Chapter 5 #3
Ariel rolled her eyes. “Who cares what Percy thinks? He loves you, but he has no clue what kind of life is best for you. If he thinks you should be sitting behind a desk crunching numbers and balancing spreadsheets in Miami, then he doesn’t know diddly-squat about you. There’s no way that’s your life path.”
Stella picked up her container of chicken and broccoli. She poked the chopsticks around the pieces of meat. “I did work as
an accountant for a while, though.”
Ariel huffed. “We’ve all done things for a while, but that doesn’t mean it’s what we’re supposed to keep doing. Do you want to be an accountant?”
Stella’s stomach rolled. “No.”
“That was easy,” Ariel said. “You’ve never said anything before about being a writer, but do you want to be one?”
Stella slowly chewed a piece of chicken. “Maybe,” she said. “I never thought it was a possibility.”
Ariel nodded. “If it were a possibility, would you be interested?”
Tingles spread over Stella’s skin so quickly that she shivered. Could she gather together thousands and thousands of words
and form a story? It was a daunting idea, moving from writing down phrases here and there, creating colorful art in her journal
with words, to writing a complete novel.
“Possibly,” she said. She put down her take-out container. “My mother used to tell me that my words were a glorious gift that
would guide me toward my dreams.”
“You never told me that,” Ariel said.
Which wasn’t a surprise since Stella rarely spoke about her mother, the topic too awful for discussion. “Do you think my words
are a gift?”
Ariel nodded. “I don’t think. I know.”
Stella often saw words around people, even patrons in the library. She’d never thought about deciphering their meanings and
using them to assist somehow. “Aside from writing, maybe I should be using my words to help people.”
Ariel’s expression shifted to surprise. “The other day in the van, you knew I was interested in dating before I said anything. That was because of the words, right?” Stella nodded. “Can you hone that kind of focus on other people?”
Stella grabbed her take-out container again. She stabbed a piece of chicken and popped it into her mouth. “I don’t call forth
the words. They normally just show up.”
“Have you ever tried to call them?”
Stella stared at Ariel and blinked a few times in the silence. “No, not intentionally.”
Ariel scooted to face Stella. “Let’s try it. I’ll be the test subject.”
Stella put down her food. “I have no idea how to call them forth.” She situated herself to face Ariel like they were about
to play a game of patty-cake and inhaled a deep breath. “Let’s just focus on books. Think about something you’d like to feel
or learn about, but don’t tell me, and I’ll see if words show up and I can pair them with a book.”
Ariel nodded and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she said, “I’m ready. Read my words, Stella.”
Stella laughed and then tried to clear her mind, which was cluttered with everything from self-doubt to a grocery list of
items she needed to buy this week. But she focused on Ariel and thought, Come on, words, please show up. I’d like to know if I’m supposed to use this ability for something more. In a moment, shimmering blue letters arose from Ariel’s hands. Stella was so startled, she inhaled sharply.
Ariel’s eyes flew open. “What is it?”
The words floated from Ariel’s pale skin, and Stella whispered, “It’s working.” She tilted her head as the words rose vertically
into the air. Deep blue. Ruins. Atlantis. Sea monsters. Stella scrunched her brow. “You want to read a book about sea monsters?”
Ariel looked taken aback. “How . . . Wait, are you judging me?”
Stella shook her head quickly, and the words dissipated among the spinning fan blades.
“Of course not, I’m just surprised. I wouldn’t have thought you’d be interested in an ocean adventure, but let’s see .
. .” The image of a book appeared in her mind.
“You should read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. It’s classic sci-fi with underwater ruins, deep-sea exploration, a futuristic submarine, and ‘sea monsters,’ some of which
are giant squids.”
“Wow, Stella,” Ariel said with a huge smile. “I think you just proved you can call the words and use them to help people. Think about how you could use that for writing!”
Stella mirrored her best friend’s expression. “I can’t believe that worked.” She leaned her elbow on the coffee table and
rested her cheek against her palm. “I’m a little stunned. All these years I never knew that I had any control over the words—”
Without warning, a searing sensation burst inside her chest like she’d swallowed a ghost pepper. Stella folded forward and
moaned, pressing both hands to her chest. Her insides burned like a wildfire, and tears filled her eyes. She heard Ariel calling
her name, but it was muffled and sounded far away.
