The Book
By CB Celwriter
She ordered another diet coke even though her last one still half full. The
ice was mostly melted, and she found the watered down version very distasteful.
She would prefer a glass of pipya any day, but the other people in the café
could not understand that, they had never tasted the sticky green mixture.
She didn’t care what the other people thought of her, if they found her
auburn hair pulled in two loose ponytails childish or if they found her habit of
applying only foundation and lip gloss unusual. She did, however, enjoy watching
the other people, cherishing the knowledge that she had something none of the
others did.
She removed some change from the pocket of her faded blue jeans to leave as a
tip and picked up the coke with her left hand to carry it out. She picked up the
notes she had jotted down on napkins and placed them in her hoodie pocket.
Backing out the door, she sighed and took a sip of the coke, thinking of how she
preferred the fruit-flavored straws served with pipya.
A walk down the block and she arrived at a red brick home. A few skips lead
her up the cement stairs and to the ivory front door. She removed her single key
from her pocket and unlocked the door.
Deep plum walls surrounded the long hall and she checked the coat rack on her
left. His coat was gone, which meant her father was as well. She sighed with
relief and headed through the ebony doorway on her right. Bookshelves lined
every wall, but one and that wall contained a row of four windows, curtained
with strawberry curtains. The rare pieces of wall not covered with bookshelves
or paintings of the country-side were painted a sunflower yellow, but did not
brighten the room at all. The single lamp that created a circle of light on a
forest green recliner would not be welcoming to most, but to the girl, it was
home.
She approached the bookshelf to her left and looked to either side to make
sure no one was watching. A careful selection of novels and a sliding sound was
emitted. The bookcase disappeared into the floor, revealing a smoky passage. The
girl strode bravely through the opening, acting as if it was a natural, everyday
occurrence. After a few steps, she was enveloped in a cloud of lavender mist.
The familiar speckled grass brought a smile to her face and she headed for
her usual spot under the purple branches of the pipya tree. Soon, she was joined
by her sparkled faery friends. Dressed in feathered halter top dresses, they
appeared to be wearing multicolored boas. A thin female handed the girl a piece
of orange fruit containing a green sap. A thin wrapped straw protruded from the
top and the girl accepted it with glee.
***
A tall weary man entered his study. His green jacket was left in the hall
behind him, and he continued towards the chair. There he found his sleeping
daughter, curled up with a maroon bound book sitting on her lap. On the table to
its left sat a cup of diet coke with a Twizzler for a straw.
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