Cellar Door Read Free Page A

unexpected ways inspiration can strike, isn’t it?”
    “Yes, sir, it is. I wonder if he had any idea that the world would still treasure his words so many years later.”
    “Miss Mathews, don’t give up on your dream of publishing that book of poetry. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know your words were being read by the next generation long after you’re gone?”
    “Yes, but I’m afraid poetry doesn’t captivate readers the way it did years ago…”
    “If the melody and the meaning are in the words, it will find its audience. Your purpose is to unleash the part of your soul that’s trapped with no other means of escape -- not to get rich, famous, or even popular, for that matter. Yes, your writing is the thing that will surely keep you sane.”
    He turns his head toward the window and the view of the manicured grounds. His eyes become unfocused, his thoughts drifting far away. “You see, if you don’t let the words out, release the characters and thoughts that ramble around inside your head, you will surely court insanity.”

Chapter Three
    Liam
    The lush melody of her voice wraps itself around me as she reads aloud the classic poem by Robert Frost.
    She has no idea that I often listen as she reads to the patients. Her voice soothes the beast within me. All the stress of life and death simply falls away as if by some miracle, some magic only she possesses.
    My ears perk up when I hear the man speak of her dream to write a book. It all makes sense now, the hours she spends at her desk across the street from the coffee shop. My angel has a story to tell, I’m sure of it.
    As far as I know, she has no friends, not even acquaintances. No pets, nothing but her books and words—words that tumble around inside her head, begging to be brought to life. Yes…it will be easy to do what I have planned. After all, I’m all she’s got. I long to corrupt her, to soil her, to mark her, and seal her as my possession. Perhaps by doing so, I will be her salvation.
    She inhabits my dreams, my every waking moment, yet she doesn’t even know I exist. How trite. To her, I’m just the caustic, rude asshole who knocked her books from her hands. How can it be that, even though I attract the attention of most of the nurses at this hospital, the one woman I want doesn’t understand how the thought of her haunts me?
    If someone were to ask me why I’m obsessed with the beautiful stranger, I don’t know that I could give a reason. Certainly not a logical one. All I know is the cavernous void that lurks deep in my soul was as black as pitch until the moment I looked into her cobalt blue eyes.
    The tiny flicker of hope she sparked in me continues to burn steadily. But I must feed the flame if it is to flourish. I must keep her near me so it doesn’t blow out.
    I’ve devoted my career to saving lives. Perhaps it’s time for someone to save mine.



Chapter Four
    Madonna
    I smile as I glance over and see that Mr. Williams has drifted into a peaceful sleep. Shakespeare’s sonnets did the trick today. I’ve done what I came to do, given a dying man another all too brief reprieve from the nightmarish toll cancer is taking. He’s sleeping more lately. I wonder how many more visits we’ll have.
    I kiss his cheek and leave the book of poetry on his bedside table before I slip from the room. As I round the corner, wiping a tear from my cheek with the back of my hand, I nearly run into the man with the dark hair and striking blue eyes, the same one who knocked me and all my books down a couple of weeks ago.
    “I see you still haven’t figured out how to manage those wretched books you insist on carrying around everywhere you go,” he gloats.
    He is infuriating as ever but this time I’m prepared. “I see you still have that enormous chip on your shoulder you insist on carrying around everywhere you go,” I snipe in reply. I usually have better manners than this. The man brings out the devil in me, and I wish I knew why.
    Rich,