Christie's Light

"Hello,

I have a little black notebook. I'd like to say it's curiously spectacular. The unscratched smooth surface welcomes my touch every time I open it. Inside I use the clean-lined pages I have left to describe all of what I can see. Whether it be directly in front of me, a memory, or something I made up, my little black notebook can safely hold anything I put in it. In a world all its own. So I can relive everything or anything I want when I want. It's quite profound and vivid most times, and I don't trust I could live without it.

Would you like a little black notebook? I'm sure you would enjoy it. However, the world inside is blank. A void you must fill all on your own, and it takes some good work. Anyways, my friend, I must get back to reality. I hope something unimaginable happens today. It would be nice to put down an extraordinary story that was real. Talk to you again soon."

"-CR"

Christie had always sweetly thought of her friend growing through the years as she did, even though Janell was long gone. She still wrote letters to her late friend, who died defending herself from her vile father many years ago. Christie's childhood was lonely and brutal without her bestie. Janell was pretty, well-liked by most, and when her father took her, it was tragic for everyone who knew her. However, they all had moved on by now, and with Christie's age, she was wondering if she should write her last letter and finally say goodbye.

She writes in many notebooks and has a yellow one just for Janell. Her thoughts swirled around Janell, and the years passed as she switched her notebooks. The black one, as mentioned, is her favorite to use creatively. All her poems, wishes, and hopes live there.

The little black notebook could tell by her pen strokes that today weighed heavily on Christie. Her square face and delicate features produced a faint frown. The books' unfathomable bond was quite powerful. Being tied so closely to her heart, it could read the real motivations behind her words. In this case, it was the thought of trying to move on with life for Christie. She talked about Janell more and felt her pain again. The book would conclude that this was a cloudy day for her. It would ask itself why such a kind person would hold on to such sorrow for so long. Her constructive thoughts blocked her from getting them out onto the pages it had and wanted to be filled. It cherished every mark, doodle, paragraph, and whatever she put in it.

The little black notebook always hoped to make one of her many dreams would come true. Her wishes were still pure and never fueled by the typical greed of people. Christie's continuous pain saddened the notebook and pushed a karmic force to start listening.

As Christie wrote in the notebook, she began to doubt her writing skills. Thinking there were so many others that could portray stories and poems better than her. She had been doing it as more of a hobby since she got out of school, hoping to make it a career one day. However, her part-time job as a drug store manager slowly became all she could think about, and christie's time after was being consumed more by errands, fatigue, and cleaning.

The notebook began to notice this too. It worried Christie would never fill the pages it had, and Christie would give up on her dreams. The beautiful person Christie could be was being drained because of the necessity to live in the modern world. So, when she began to write about a contest and wanted to enter. The little black notebook wanted nothing more than for her to win.

"I found the most interesting prompt that comes with a prize, $20,000! It's to write about someone you loved and how they affected your life. I'm going to try it and write for Janell, of course. I think this will be my last writing of her, my little black notebook. After that, I may have to let this all go too. It is fun, but nothing has come of it. Also, inspiration has been harder to find than ever. Till tomorrow friend." Christie wrote.

With the last stroke of her pen, the notebook's worry grew. How could its owner give up on her beautiful light? Her words were what kept it useful, feeling, and almost alive. It feared being left on a shelf to collect dust. It needed words, stories, and everything that Christie could come up with. The karmic force listened to the little black notebook's worries from afar. Then followed Christie as she left her apartment to go to work.

Her day was very unfulfilling, standing behind a counter all day. Taking people's money for things they need or don't need. Conversing the same friendly "Hi. how are you?" and "Have a good day." Coined with the same lifeless tone. Each person that comes in unmemorable and ordinary until they don't get what they wanted. Standing behind the glass and having the power of a manager gives her the strength to be polite in these demanding situations.

