Marissa Craig always had a love of reading but felt her taste was a bit embarrassing for a young girl.  She could never find what she truly wanted to read and she dare not describe or discuss it. When she exhausted the young adult section at the library, she gathered her change and went to the bookstore for some new releases.

 

She wandered into a never before seen aisle filled with shrink wrapped books and memorabilia. The back covers spoke of thrilling tales, frightening villains and romances. The front covers were cute and obscene. Looking up, she discovered the name of the new avenue she wanted to live on; she was at home, among the manga.

 

There were so many characters to befriend in the fictional realm. She could finally see their faces, witness their angst and mimic their gestures. Then, sadly,  she ran out of coins. She had once again exhausted herself. This time because of lack of funds, not lack of reading material. She grew lonely away from manga avenue and away from her fictional friends.

 

Then, during a muggy September day, her school experienced a blackout. The students were told to keep their clothes on and talk amongst themselves. Marissa had no one to talk to. She feared looking like a sinister maniac if she continued tenting her fingers with a blank expression. She positioned her desk in a small stream of sunlight, flipped pass her history notes and started chapter 1.

 

The blackout lasted the entire day. The students were thrilled but sweaty. Marissa read through her notebook on the school bus; she had filled all the pages. A literary universe lay between her fingers but she wasn’t satisfied.  She wanted to create many more. With writing, she didn’t feel alone, misunderstood or ordinary.

 

Everything went back to normal at school. The teachers worked dutifully to make up for the lost day. Marissa took notes, nodded and paid attention. But once the teacher turned their back, she flipped to a blank sheet and started another chapter.

 

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