The progress bar crawls forward. One percent. Two percent. The teacher calls out that the fair is starting. Manuela’s fingers hover over the mouse. Her breath hitches in her throat.
She grabs her USB drive and runs to the front. Plugging it in, she waits. The screen flickers. An error message blocks her artwork. Sweat beads on her forehead as the cursor spins endlessly.
Click. Click. Nothing happens. The room fills with murmurs from arriving parents. The silence feels heavy. A single tear threatens to fall onto the keyboard as panic rises.
She tries emailing it. The connection drops. Ninety-nine percent stuck. The screen goes blank. Her shoulders hunch under the weight of failure. She stares into the void, waiting for the worst.
Suddenly, the screen flashes bright green. A cheerful chime echoes through the lab. Her colorful digital painting pops up full-screen. Manuela jumps back in surprise, then leans forward.
Her eyes widen as she sees her creation shining clearly. The tension breaks instantly. She smiles, a small, shaky thing turning into a grin. It worked. The art is safe.
Manuela steps aside as her mother approaches. The adult woman points proudly at the vibrant pixels on the large monitor. She taps the glass gently, marveling at the details.
They stand together, sharing the quiet joy of the finished work. The digital garden glows brightly. No more errors. No more fear. Just the beautiful picture they made together.