Every Life Begins Now
Summary
- This chapter takes place in the Midnight Library, a place which operates on the concept that every new life begins at 'midnight', and offers alternative lives one could have lived.
- Mrs Elm, possibly a spiritual or non-human entity, who looks and sounds familiar to Nora, questions Nora about her regrets and which life she would like to try on.
- Nora, who is still relieved from her previous torture of feeling all her regrets at once, questions the purpose of this process.
- Mrs Elm explains to Nora that this library offers her a chance to live other lives she could have had, and that it's only possible because of the consequences of her past decisions.
- The duration of each life could vary widely - from seconds to a lifetime - depending upon how much Nora wants to continue living it.
- There is a clear danger though; if Nora loses the will to live while she is in the library (between lives), it would affect her root or original life and could lead to her death.
- Nora confesses that she does want to die and states that she took an overdose with that intention, but Mrs Elm remains doubtful as she believes Nora is still enduring by being in the library.
- Nora is told that she would instantly return to the library if she feels utterly disappointed in the chosen life - else she would continue living it and eventually be happy.
- Thinking about her relationship with Dan, Nora chooses to pursue the life where she didn't leave Dan and worked towards his dream of owning a country pub.
- Mrs Elm picks a book from the library for Nora and instructs her to open and read it. As soon as she reads the first line, the text swirls and becomes illegible and Nora starts feeling weak, which indicates the start of her chosen life.