Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists.. it is real.. it is possible.. it's yours.
-Ayn Rand
"You look lost."
Sawyer continued to stare at the girl in front of her, feeling her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She was beautiful in way that Sawyer could not explain; it was not just the girl's flawless physical appearance that left Sawyer mesmerized, but something that seemed to come from her very soul. She radiated with a beauty that seemed to stem from within her, it was something that Sawyer had never seen before, and she found herself inexplicably drawn to her. She realized that she was staring and cleared her throat awkwardly, trying to remember how to speak.
"Is it that obvious?" She finally responded, her voice a slightly higher pitch than usual.
The girl laughed softly. "Just a little. I must admit, it's been a while since I've seen anyone use a map that wasn't displayed on a phone screen."
Sawyer smiled sheepishly. "My phone is...malfunctioning. So, I figured I would take a trip back to the dark ages when people actually had to read a map to figure out where they were going."
"And do you have any ideas on that so far?"
"None whatsoever."
"Well, if you're up for it, we could return to this century and I could give you a tour. I can promise to at least provide more engaging conversation than a map."
Sawyer thought for a moment, surprised to find herself actually wanting to spend time with another human. For reasons she could not explain, she felt at ease around her, despite the fact that they had only just met. There was a calming presence about her, a certain gentleness that made Sawyer feel at ease. She seemed to have no idea of who Sawyer was or why she was here, and that alone was a huge comfort to her. She treated her as any other person, not as a washed up has-been trying to salvage what little remained of her career.
Before she was even sure she had made up her mind, she tossed the map into a nearby bin with a smile.
"Lead the way."
The girl smiled warmly, causing Sawyer's heart to flutter strangely. It was a strange sensation that she could not place, so she simply attributed it to her limited social interaction over the course of the last year.
"I'm Hana by the way," the girl said as she led them down the quiet street.
"Sawyer."
"That's an unusual name. Is there a story behind it?"
"Kind of. My grandpa is the one who named me. He had a slight obsession with Mark Twain, and it kind of became a running joke."
"Ah, Sawyer as in Tom Sawyer then."
"You guessed it. He even used to call my grandmother his Becky Thatcher even though her name was Rose."
"That's very sweet. And did you inherit his love of Mark Twain?"
"I tried to. My grandpa used to read me his books when I was little, so I guess love him because of that memory. But honestly I prefer John Steinbeck."
"An unbelieved truth can hurt a man much more than a lie. " Hana quoted effortlessly.
Sawyer stared at her, her mouth hanging open slightly.
Hana smiled sheepishly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Sorry, that was probably too much."
"No, not at all. Sorry, I've just never met anyone that could quote Steinbeck at the drop of a hat."
Hana's cheeks blushed a delicate pink. "I didn't have many friends when I was a child. I rarely had any spare time anyway, but when I did I would spend hours in my room reading."
"Any favorites?"
"I've read so many wonderful books, but if I had to choose just one I would say Pride and Prejudice."
"But people themselves alter so much..." Sawyer began.
"...that there is something new to be observed in them forever." Hana finished, looking at Sawyer with a mixture of delight and more than a little surprise.
"Seems we have something in common," Sawyer said with a shrug.
The two of them wandered down the streets, discussing books and favorite authors as Hana occasionally pointed out a landmark or a shop. Soon the world around them lay forgotten as they chatted, finding a quiet comfort in each other's company as they freely shared their interests and ideas with one another without fear of judgement.
"Recently I have come to develop an appreciation for Ayn Rand," Hana said as they rounded a street corner.
"You're joking!" Sawyer responded playfully. "She's a political nut. I still can't tell you with certainty what Atlas Shrugged is about, but the month I spent trudging through it is precious time I will never get back."
"I'll admit she is a bit of an acquired taste. But once you get past the overly intricate plot lines, there is a certain complexity to her writings that is rather impressive. After all, it's not every day a writer coins their own philosophical system that amasses a following."
Sawyer opened her mouth to respond, but paused as they passed a massive bookstore. An idea forming in her mind as she turned to Hana, a playful glint in her eyes.
"Are you up for a little game?"
Hana raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Don't worry, it's not the kind where you end up kidnapped. I don't have my getaway car."
Hana smiled, her eyes shining brightly in the moonlight. "That's comforting. What did you have in mind?"
Sawyer inclined her head towards the glass doors leading to the shop. "A shopping game. But the rules are we have to pick something for the other person, and it has to be something we don't think they would pick out for themselves. And we have to promise to read it, no matter what it is. Are you in?"