Violet liquid pushed up from the low-pile, worn carpet, and once it fully emerged, Stella saw the familiar pulsating words
with their dark center and paler edges. Long tendrils spiderwebbed out from the letters, wriggling like a creature dug from
the earth. The words slid across the floor and circled near the fireplace.
Stella knew she must speak them aloud, so in a raspy, strained voice, she said, “‘Did I ever.’” Immediately the inferno raging
through her body lessened.
Ariel was in panic mode and gripping Stella’s arm and shaking her. Stella inhaled another breath. The words flew across the
living room and up the hallway where they disappeared. Stella could guess where they’d gone—to the journal.
“Stella!” Ariel’s shrill voice filled the room.
“I’m okay,” Stella said, then cleared her throat. “I’m okay.”
Ariel dropped back onto her bottom and exhaled loudly. “What happened? I thought you were having a heart attack or choking.
You scared me to death.”
Stella stared down the hallway. “I’m sorry I scared you, but that’s not the first time this has happened. There’s something
I haven’t told you—”
“If you tell me you’re dying of heart failure, I won’t be able to handle it,” Ariel said.
Stella shook her head. “It’s not about my health. It’s the words. A new kind started showing up, and they . . . Well, you
saw what happens.”
Ariel’s mouth dropped open. “That was because of words? What did you see?”
Stella stood and stretched, then rubbed her fingers across her chest. “I’ll show you.”
Ariel followed her into the kitchen. Stella picked up a pen and opened the journal beside it. She flipped to the page where
she’d written down the previous words so far. She jotted down the newest ones and then showed the page to Ariel.
Ariel read aloud, “‘I fell in love once. Did I ever.’” She looked up at Stella. “What does this mean?”
Stella shrugged. “I have no idea, and before you ask, no, I also have no idea why this is happening.”
Ariel wrapped her fingers around the black moonstone amulet hanging from her necklace. “Something is changing.”
Goose bumps rose on Stella’s skin.
“I feel it,” Ariel said as she gazed back down at the written words. “Don’t you? You said yourself that you feel like it’s time for
more.”
Stella nodded. “But I don’t want anything to change. I want everything to stay exactly how it is. I’m comfortable and happy and everything is just fine.”
Ariel gave Stella a look that said she wasn’t fooled. “Do you really believe that?”
Stella huffed but didn’t respond, because they both knew the truth.
“If what’s coming is anything like what just happened,” Ariel said, “then I don’t think you have much choice but to go with
it.”
“What if I don’t want to go with it?” Stella slammed the journal shut, and the pen rolled across the counter.
“What if it’s somewhere better than where you are right now? Are you happy? Truly happy?”
Stella sighed. “Is anyone?”
Ariel nodded. “Yes. I mean, no one is happy 24-7, but yes, I do believe there are people who are genuinely happy, but those
people keep evolving and trying new things and keep living. And maybe you . . . Well, maybe you haven’t—”
Stella held up her hand to stop Ariel, who pressed her lips together and looked apologetic. “I know what you’re about to say.
You’re going to tell me that maybe I’ve stopped living. And you know what? You’re right. I’m definitely stuck.” She motioned
to the space around her. “This entire place is a testament to how ‘stuck’ I am. I know I have to do something. I could uproot
my life. Change my career. Follow the trail of these words that are spelling out who knows what.” She wrapped her arms around
herself. “But I’m kinda terrified.”
Ariel nodded. “You don’t have to do all of that at once, but I know you’re curious about those words.” She pointed at the
closed journal. “Don’t you want to know what they’re trying to tell you?”
“Yes. Do I want them to feel like they’re burning holes in my body? No, but maybe that’s the only way I would pay attention
to them.”
Ariel touched Stella’s arm. “Come on, let’s finish dinner and celebrate that you can tug out words to help people find books. That’s a start to something bigger, and it’s worth celebrating, right?”
Stella chuckled. “Always looking for the silver lining.” She followed Ariel into the living room, casting one more glance
over her shoulder at the journal and its mystifying words.