Chapter 1: My puzzle
JOSH


It had been weeks since the note cycle began. One I still carry in my wallet. It reads;
My mind is a minefield of sad days
One will end and another will roll in a constant ebb
Like a switch I find things as unappealing as instantly as I found them appealing
I shy away from real; they are all masked
Tend to push away those closest to me
Attraction leads to trust and trust to love things I don't want to be propelled to
Home feels like a mythical place I've never been part of
And happy never sank deep enough to be part of me
But brokenness did; in more ways than I care to explain
Damage stains my soul so bad I can't scrub it off
I know seeing that should make me run as fast as my legs can. But everything she said seems like we she was describing me.

To be honest I couldn't really tell why Liv had taken up so much space in my mind. Whatever the reasons were I needed to focus. With the silver musical coming up and mum's art exhibition literally soon after, I had no time to be thinking about some girl I hadn't even met.

I had memorized every word of the note. I had even highlighted some of the lines in my latest song. So this Liv thing was far from over. But any way I needed to snap out of it.

The library I know is where everyone went to study... Everyone except me. Mostly I went there to write lyrics. I enjoyed the serene environment and the world of books, bouts of knowledge I couldn't hold longer than my breakfast coffee.
And then my favorite book shades of life. Its where I found Liv's note. I love that she was reading it too. I am pretty sure she must live as much I do.

As custom I had gone to the library on the 23rd of June to reflect. I found the silence restraining so I picked up Shades of life from the shelf. There's only one copy in the library so you can't really borrow it. I was flipping through it randomly when the first note fell. That's how it began.

The second time I was actually eager to see if she'd read my note. I'd checked three times but it was as I'd left it but the fourth time...and there was a reply... am not sure it should have meant that much but for some reason it did. My palms were already sweaty and my pulse was fluttery before I could get to the third line.


It felt like those times as a child when you'd write to Santa way before Christmas and he'd send your request on your birthday I loved it. I loved how she'd appreciated my gesture. Am not sure that's something to be pleased about but it did make me happy that somehow she took her time to read and write back.

I had to meet her. I needed to see her.
So far she felt more real to me than my current world. At least that's what I felt. I had to smile for the cameras in all the art exhibitions. I felt like I lived in one of those paintings my mom and I made. She was a breath of fresh air.

Someone I didn't need to impress with my songs or my art. So I needed her to stay close. She needed to be there when I felt alone. Well... It was pretty easy to feel lonely when surrounded by so many people. It does made sense.... Does it?

'Hey
It's a crazy world we live in Liv....Am sorry this might take you by surprise because it's as crazy as it sounds but I feel like am outside looking in. Am trapped some place when the whole world is going round. You seem to me like you've got it all together. You are lucky.
Josh’

I slipped the note into the Shades of life right where it begins with "when the world is darker the notes sound brighter and put it back in the shelf...
I wish I could know her .Even a little.
But this puzzle I'd solve soon...
She just needed to keep the conversation brewing.
© Ms.Kuria..