Stranger to stranger

The earth without a sky

I've been searching for hours. Turning pages and books upside down. I'm getting tired honestly. There's only a third of the books I have done and that leaves me with two thirds I haven't touched. I look at the few stories I have left on the seventh shelf and turn around to look at all that's left on the others. I'll have to move even quicker than this if I want to be done before sunset. One bookshelf after another, still no letter to be found. I can feel the man getting more and more intrigued with every book I pick up. I catch him glimpse over from time to time. Fantasy, mystery, love and drama are just a few genres I have seen since the beginning. I see the man putting down his book and getting up from his chair. He moves slowly towards the end of the counter. I don't know if I should be scared or not from his presence. I can't keep my eyes off of him. I'm watching every movement of his. Really, I have no reason to fear this man. He's the kindest soul I have crossed paths with. I only exchange a few words with him, which tells a lot. A lonely girl with a grandpa seems pretty harmless. I can feel myself calm down a bit. Suddenly, I hear a very quiet sound but, it isn't coming from the man, it is coming from me. I tilt my head down to see an old paper folded in half on the ground. I bend my knees, pick it up and put it in my pocket. When I come back up, the man is standing in front of me with curious eyes. Weirdly, I am not scared by his presence. He looks back and forth at me and the book in my hand. A smile forms its way into his wrinkles as if he recognizes the book in my hand. I can catch moments flashing before his eyes as he stays quiet. He quickly snaps out of it to look me in the eyes.

-I'm sorry to interrupt you, but we are closing.

I quickly take a look at my phone to realize it's 6 oclock in the afternoon. My mom called me multiple times. She's going to be furious when I get home, that's for sure. I look outside to see a sky full of color and road lights lit. I didn't expect to spend all day looking through book pages.

-Oh, I'm so sorry.

-Don't worry about it. Are you going to take that book?

He said while pointing at my hand, admiring the book's front page.

-Uh, yes! yes... I'll take that book please.

He chuckles and turns around.

-Follow me.

I follow him to the counter and wait for him to slowly sit on his chair. He scans the book and takes a long pause to look at it one more time. It seems like he has some kind of grief in his eyes. It must mean a lot to him in a way. His eyes light up and he gives the book a soft smile before looking back at me.

-You know, this was my wife's favorite book. She used to read it all the time and she never got tired of it. The story is about two young souls meeting for a brief moment. They both have dreams and wishes for their future. They eventually leave each other's side and go on with their lives. They both end up living their dream careers, but the satisfaction of making it in the business industry could never fulfill the grief they both have had since they left each other. No happiness could ever be completed without their love by their side. Little do they know, they take the same flight at the same moment, the same day and the same weekend. The girl realises she has the seat next to the love of her life. They both stay quiet but the silence tells so much. Grief, releaf, happiness and, mostly, love. Pure love bursting out in a million confettis all around the two souls who cross paths again. The boy invites the girl to sit down next to him with a charming smile. They introduce each other all over again as if they are strangers. But, really, their hearts know each other far too well. The book ends with them staring into each other's eyes as they shake hands. They are filled with recognition for life because it made them meet once again. They only needed to know that a dream or a wish can be fulfilled by the presence of one.