Solara's Journey- BOOK OF ELI
I do not own the rights to the movie: Book of Eli, the characters, or plot. That pleasure lies unto Writer Gary Whitta and Directors Albert and Allen Hughes.
My story is a continuation of the events after the movie which I have written solely for my own recreation.
Chapter 1: A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step
The salty sea air was at Solara's back. She knew that if she turned back now, she risked returning to the safety of the walls of ALCATRAZ PRISON. To the assurance of food, water, shelter, companionship, and education.
Assurances that she was likely to be without for an extensive time.
Professor Lombardi stood on the roof of the prison watching the young, beauty shrink into the distance. Solara and Eli's presence nearly 11 months ago had created quite the stir amongst the island's inhabitants. And now all Lombardi felt was relief. No, not with the recent death of the dark nomad. Nor with Solara's shrinking figure. But with the return of the word of God. The hope for faith, humanity, and forgiveness. The professor reflected silently on his surroundings and memories of the last 11 months.
It hadn't taken Solara long to understand the written word, at least in the most basic format. Eli had begun teaching her along their journey together; using his scarred fingers as the writing instrument and the dirt or sand for paper.
Paper! Solara had never seen clean, undamaged paper before in her life! Nor a pen with ink. She shook her head in wonderment even as she crested the GOLDEN-GATE BRIDGE. She didn't fight the urge this time as she turned and regarded the tiny island surrounded by icy, salt water. From this vantage point, ALCATRAZ ISLAND looked a little more like an ancient ruin. Solara found herself searching for the green house. The herbs, flowers, and balmy humidity within the glass walls had been her favorite place to lose herself after a lonely day listening to the professor. (He enjoyed the sound of his own voice and Solara couldn't help but thinking of Carnegie.)
The green house called out to her from the distance and her steps faltered.
"Nope. Not there, friend." Eli's voice cut through her mind in a whisper.
"Alright. I know." She answered with a smile.
The first time that she heard Eli's voice was right after he died. She had woken from a nightmare of savage henchmen trying to rob her of water, food, clothing, and virtue. In that order. Because that was the way of the world now. Water was the rarity. Food was the necessity. Clothing was the luxury. And virtue… virtue was the indulgence. Like a truffle or sweet.
Solara had ripped the knit blanket away and sprinted to Eli's stone. She wept until her stomach knotted painfully. When she quieted, she heard his voice.
"Didn't I tell you that you were free? Free to go wherever you wanted." Eli's voice said. "And here you sit; wasting your tears on a dead man."
Scared more than she had ever been before, Solara staggered backwards away from the stone. She knew without a doubt that she had heard his voice. And it was just as Eli had explained about the voice of God, it came from within… not from without.
"You're dead!" She cried out. "Wh-wwwh-what's going on?!"
Eli chuckled. "Yes. I'm dead. My bones are turning to dust, but my soul is free of despair."
She looked all around her for the source of his voice. "Why can't I see you? Are you God now or something?" The concept of an invisible divinity had always seemed bizarre. Carnegie had blind men erect a statue so that they could recognize his clout. To claim his title as God.
Eli's voice tisked a scorn. "God is the almighty Lord. He giveth. He restores. He loves. I am not God. But I've been sent as a guide. A voice you would recognize and trust."
Solara kneeled in front of Eli's stone again; more confused and lost than she had been before she met Eli. "I don't understand, Eli. Why can't I see you? Why can't I see God? The professor is teaching me many things: music, poetry, history, horticulture, and even a bit of fighting techniques like you… but when I asked him about God, he seemed just as lost as me! And then he wanted to talk about all of the other religions and they each have books claiming that their way is the road to…somewhere. It's too confusing!"
"Faith. You have faith." Eli's voice softened.
"No. I don't. You're wrong."
"Solara. Friend. If you didn't have faith, then you couldn't hear my voice. Take the KING JAMES BIBLE. Travel east. Travel home. I'll help to guide you. Put your faith in God."
"How?" She cried tearfully. "So much has been taken from me! How can I believe in God when he allows all of this…this… this pain?!"
"The Lord takes no pleasure is causing us grief or pain. Open your heart to God's love and pray. Pray for life, forgiveness, and love." His voice seemed further away. "Travel east. Travel home. The Lord will provide."
So here Solara stood on GOLDEN-GATE BRIDGE with Eli's pack, canteen, and SAMURI SWORD. She wore comfortable combat boots and pants, a flak jacket, and improved solar lens goggles with night vision. She thumped her breast pocket where she felt an English version of the KING JAMES BIBLE printed by the ALCATRAZ PRISON PRESS.
"Home. Here I come." Solara declared.