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DELTA FORCE (Part 2)

Amanda cleared her throat, the vibration jiggling her brain's ability to form speech patterns back to life. "Like I said earlier," Amanda began, "sometimes people feel isolated. Maybe it's because of unforeseen circumstances? Maybe it's their own doing? Whatev'. Sometimes people just feel trapped and alone--and words or stories are the only thing that can get through the walls built up around them."

[[Delta] With her chin propped up on folded hands, Delta sat in silence for a moment. When the conversation seemed stalled, she said, "What kind of words or stories do you think penetrate--these walls of isolation?"]

Shrugging her shoulders, Amanda replied, "It could be anything, I suppose. A song, maybe? I know there have been times when I've heard a song--randomly--and it feels like the song was written for me. Like--I was meant to hear the song at that exact moment in time so I could see my situation differently."

[[Delta] "That's happened to me, too." Delta appeared lost in thought for a moment as she gently tapped her fingernails on her bottom lip. Quickly glancing to her left, she sat up straight in her chair and resumed the conversation. "Can you think of any other examples when words have inspired you during times of--fuzziness?"]

"There have been times," Amanda began, "when I'll stumble across an article on the internet, and it will contain information I wasn't searching for--but desperately needed. You know? Like when you find something you never knew you always wanted? Words seem to do that for me a lot."

Amanda looked down at her hands and rubbed the self-inflicted wounds on her fingertips. Looking back up at her monitor, she finished her thought. "So I guess that's how words have saved me. They're voices of wisdom when no one else is around to speak them. Written words are--there--when no one else is."

[[Delta] "That's powerful. Really." Delta's pen fluttered as the pen danced across the page. When she finished writing, she asked, "So--words provide people with a sense of comfort in times of need. Is this how you'd say words change the world?"]

Amanda shook her head, eyes slightly squinting as though surprised Delta would conclude such a thing. "No."

[[Delta] Delta cocked her head, seemingly startled by Amanda's response. "Oh--. Then how would--? Explain again how you envision words changing the world. I might've misunderstood what you said. I apologize."]

"Being comforted by words is nice--don't get me wrong," Amanda explained. "Just like reading to escape stress is nice. Or reading to become more knowledgeable is nice. Or reading to feel empathy for others is nice. Whatever. All that stuff is nice, but if all you're doing is escaping stress instead of finding the courage to face the source of it--nothing's changed. If you're becoming more knowledgeable, but not putting that knowledge to use--nothing's changed. If you feel empathy for others, but don't do anything to help them--nothing's changed. Changing the world only happens if words inspire people to alter their actions in some way. You know? Otherwise--words are just--nice."

[[Delta] Delta seemed lost in thought as her orange ostrich feather tickled her cheek. "Would you say--words and stories could change the world if they provide people with a source of happiness? Would that be altering someone's life?"]

"It depends," Amanda replied, her mind shifting out of a nervous and socially awkward gear into a thought process more in line with the self-help books she consumed over the years. "If stories are the source of happiness--then they're nice. But if stories inspire readers to evolve so they become their own source of happiness, then those words changed a person. When people change--when people evolve--that's when the world changes."

[[Delta] Delta's pen flicked back and forth furiously as she wrote in her notebook.]

"But I have to confess--," Amanda whispered.