There are many places in the woods where one can read without being discovered. Having spent most of her childhood roaming the vast forest which surrounds the town, Sarah could safety say that the only one who could find her would be Elliot.

    Perched in a century old tree rooted at the base of a trickling stream, she lazily hung one leg from the enormous branch that held her weight. The rough bark gently scraped her skin as the leg swung back and forth with the breeze.

    After leaving the shop, Sarah had resisted the urge to dive into the text of the foreign book until they could find a proper location. For once she started reading something new, the outside world almost faded into a nonexistent void. Elliot would always insist to be near by to protect her for this very reason.

    Upon further inspection, the yellow cover appeared lighter in complexion, giving off more of a cream color than previously observed. The swirls of white were still vibrant, but caused an odd sensation in my chest each time she glanced at them.

    Gently opening the book, Sarah begun reading the text and soon found the contents to tell a tale of an ancient god. She chuckled to herself as the story was told from the author's perspective. 

    Brutal would probably be the best way to describe the tone portrayed, but it gave a sense of life and familiarity she never found in modern texts.

    The tale described the god's journey to locate someone he lost. From the way he described the day they parted, it was clear to her that this person was very loved and their affection was pure affection. As Sarah dove further into the heart of the text, the once emotion filled lines were slowly shifting into solemn, almost desperate entries.

    Sarah's vision soon grew dim as the once brilliant sunlight had sneakily descended behind the horizon, giving sight to small speckles of white light among a dark backdrop. Elliot yawned and stretched both arms from his place at the base of the tree, sparing a glance up.

     Receiving the message, Sarah heaved a sigh of disappointment as the book was gently closed back up. Landing on the soft ground with a quiet thud, she hugged the book to her chest as they trekked back towards the suffocating formation of buildings.

    The town's nightlife can best be described as obnoxious, as the paved streets are filled with judgmental looks and drunk airheads. As rude as that may sound, Sarah knew it was justified having been the target of those judgments for as long as she's been alive. The only saving grace was Elliot's tall frame staying in proximity to her the whole trip back, cracking jokes and making small talk the whole way.

    As they swiftly weaved past all the bustling bars, the house she had previously escaped from just that morning came into view. Turning to Elliot, his gleaming emerald eyes smile at her with the warm of a star. 

    Returning the smile, Sarah said the usual goodnight before heading inside the dark building. Greeted with bone chilling silence as the front door snaps shut behind her, Sarah clutched the book ever closer.

    Cautiously, she slipped off the moist shoes and carried them beside her up the stairs. The house would remain empty till 2 AM, meaning she still had at least four hours of peace before it was interrupted by the noise of the other occupants.

    After stowing the shoes under her bed and grabbing some food from the kitchen, Sarah leaned against the base of the bed and gaze out the small round window. The quiet of the night was a great comfort, as the soft glow of the moon and it's surrounding stars eased her mind from tomorrows uncertainties.

    The moonlight shone through the open window, filling the small space with an indescribable refreshing sensation. The lids of her eyes soon began to feel heavy and as she drifted to sleep on the illuminated floor, the other worldly tale lay next to her head. 

    Little did Sarah know, after sleep had taken her completely, the book she admired began to shine ever brighter. The text swirled around the flat surface and soon lifted up and off the material. Swirling around the room, the letters soon danced around her still body before returning back to their original positions.

    Off in a distant world, a blonde being looked down at the beacon that alerted him to her existence. His heart raced at the thought of meeting again after all this time and he decided to not wait any longer. Jumping off the platform in which he stood, the mysterious being gracefully soared down to the rural town where his true love resided.

    The morning of Sarah's birthday went like any other day and she dared not speak of it to anyone. It was hard enough dealing with other people and she wasn't about to give them any more reason to cause her more discomfort. 

    As anyone could tell, Sarah had a small fear of social interaction and often found them stress inducing. There were a few exceptions including Elliot, Mr. Salt and a few random shop clerks in town.

    As she got up before the rest of the household, her actions were quick and calculated as to not awaken the sleeping humans. They're not the worse kind of people, but Sarah still preferred those she knew best rather than barley familiar housemates.

    The click of the door signaled her departure and she trudged towards the town square. A few years ago, Sarah had gotten a job as a mail sorter in town hall. The pay was pitiful, but the peace of the mail room made the countless hours less agonizing.

    Bright rays on sunlight tingled her skin with their warm presence and she smiled at the pale blue sky. Inhaling the morning air as normal, an unfamiliar scent filled her nose. Taken aback by the change in aroma, Sarah paused and took another breath.

    The usual dewy scent was now replaced by an unnaturally sweet fragrance. Her mind started to question the bizarre occurrence that now tempted her to stray from the current destination. Conflicting thoughts rained down inside her, but she ultimately lost to an uncontrollable desire to locate the source of the phenomenon.

    Taking a sharp right down a side road, Sarah followed the odor as it increased in intensity the further she ventured. The pounding of her exhilarated heart roared in her ears as the road gave way to a dirt path, directly leading into the edge of the forest.

    Stalling at the threshold between town and open lands, Sarah briefly halted and looked behind her. The sleeping village stood grey and empty, while the unknown perfume lured her towards the unclaimed earth in the distance. 

    Elliot briefly flashed through her mind and she almost went back to get him to come with her. However, for the first time ever, that felt like a bad idea.

    Making a final decision to forgo all logic, Sarah proceed forward in a light jog, completely oblivious to what awaited her in the distance.