In the Pages of a Book – Chapter 2

If you haven’t read Chapter 1, you can do so here!

Chapter 2 – Alyssa’s Story

I had been pacing my room back and forth all day. I couldn’t help but fidget with anything I could get my hands on, my mind racing. Currently, my victim was a bending straw, I was wiggling it back and forth until it wore out and snapped.

What am I going to do?

My dream job was finally here, staring me in the face and coaxing me to take it. I was weighing the cost, of moving to a different country on the other side of the world. I wanted to travel the world, and I wanted this job, but now that it was here, fear began to creep in. 

What about my friends, my family, and the home I have created here? 

Uncertainty plagued my mind. My flight was scheduled to leave in less than two weeks. I hadn’t told anyone yet, I felt as though I knew what the reactions would be, and I was avoiding them. I was driving myself to the brink of insanity just pacing in my small apartment, I decided to go for a walk down the main street of the city. I’m not sure what compelled me to walk into a small bookstore, but I followed the pull.

A small bell dinged when I opened the door. Inside there were seemingly endless shelves of books. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was looking for, or why I was in there, but the smell of books and the ambiance were calming my mind. I took many deep breaths, inhaling the scent as I flipped through books, and stroked the spines. I must have had a strange aura about me because a gentle-looking woman approached me.

“Are you alright, dear?” She asked, her eyes searching mine.

I instinctively looked away, and picked at my fingers, unsure how to answer. I mumbled slightly under my breath “Have you ever had to make an impossible decision that may hurt others but is best for you?”

She nodded gently, and in her eyes, I saw crackles of pain, but backlit with hope.

“Here.” She stated and then placed a book into my hands. “I think this will help you.”

I felt a subtle pulse from the book, maybe I had imagined it, but it was quite comforting. I nodded to her gratefully and made my way back home.

…

I lay in my bed, blankets, and pillows were strewn across erratically from my various movements while reading the book. I couldn’t put it down. I read of a young woman who left behind everything to chase her dreams of being on Broadway. She went through struggles, but in the end achieved everything she had worked so hard for, and more. 

But she had so much confidence, something I lack.

The final words in the book resonated with me and made me realize I had to do this for myself.

“There may come a time when you have to leave behind everything you know, everything you’re comfortable with, to chase what you truly want out of life. No one can decide that for you, and you must pursue what makes you happy at all costs, or you never truly will be.”

With newfound courage, I accepted the job offer, and I happily told them I would be on that flight. Next, I told my family and friends, I received mixed responses but it no longer had any effect on me, I was happy. I was making a choice for myself.

I opened the book one last time, to copy down the final words into my journal. Once I had it down, the words in the book became faint and then disappeared. My jaw dropped, and I rubbed my eyes, but still no words, only blank pages. The book felt a little lighter as I flipped through the blank pages. I decided it was time to return it, then.

…

I went back to the bookstore, looking for the woman who gave me the book. I saw her, she was chatting with a kind-looking man with hazel eyes. I gently waved to her when she saw me. As I was making my way to her but noticed a man with a dark jacket on with the hood drawn, he seemed to be hovering nearby. Instinctively I drew the book closer to my chest. 

“Hello, dear, this is my friend Charles.” She motioned to the man with hazel eyes. 

I nodded respectfully at him but asked the woman “Could I speak with you alone for a moment?”

She chuckled and in response said, “Oh, Charles knows about the book!”

I glanced around and the man with the hood seemed to draw nearer to us. I lowered my voice slightly.

“You mean, the pages disappeared for you guys as well?” I asked baffled.

“Oh yes, I was puzzled at first, but we believe the book has magical properties for those who need it.” Charles beamed at me. “Did the book help you?”

“It was exactly what I needed, I cannot thank you enough,” I said as I handed the book back to the woman. “I may never see either of you again, but you will never be forgotten by me.” 

The woman held the book close like it was a treasure, and it was. She smiled at me again, “I wish you all the luck in your future.”

…

Looking out the plane window and watching the world I knew shrink into nothing filled me with excitement. I was doing it, I was following my dreams. I ran my finger over the written paragraph in my journal and smiled.

…

What have you given up to follow your dreams? Let us know in the comments below! We hope you are enjoying this collaborative story. Click here for Chapter 3!

Thank you so much for reading!

–Clever&WTF