The Death of an Orchid

Book excerpt: The Death of an Orchid recounts the tale of Sebastian, a passionate realist, as he encounters for the first time a girl with the imagination to get him off the ground. Driven by nostalgia to reunite with her, Sebastian finds himself drifting dangerously far from reality and ensnared in a scheme capable of haunting his most twisted nightmares. Sebastian is a pragmatic young man: captivated by romance, yet seldom capable of escaping reality. Upon meeting Bella, a spirited dreamer with an imagination to paint landscapes, Sebastian finds his deepest fantasies enmeshed for the first time with actuality. For weeks, he is charmed by Bella's grace and paralyzed by her allure. Everything in the world seems ideal, as if the stars have aligned above. Then, dark clouds obscure the skies. As Bella returns to school at the end of the summer, Sebastian feels the distance strain their relationship. Determined to persevere, he embarks on a journey to reconnect with the girl who once danced endlessly in his dreams. Then, haunted by a disturbing discovery, Sebastian finds himself questioning everything he once knew about romance. At what point is it too late to wake up?