| A New Book |
Change comes for all of us. With creeping steps, the ever-evolving world forces even the strongest to bend. Over time, Benjamin had come to realise that it was finally his turn to face the crashing waves. He stood at the precipice, looking straight into the void, and he was finally ready to take the leap of faith needed to take him over the edge and deep into the waters of a life he had never thought he would live.
There was a shift in the air, a stifling pressure upon his mind, and as he looked through the window of the shop, he had called home for the last fifteen years, he couldn’t feel the overwhelming urge to throw a stone through the window. Of course, he had better control than that, so instead, he put the key in the lock for the final time and with a resounding click, he closed that page.
It was time to start a new book. Over the next three weeks, he packed away all his belongings, ordered himself a one-way ticket, and set out to find what his next life would be. He had no way of knowing, of even comprehending, what was to become of him – perhaps if he had thought about it a little longer – but he didn’t, and now he must live with what he has done to himself.
Just like his first book – the second started with a shop.
Wood and brick surrounded him, it encased his domain, narrowed it to only the space of around 4,000 square feet. The walls quickly became overburdened with shelves, and eventually, not a single brick was left visible behind the mountain of books that took their place upon the slabs of wood that sat in neat little lines. Even the floor was crowed by a haphazard arrangement of bookcases, rugs, cabinets, and one strangely placed potted plant.
Benjamin had slowly turned an empty space into a home, well, a home for him – yet something was still left incomplete. Outside he was surrounded by all the possessions that called to him and spoke sweet words of acceptance, but he couldn’t help but feel as if one wrong step would take this from him – he was like a tree with no roots.
Outside his window was a new city, a foreign environment that caused the hairs on the back of his arms to stand on end. London was far behind him. He was alone, and for once he felt that in the pit of his stomach…
His loneliness pulled him out of the relative safety of his shop. Each step he took was followed by the softly uttered encouragement of what almost sounded like his mother. Gradually he passed the last barrier of his safety net – and then…
Change had been waiting for him like a dog waits for its master, and when it saw him take that last step – it leaped. Benjamin came face to face with the person who would open the leather cover and start to press words upon his flesh.
