Chanel Hutt

Disintegrating pages

On any other night, this street is serene and freakishly quiet with the exception of the boxelder maples swaying in the wind or an occasional jogger or dog walker whisking by. The new halogens street lights serve as a guide through the darkness. Well acquainted with the scenery, Torri enjoyed her long walks home from her favorite place, the library. These nightly strolls offered her the opportunity to reflect on the day's events, make mental notes for tomorrow, and conversely with her father. However, tonight is not one of those nights. The skies were lit with lightning bolts; the rain was brutal and almost blinding. In the middle of this city block, stood twenty-four-year-old Torri who belts out a howl so loud it halted a neighbor who was running to his car from his house. The scream, bursting from her lungs, was an instant reaction to what she was witnessing. Money-filled pages melting away as the rain pounded down upon it. The inner parts of the pages revealing Benjamin Franklin's face. Every page in the book was laced with them unbeknownst to her. Grappling with the idea, that this seemingly new book was melting, Torri was frozen in disbelief and confusion. Realizing she needed to protect the rest of the book, she shoved it into her wet jacket. The concerned gentleman slowly drives up to Torri to offer help but she sprints away quickly leaving him bewildered. With the black Japanese album tucked into her jacket, she ran with full force embracing the assault of mother nature. Determined to get to the nearest train station, Torri was unbothered by the water. After all it was the catalyst for this inconceivable moment. Despite the torrential rain, a fire was lit within her. It had awakened some inner sensations that felt foreign to her. Torri led a reserved and basic life. Her routine is pretty predictable. She is awkward in social settings so she purposely veers in the opposite direction. The bookstore owner and librarian are the only symbols of friendship she has. This night would change her life in an indescribable way.