Without speaking
Katy pushes open the old wooden door that leads into Silo’s Books and Curios as a bell rings above her. She had finally found the tiny, almost imperceptible shop that was tucked away between a health food store on its left and a craft store on its right. If you hadn’t been specifically looking for it, as Katy had been, it would have been simple for you to walk by.
I hear a ding.
Katy looks up at the sound and is surprised to see two silver bells that look like they just came out of Santa’s sleigh instead of a brass shopkeeper’s bell. Even after she cautiously enters the shop and closes the door, the monotonous air is still filled with the clear ringing of the bells. The lighting is dim, and tall, shaky shelves line the walls from floor to ceiling. Additionally, books cover every square inch of every shelf! Picture books, new books, soft- and hard-cover books, old books with boring covers, and so on. She has never seen more books than she has now. Books, books, and more books. As far as the eye can see.
All of Katy’s parents’ books are kept in a very special glass case at her parents’ house, where she lives with her mom and dad. She is not allowed to touch them under any circumstances. Her mother claims that they are priceless, deserving of respect, and that she will be able to read them when she is older. Her father describes them as pricey and inappropriate for young girls with their filthy, sticky hands.
However, there is no glass covering these books. They are simply sat here, waiting to be read, held, and touched. Katy is perplexed by the absence of any other customers as she peruses the shop suspiciously. She takes a moment to make her way to the bookshelf closest to her and moves very carefully before slowly raising her hand and pointing her fingers at the books.
“Do you want an adventure, don’t you?” In the pitch black behind her, an enigmatic voice speaks. As a tall, lean, and bearded man emerges from the shadows in the bookshop’s corner, Katy retracts her hand and turns around, looking horrified. He seems to be quite old.
Katy mumbles, “I’m…I’m very sorry,” as she steps back from the tall man, whom she believes to be Silo based on the name on the door sign. She at least hopes so. A shabby, expensive-looking book falls from its home when she hits the shelf behind her, landing heavily at her feet. I shouldn’t have attempted…
As she looks up at the elderly man and he looks back at her, she stops talking and thinks about running to the door. At that point, the elderly man laughs heartily and loudly by tilting his head back. Katy isn’t sure what it is about him that makes him special. Silo takes two long strides toward her and bends down to pick up the book before she can say anything else. As he stands up straight again, he flips it over and examines the cover.
“The Tom Sawyer Animated Series, huh?” “fancy a ride down the Mississippi, do you?” he asks, smiling once more. He offers Katy the previous book, but she declines; in point of fact, she is afraid to even get close to it.
She says, cautiously looking up at the elderly man, “I shouldn’t.” It appears pricey.
As he places the book in her hands, Silo exclaims, “Shh.” Young lady, reading books is not for cuddling. Please take a look, I beg you. He leaves her with the Twain classic tightly clutched to her chest before she can continue to protest and heads toward the old cash register at the back of the shop. He looks back at her when he reaches the counter and turns around.
“Operate it; What you see might surprise you. Before bending over the counter and beginning to scribble on some papers, he smiles a little and Katy can see a tiny twinkle in his eye. Before turning her attention back to the book that is still in her small hands, she continues to watch him for a second. She carefully selects a random opening in the middle. She gasps in astonishment at the next thing she sees.
Instead of words, sentences, and paragraphs, Katy expects to see something that looks like a picture frame and a small, rectangular television set in the middle of the page. She initially believes it to be a picture, but closer inspection reveals that it is moving. She can see two young boys on a small wooden raft paddling along the shoreline of a large river after a brief pause. As she watches the small raft move along in the current, she moves her face so close to the page that her nose almost touches it. The boys on the raft give her a wide grin as they turn to wave.
From across the room, Silo says softly, “You could join them, if you like.” When Katy looks up from the book, she sees that the elderly man is smiling again and is looking back at her. He still has a twinkle in his eye.
“What’s your point?” Katy asks as she looks at the boys as they continue to travel down the great Mississippi while glancing between the Silo and the book.
He asserts, “I mean, you could dive right in and participate in their grand adventure.” It is just getting started.
As she continues to gaze intently into the book while watching the boys she holds make grand plans for their day, she speaks for a brief moment. She looks back up at the counter after a minute.
She says hesitantly, “I can’t swim,” as she carefully closes the book. I’d be too frightened to even consider attempting.”
As he bursts from behind the register, the old man exclaims, “Well, that’s all right.” He accelerates past Katy on his way to a bookshelf on the opposite side of the shop. He stops there and looks up and down the book rows with one hand on his hip and the other on his chin.
“AHA!” He cries and grabs another book from its home by reaching high above his head. He dashes over to her while she is holding the book in front of him. Have you ever considered looking into the universe?
“What is it?” With an inquisitive expression as she looks up at him, Katy asks incredulously.
He says it once more, “Space!” He drops to the ground and hands over the book. Katy has seen the most chewed-up, dog-eared, and poorly treated book she has ever seen, but she can still read the faded cover.
She reads, looking up at Silo as she carefully pronounces the title, “A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Eagle.”
