The Map of Salt and Stars

by Zeyn Joukhadar

Why should a missing story leave a hole so big when it’s just a string of words?

“Just because you add to something doesn’t mean it was broken. Maybe it just wasn’t finished.”

“Then stories map the soul,” Rawiya said, “in the guise of words.”

Does it make it easier to live with loss if you don’t name it? Or is that something you do as a mercy for other people?

“That’s funny.” “What’s funny?” “We always go back,” I say. “We go back to death-places. It’s like somebody dying opens a door, and we have to look in.”

“Wealth is no substitute for belonging.”