions and show you how I draw a panel. But it will take more than a few minutes. Do your grandparents need you for anything?”

“Gran?” Jacob shouted. “Do you need us, or can we watch Annabelle draw?”

There was a muffled response in the background before Jacob stared into the phone. “She says she’s grateful for a break.”

Annabelle swallowed a giggle. “Well, if it’s okay with them and your dad…”

She looked up at Noah, who spread his hands in a helpless gesture. “Who am I to stand in the way of a comic book tutorial?”

“That’s a yes,” Sammy clarified for her.

Amused, Noah returned to sit at the kitchen island while Annabelle fitted the phone into a moveable mount attached to her drawing table. When it came to online lessons, she was a pro.

“Right.” She reached for her pen and held it up under the phone’s camera. “Let’s start with what you use to draw. It’s important that an artist has the right tools. Now, although I sketch things out in pencil first, I always use these pens to go over the lines and refine the drawing.”

A minute later, she’d forgotten all about the attack on her building. She’d even forgotten that Noah was in the room. Her full attention was on taking the boys through the step-by-step process of drawing a comic book panel.