~
The room was cold upon entry. Quiet and solemn. Not a soul in sight. Cobwebs hung from wooden beams while a thick layer of dust covered the rotting floor. Shivers ran down my spine. I took in the vastness of the great room, ancient in all its ways and gazed upon the shelves, stacked with sweet, tantalizing knowledge.
My sister breathed heavily behind me, "Is this it?" she whispered. "Did we finally find it?"
My hands shook as I opened the door further, letting the darkness creep over us.
"I think so, Alice. I think so." I breathed.
I took a hesitant step into the room, careful not to make a sound, not daring to disturb the stillness of the atmosphere. My lantern shook slightly as we cautiously made our way inside.
Badum-badum-badum, My heartbeat pounding from both fear and anticipation. Alice grabbed hold of my sleeve.
"Maya, h-how can you be sure? How w-will we know?". Her hands trembled around my arm. I squinted above me, searching for a sign, any indication we had found what we were looking for. My lantern produced meager light, barely enough to illuminate the writing desks around me. I turned to face my sister.
"I need to find a sign, to truly know." I said.
My strides grew more weary as we went deeper into the room. As we walked, I continued to search. My eyes landed on a grandiose counter adorned with glass fixtures and large stacks of paper. It was at the heart of the room.
"Over there, Alice. That's what we need." We slowly approached the wooden structure. A single chair sat behind it. My heart felt like it was going to burst from my chest. With shaking hands, I brought my lantern to the front of the desk, to the words that would determine the success or failure of our travels.
I breathed heavily. "Grand Knowledge Repository of the World."
We had made it.
~ From A.
