Quinn accepted the drink with a smile and a polite ”Thank you,” directed at the blonde woman before taking a sip. The drink looked incredibly delicious and it matched, but she kept her eye on the woman whose candle she had trimmed.
For a moment the small woman seemed to perk up, but almost immediately, she slumped back and her candle, once lively became gutted again. Quinn blinked. She had never seen that before. Hope was a fickle thing. It could be dashed to pieces quickly, but whenever she had stoked another’s, it had stayed for a moment. The woman had to have quashed it herself. That meant that she didn’t want to feel hope. There was something incredibly sad about that. Quinn often felt lonely, but hope was always there for her. Hope that even in the feelings that she didn’t belong that sometime she would. To not want hope seemed just depressing. Quinn could have stoked the woman’s candle again - and maybe she should - at the same time, Quinn didn’t know what to do. This woman had felt a sliver of hope and killed it. For now, Quinn let her candle stay. She had to think this through. It saddened her a bit. Kai had sensed something about her because at that moment, he pulled her tighter and she could feel him pressing into her back.
The other woman, Flora, had given her something to focus on. Flora had said Quinn looked familiar. Quinn wasn’t sure why. Her first novel had just been announced. Her face was known in certain circles, but it was a small group of sci-fi/fantasy/speculative fiction writers and fans. She only had one published short story - albeit in a well known sci-fi/fantasy literary journal.
Quinn shrugged. ”You read sci-fi or fantasy?” she asked, offering a possibility of why the woman might recognize her.
At the same time, Quinn did something she never had done before. She got out her wallet and searched for herself. And there it was: a press release from her publishers. Her submission had given them permission to use her headshot in the press release. It was an article announcing her soon to be published novel with her picture on it. It made her smile. Kai lessened her grip enough so that she could approach and offer a hand. ”Im Quinn,” she said in introduction. ”Can we help you find your brother?”
For a moment the small woman seemed to perk up, but almost immediately, she slumped back and her candle, once lively became gutted again. Quinn blinked. She had never seen that before. Hope was a fickle thing. It could be dashed to pieces quickly, but whenever she had stoked another’s, it had stayed for a moment. The woman had to have quashed it herself. That meant that she didn’t want to feel hope. There was something incredibly sad about that. Quinn often felt lonely, but hope was always there for her. Hope that even in the feelings that she didn’t belong that sometime she would. To not want hope seemed just depressing. Quinn could have stoked the woman’s candle again - and maybe she should - at the same time, Quinn didn’t know what to do. This woman had felt a sliver of hope and killed it. For now, Quinn let her candle stay. She had to think this through. It saddened her a bit. Kai had sensed something about her because at that moment, he pulled her tighter and she could feel him pressing into her back.
The other woman, Flora, had given her something to focus on. Flora had said Quinn looked familiar. Quinn wasn’t sure why. Her first novel had just been announced. Her face was known in certain circles, but it was a small group of sci-fi/fantasy/speculative fiction writers and fans. She only had one published short story - albeit in a well known sci-fi/fantasy literary journal.
Quinn shrugged. ”You read sci-fi or fantasy?” she asked, offering a possibility of why the woman might recognize her.
At the same time, Quinn did something she never had done before. She got out her wallet and searched for herself. And there it was: a press release from her publishers. Her submission had given them permission to use her headshot in the press release. It was an article announcing her soon to be published novel with her picture on it. It made her smile. Kai lessened her grip enough so that she could approach and offer a hand. ”Im Quinn,” she said in introduction. ”Can we help you find your brother?”