Hana thought for a moment, a wide grin spreading across her face as she nodded in agreement. "Sounds like fun."
Sawyer opened the door, allowing Hana to pass through first. "If you bring me Atlas Shrugged I'm going to retract my promise not to kidnap you."
Hana laughed, a sweet angelic sound that disappeared far too quickly. "Deal."
They entered the shop, immediately splitting off in different directions, each seeming to have the perfect book in mind for each other. It was less than ten minutes before they met back outside, exchanging their purchases.
"So, what happens now?" Hana asked curiously as they made their way back to the hotel.
"This is the part where we promise to read whatever book we got. And make another promise to keep in touch to make sure we are fulfilling our first promise."
"So, was this all just an elaborate ploy to see me again?" Hana asked, smirking slightly.
"Maybe in part," Sawyer responded feeling suddenly awkward. "I mean it's definitely a perk. But something tells me you don't do this type of thing very often."
"This type of thing as in shopping?"
"As in being spontaneous. Just let go and have fun, do something you actually enjoy."
A look of surprise flashed briefly in Hana's eyes, but her features remained poised and dignified. "Is this the part where I tell you not to judge a book by its cover?"
Sawyer let out a small laugh, surprised at how genuine it felt. "Fair point. But if the cover is any indication, what's inside is better than you can imagine."
Her words surprised even herself, and she found herself wondering when she had emerged from her shell and decided to make an actual connection with someone. They paused outside the hotel, each seeming reluctant to part from each other's company.
"I hope tonight proved to be more fun than staring at a map." Hana said smiling.
"Much more fun. The company was certainly more pleasant."
"I'll take that as high praise."
"You definitely should. After all, I was quite fond of that map."
To Sawyer's surprise, Hana leaned and placed a delicate kiss to her cheek. She could still feel the whisper of her lips lingering on her skin even after she pulled away.
"Goodnight, Sawyer."
"Goodnight."
They reluctantly parted ways, each feeling lighter than they ever remembered feeling.
Hana sat in her room later that night smiling softly as she replayed the night in her mind. Hana had never felt such a deep connection with another person, even Riley for all her views and experiences had never been able to so deeply discuss literature with such passion and insight. Sawyer was unlike anyone Hana had ever encountered, she was clearly full of passion but there was a haunted look in her eyes that hinted she had been through more than Hana could ever fathom. Whatever her past may have been, Hana was drawn to her in a way she could not explain. She seemed to be able to read Hana despite the fact they had just met, and that idea both thrilled and terrified her.
She reached into the brown paper bag, pulling out the book that Sawyer had chosen for her; The Alchemist. A subtle indentation had been made in one of the pages, clearly made intentionally to grab her attention. She opened to the page, her eyes immediately drawn to a highlighted portion of the page.
The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.
Hana smiled to herself, gently running her finger over the highlighted sentence. She flipped to the first page of the book, immediately immersing herself into the simple but beautiful writing.
It was well past midnight before she finally succumbed to exhaustion, allowing the images of the night lull her to sleep.
Sawyer lay sprawled out on the bed in her hotel room, staring absently at the ceiling. For the first time since she could remember, she didn't feel the weight of the world on her shoulders. She had come to Cordonia with her heart and mind completely closed off, having no desire to do more than the bare minimum when it came to social interaction. Somehow, in their brief meeting, Hana had managed to remind her that there was still good left in the world. There was a quiet gentleness about her that Sawyer found refreshing, she was one of the rare people who were kind and good by nature without any ulterior motive guiding their actions. There was something about her that drew Sawyer to her. She brushed her fingers over the place Hana had kissed her, surprised to find herself smiling.
She stared at the cover of the book Hana had chosen for her, tracing her fingers over the letters; Fanshawe. She had never read Hawthorne before, and she rather liked the idea that her first experience would be associated with the way she was feeling right now.
She carefully opened the book, an elegantly written message on the front cover immediately catching her eye.
A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.
She stared at the message, a genuine smile creeping over her face for the first time since she could remember. She did not know if it had anything to do with the fact that she had lived in solitude for the better part of a year, but feeling a real connection to someone felt better than she ever thought it could. The fact that Hana did not know who she was felt like a breath of fresh air. She was able to be herself for the first time in a long time, and that feeling was not something she could put into words.
Her eyes flitted to the corner of the room, settling on her guitar who had remained untouched since the accident. She crossed the room, picking up the instrument carefully, surprised by the familiarity she felt. She sat crossed legged on the floor, absently plucking a few strings as the first lines of a song began forming in her head.
Born into eyes not by my own decision
Take me away from a life with no vision
