to make something, where nothing was before

"Come float with me in the pool," Anne said.

"I have to write something, first. It should only take a few minutes."

"Okay." She kicked her feet and drifted away.

It was early in the morning, and already over one hundred degrees. A light breeze did nothing to alleviate the heat, but I didn't mind. You don't go to the desert in July on purpose if you want to stay cool.

I opened my notebook and turned to a blank page. A pang of disappointment flashed through me when I only had to turn a few pages...