>I see you.

>Today’s challenge: trying to weave together the disappearance of Jean and Hawkins with Rahab confronting Bracken about his powers. The two strands are inseparable in the story line, but it’s hard to balance Rahab’s desire to find her friend with her concern and compassion for Bracken’s inner struggle. It’s taking too much out of me. I’ve written a few carefully chosen sentences, but I think I must put off the rest of this scene for tomorrow.
Okay so I know that Avatar is a terrible movie plot- and character-wise, but I *might* have watched it again last night. (To make fun of it, of course!) But today I’m haunted by the phrase “I see you.” In Avatar, this greeting sort of means, “My spirit connects with your spirit.” (It really has to do with their religion, but that’s not important right now.) “I see you” seems so appropriate with this scene of “Into the Flames” that I’m writing. Bracken’s power (spoiler alert!) is being able to see through both objects and time. He has spent his whole life trying to hide this behind a rough exterior, but finally, everything is stripped away. Rahab gets to “see” Bracken. He’s been trying to see through Rahab the whole novel, trying to figure out what makes her different from others. Maybe now he’ll understand? Maybe, when he allows himself to be seen, he can see more fully?