Hues of Love

Ivory

IVORY

The time when she was broken, Marya also grew. From the white rubble, she built an ivory castle. Beauty formed from the sacrifice of great beasts, it hung in the air, above, fortified, lonely maybe, but safe.

So it was at the brink of seventeen that she discovered her love for work. A job at the local bookstore spawned as an excuse to avoid her mother's presence as well as a reason to leave school immediately. Every day at 4:15, she would walk along to Deedree's Books. There she categorized, arranged, and fixed the bindings that covered worlds of wonder.

For the first time, Marya learned how to earn love. She did so by pouring her every ounce into serving and shelving.

There were times when doubts trickled back into her conscious; ghosts of fingertips traced her neck. Times when Marya yearned to feel that tight grip she once felt squeeze her heart again. But she soon squashed those sentiments out with additional hours at work.