“Yes, Madame, perfect.” Once more, instead of words, Katy sees a small frame containing something when he opens the book. She carefully looks inside and sees three young children, two boys and a girl, standing at the edge of a forest in the dark. They look both scared and relieved as they look out at a big house just beyond the trees. Before turning back to her friends, the young girl turns to Katy and gives her and the elderly man a small nod and smile. They don’t appear to be noticed by the two boys.
You might want to tag along. In an effort to save their father, Calvin, Meg, and Charles are traveling the galaxy. They must be delighted to have you.
As the three kids leave the forest and head toward the big house, Katy takes a second look at the page. She then pivots and returns her gaze to the elderly man.
She says, looking anxious, “I can’t go to space.” I don’t have a coat with me. I’d be so chilly. As if she could already feel the icy, desolate vacuum of space all around her, she wraps her arms around her shoulders.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry!” Silo says, and as he holds the old book, it snaps shut, sending dust into the air between him and Katy. The book is placed on top of several others on a table that appears to be very wobbly and spindly. He then starts to turn on the spot as he looks around the shop, placing his hand once more on his chin and gently working his fingers through his beard. He crouches down for a moment and takes a book from the lowest shelf.
He smiles as he hands her the leather-bound book and says, “Now here is one that may be just a little bit warmer if that’s what you’re looking for.”
Katy carefully removes the book from his outstretched hands and examines the cover. Despite its age, it is in remarkable condition. On the front, it has large gold-embossed letters in black.
She reads, “The Jungle Book,” feeling the gold in her fingers as she runs her finger over the name. It is stunning.”
Silo responds, grinning at her out of the corner of his mouth, “Just wait until you get inside.”
Katy opens the book slowly, making sure to only touch the edges of the pages. At first, all she can see is a dense forest with tree after tree covered in thick cloaks of green vines and leaves. She can, however, see a clearing ahead as the jungle thins out slowly but surely. A tree that has fallen across a stream is there. Katy averts her eyes for a moment before realizing it’s a book when a young boy suddenly jumps onto the log and begins to walk across it while holding his arms out for balance. He was only wearing a small loincloth around his waist. A large bear immediately follows him. He does not appear to be chasing the child but rather simply following along. A large, black panther approaches from the rear and appears to be just out for a leisurely stroll.
Katy says to Silo, who is still standing next to her and looking into the book from high above her shoulder, “It certainly is beautiful.” He doesn’t say anything but smiles as he looks down at the page. A huge python is descending a tree toward the three friends as Katy looks back. Before pointing its tongue at Katy and the elderly man, it slowly turns its head to look at them. Katy closes the book.
“Snakes?! I don’t like snakes! She says this as she quickly returns the book to Silo. I would never be able to go on a jungle adventure!
Silo responds, “I see,” displaying no sign of disappointment. He carefully walks back to the shelf, picks up the book she just pushed on him, and gently places it where it belongs. He then turns around and smiles once more at her.
The following is the inquiry, my dear: Would you like to embark on an adventure of any kind?
Without knowing what to say, Katy takes a moment to look back at Silo. She looks around the bookshop and sees books everywhere. romance, mystery, adventures, and more. She has access to all of them, but…
“I’d like to go on my own adventure!” With her hands raised high above her head, she exclaims. my own journey that takes me to places I never imagined I could go and to sights I never imagined I could see. full of magic and surprises.” She spins in a circle before abruptly coming to a stop and staring at Silo once more before saying, “But no snakes.”
Silo examines her with such care that it appears as though he is attempting to see right through her.
Silo’s magical grin returns as he spins on his heel and walks back to the wooden counter where his cash register is. Katy asks, sounding concerned and afraid that she has upset the old shopkeeper. As Katy approaches the counter, she can hear him rummaging behind it as he ducks out of sight. He reappears with the same magical smile on his lined face before she can say anything.
He says, the twinkle in his eye shining brighter than ever, “Well, I think I’ve found it.”
“What found?” Katy inquires, looking at his face for an answer. She doesn’t, but Silo doesn’t bother her for long.
He responds, revealing a small, white book from behind his back, “the perfect book for you.” It doesn’t look old or new. It is flawless. He holds it close to his heart for a brief moment before silently offering it to Katy. She reaches up and carefully removes it from his hands after a brief pause.
She sees nothing on the cover of the small book as she looks down at it. It lacks any writing or image. When she turns it over, she finds that the back is just as empty as the front. She then slowly opens the book all the way to the middle. The page is completely empty, surprising her. She flips through each page and discovers no marks on any of them.
Katy says, trying not to sound disappointed, “It’s completely empty.” There is absolutely no adventure here.”
Silo says, his face widening into a wide smile as he looks down at her, his long beard twitching with delight. “Well, of course not, dear,” he says. He pulls something out of his breast pocket, but he stretches out his long arms and holds the enigmatic object in front of Katy before she can see what it is. Her name is engraved on the side of the pure gold fountain pen. The name she had not mentioned to him.
“You have not yet written it.”
