The Map of Courage

Juno pushed a stool to the counter and began to unwrap the brown paper for the day’s maps. Her grandmother, Oda, hung the ‘open’ sign on the door and rang the brass bell once, twice, to signal that the shop was ready.

‘Good morning, Juno,’ Oda said, ‘today’s customers will need maps for things they can’t quite name.’

‘What kind of things?’ Juno asked, holding up a sheet of brown paper.

‘The kind that require a walk,’ Oda replied, ‘and a bit of courage.’

Juno stacked the paper and pencils on the counter. The black, red, and blue pencils lay in their tin, waiting for her to begin. She picked up the black one and started to sharpen it.

‘Not yet, Juno,’ Oda said gently, ‘the blue pencil stays in its drawer for now.’

Juno put the pencil down and watched as Oda tidied the window display of rolled paper. The sunlight streaming through highlighted the dust motes dancing in the air.

The doorbell rang, and Juno looked up to see a boy hesitantly pushing open the door. His eyes scanned the shop, taking in the rolled paper and the quiet atmosphere.

‘Can I help you?’ Oda asked, her voice warm and inviting.

‘I’ve lost my courage,’ the boy said, his voice barely above a whisper. ‘I have a big race tomorrow, and I need to find it.’

Juno’s eyes met Oda’s, and she saw a flicker of understanding there.

*** The boy took a deep breath and explained, ‘I’ve been running for years, but this is the biggest race of my life. I keep thinking about all the things that could go wrong, and now I feel like I’m going to faint on the starting line.’

Oda nodded sympathetically. ‘Tell me, what do you think you need to find your courage?’

The boy thought for a moment. ‘I don’t know. I just feel like it’s gone, and I need to get it back.’

Juno pulled out a sheet of brown paper and began to think about the map she would draw. The boy watched her, his eyes hopeful.

‘Can I draw the map?’ Juno asked Oda.

‘You may try,’ Oda said, her eyes twinkling.

Juno picked up the black pencil and started to draw. The boy leaned forward, watching as the lines and shapes began to take form on the paper.

‘What’s that?’ he asked, pointing to a wiggly line.

‘That’s the path we’ll take,’ Juno said, ‘to find your courage.’

The boy nodded, his eyes fixed on the paper. Juno could see the tension in his shoulders begin to ease.

‘Let’s see where it takes us,’ Oda said, smiling at Juno.

Juno smiled back, feeling a sense of excitement and trepidation. She wasn’t sure what the map would show, but she was ready to find out.

Juno’s hand hovered over the brown paper, the black pencil poised to draw. ‘I think we should show the racetrack,’ she said to Oda, ‘and the boy’s house, and the path he’ll take to get there.’ Oda shook her head, her eyes crinkling at the corners. ‘That’s not what he’s lost, Juno.’

‘But that’s where he wants to go,’ Juno argued. ‘We can draw a big X where the courage is, and a line from his house to the X.’ Oda’s expression turned firm. ‘The map has to be honest, Juno. We can’t just draw what he wants to see.’

Juno frowned, feeling a knot form in her stomach. She had been sure her idea was good. ‘But what if he doesn’t find his courage if we don’t show him the way?’ Oda’s hands moved gently, but firmly, over the paper. ‘The map will show him the way. You just have to trust it.’

Juno took a deep breath and let her pencil begin to move. She drew a wiggly line that started at the boy’s house and ended at a small, mysterious shape. Oda nodded, her eyes approving.

***

Juno picked up the red pencil and added a few more lines to the map. These lines were dashed and uncertain, and they seemed to fade away into nothingness. ‘What’s the red for?’ the boy asked, watching Juno’s hands. ‘It’s for what’s not there,’ Juno said, ‘or what’s not working.’

She picked up the blue pencil, but hesitated. Oda’s eyes met hers, and Juno felt a small shake of her head. Juno put the blue pencil back in its drawer. For now, she would have to trust the black and red.

The map began to take shape, with paths and lines and small, detailed drawings. Juno added a few final touches, and then stepped back to look at it. The boy’s eyes were fixed on the paper, his face intent. ‘Is that it?’ he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Juno nodded, feeling a sense of pride and wonder. The map was beautiful, in its own strange way. It seemed to pulse with a quiet life, as if it were a real place, not just a piece of paper.

Juno rolled up the map and tucked it into her pocket. ‘Let’s go,’ she said to the boy. He nodded, taking a deep breath. They walked out of the shop, past the brass bell, and into the evening air. Corvid Lane was quiet, with only a few people walking home from the bakery. The smell of fresh bread filled the air, making Juno’s stomach growl.

‘Which way?’ the boy asked, looking at Juno. She pulled out the map and studied it for a moment. ‘I think we need to go down this way,’ she said, pointing to a narrow alley between two buildings. The boy nodded, and they set off down the alley.

The alley was dark and narrow, with tall buildings looming on either side. Juno stumbled once, but the boy caught her elbow. ‘Careful,’ he said. Juno smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. They walked in silence for a few moments, the only sound being the echo of their footsteps off the walls.

As they turned a corner, Juno saw that the alley opened up into a small park. There were trees and grass, and a few benches scattered about. The boy looked around, his eyes wide. ‘This isn’t what I expected,’ he said. Juno smiled. ‘I know. It’s not usually what’s expected.’

The boy looked at her, and Juno could see the question in his eyes. But before he could ask, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His shoulders relaxed, and he stood up straighter. ‘I think I feel it,’ he said, his voice barely above a whisper. ‘My courage. It’s here.’

Juno smiled, feeling a sense of pride and wonder. ‘I’m glad,’ she said. The boy nodded, and they sat down on a bench together. They sat in silence for a few moments, watching the sun set behind the trees.

*** The boy stood up, his face set in a determined expression. ‘Thanks, Juno,’ he said. ‘I think I’m ready for the race now.’ Juno smiled, feeling a sense of satisfaction. ‘You’re welcome,’ she said. The boy nodded, and they walked back to the shop.

As they walked, Juno felt a sense of change inside herself. She had helped someone, and it had felt good. She had learned something, too - that sometimes, what people lose isn’t what they think it is. And sometimes, the map isn’t what they expect either.

When they got back to the shop, Oda was sitting at the counter, her eyes fixed on a piece of paper. She looked up as Juno and the boy came in. ‘Ah, welcome back,’ she said. ‘How was your walk?’ The boy grinned. ‘It was great,’ he said. ‘I found my courage.’ Oda smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. ‘I’m glad to hear that,’ she said.

Juno smiled, feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction. She rolled up the map and tucked it into her pocket, feeling a sense of accomplishment. She looked at Oda, who was watching her with a quiet expression. Juno felt a sense of understanding pass between them, a sense of connection. And in that moment, Juno knew that she had grown a little bit, that she had learned something important.