Two Lost Souls

Once upon a time, there lived a girl named Miranda. She was very fond of books. Wherever she saw a book, she would take it and start reading. She was just 18 and owned a magical library of 20,000 books which she had read all her life. She was a magical reader. Her family and friends always gifted her books on special occasions.

One day, Miranda was walking back home from her school. On the way, there is a small lake where she sometimes sits and read a few pages of any book that she carries in her bag. That day she found an abandoned book on the lake shore. Miranda’s friend Joan was very skeptical about picking up that book. But Miranda ignored her words and picked the book.

After finishing her dinner, Miranda sat down to explore that book. It was a love story of a girl named Ann and a boy named Myth. Ann and Myth were an adventurous couple. Miranda found the book very gripping.

“Miranda, come here”. Called her mother from the kitchen. Miranda left the book open and went to her mother to see why she is calling.

THAT’S WHEN IT HAPPENED.

“Shhh… Ann please keep quiet. We are not going anywhere.”

“Myth, just imagine the world outside. It would be beautiful. Please let’s get outside before Miranda comes back.”

Myth was ready to do anything for Ann but, this time her demand was little more than the usual. They were meant to live inside the book. Jumping out could be dangerous for them. But Ann was in no mood to compromise with her wishes. Hence, Myth called Book Fairy for help.

Book fairy appeared. “Dear Ann, once you come out of a book, you cannot enter inside unless and until you find the same page and spot from where you jumped out. Also, you cannot physically enjoy the outer world. You couldn’t touch or experience anything you see in the human world nor could humans see you. I hope you will not knowingly commit any blunder.”

Ann ignored Book Fairy’s words. All she wanted was to get out of the book. Myth was upset by now. He didn’t want to leave her alone in danger. He tried to convince her one last time but in vain. At last, Myth decided to accompany Ann and face the consequence whatever may come.

Ann held Myth’s hand and succeeded to jump out of the book. Book Fairy sighed and disappeared!!

Meanwhile, Miranda was back in her room. She had no idea what happened in the room during her absence. She looked at the clock. It was already 10 pm and time for her to sleep. She closed the book, kept it in her bookshelf and went to sleep.

Ann and Myth wandered all the way around. Ann started to realize her mistake and now wanted to get inside the book. At least they had an identity when they were inside the book. Outside, they were nothing less than two lost souls. They were shocked not to see the book anywhere on the table and completely in grief now. They waited for days and months to see if Miranda opens the same page from where they jumped out of the book. But unfortunately, she never opened that book again.

There onwards whenever Miranda opened any book, Ann and Myth tried to enter in, thinking it was their home. Years passed, generations passed, many Miranda’s came and went by. But Ann and Myth were still lost in the unknown.

Have you ever noticed, whenever you keep your books open and unattended, pages turn by themselves? It is not the wind. It is Ann and Myth peeping into the pages to find if it is their story. They still roam around every reader in good hope to find their lost home.