Through the day, the force could see why the notebook cared for her so much. It could also tell that the mundanity added to her perpetual gloomy emotions and killing her will to be herself. She had no time to be Christie, and she was changing into one of the ordinary people she serviced daily. This karmic force couldn't let the light that was still flickering die out. It was so bright and ready to influence the world in such a better way. So, the force put a plan in motion.

There was a line forming in her checkout station. As the number of people grew, so did Christie's speed of scanning their items. She barely time to look up and greet each customer before sending them out the door, acting almost like a robot to keep people calm and happy. A woman was waiting in line that Christie couldn't help but notice, however. She kept getting closer to the counter, and Christie's thought she could recognize her. When she started scanning the woman's items, it dawned on her that she looked exactly like Janell. The eyes, hair, and everything. Her heart jumped, then quickly was pulled away due to the crushing reality. All Christie wanted to do was hug the woman and cry.

There was no interaction with the woman because she was on her phone and completely oblivious until it was time to pay.

"Have a wonderful day." That was all the woman said. She went out to blend back in with the world, and Christie began to distance herself to numb her feelings. Then continued the task of clearing her line.

When Christie got home that day, she had a bit of extra time to sit and think. She got off early from work because her boss needed to cut some hours. So, she wrote a letter to Janell and included the sighting. Then moved on to the little black notebook, who was so excited to receive her warmth once more. This all being part of her usual routine.

As she sat, she thought about the competition. How wonderful it would be to have such an emergency fund or even a vacation. Christie doesn't think of the money as life-changing or how much it could do for her. In her mind, she could never win since she only does it for fun. Then the thoughts of her loss started to creep due to what the prompt required. Despite the fact she had felt these feelings many times before, the wave always crashed hard in her heart.

The familiar lump in Christie's throat stuck as she tried her hardest to keep her tears away. Thoughts and questions that have lingered come up; "Why?" and "How could he?" The little black notebook's blank page stared at her anticipating the first touch of her pen. However, that wouldn't be the first thing to touch the page. A single tear had escaped despite Christie's best effort. However, the force couldn't take one more ounce of her sadness. A lost memory came up for Christie about Janell. It was the moment they become friends in the first place. Christie was overjoyed to remember such a good time.

In preschool, they were lying down to take a nap, and both souls needed extra comfort to sleep. So, at the same time, they went to the animal wall to pick their favorite. It happened to be the same animal. When Janell had realized she had taken it before Christie could and saw that she was disheartened, Janell gave it to Christie. The small gesture gave them five years of a beautiful friendship. It would include sleepovers, late-night calls, crushes, and all the love of a sister that should've been blood-related.

With the visions of the best parts of her childhood running through her mind, Christie was able to write an astounding story about Janell. The truth and love poured into the little black notebook, and the karmic force could feel Christie's energy becoming clear. Almost as if the weight of the past was being lifted off her spirit. With the last word written, Christie's light shined brighter than ever, and she sent her work out.

The force followed her writing very closely and made sure it was carried with importance, landing on the judge's desk. It held a certain, read me now, presence. So, curiously the judge of this contest looked over her work. They could not find an out-of-place comma or lack of. The story of Janell pulled the chords of their heart in a beautiful tune that they couldn't ignore. It was flawless in almost every way, and it left the judge stunned. The judge felt the stories they had read and would read wouldn't match the masterful work. However, they read through each, keeping Christie's writing close as not to lose it. Later, the judge took the excellent literary work to the announcers and told them the inevitable winner.

When Christie heard of her phenomenal win, she was astonished. She denied the fact for a good few hours before going through with the process of collecting the prize. Then a new feeling came over her, and Christie couldn't stop smiling and giggling to herself. The unique sense of pride washed over her spirit and lifted it somewhere it had never been. The success gave Christie a new look at her talent and passion. Obtaining her strength to let go of the past and keep chasing her dream of being a writer. Eventually, she was able to quit her job and live in a sweet cottage quietly. She told as many stories as she could. Oh, and the little black notebook? Christie filled every page, and she kept it fondly on her nightstand next to each new one she collected.