Paige and the Lost Library of Atlantis

Epilogue

Epilogue

The Curator, who was walking, in impractical nude heels mind you, towards the direction she saw Paige head in a bit earlier. She headed past Marcus, nodding at him and the eccentric man he seemed to be holding hands with. She tried to remember his name. Tedious? No, that wasn't it. Oh well, whatever his name was, he seemed right for Marcus.

She spotted Paige sitting at the end of the pier, with her head on her knees. She strolled up, very matter of fact, and sat down, crossing one leg over the other. She smoothed her skirt as Paige raised her head and peered at her.

Paige made a frustrated noise, dropping her head back down on her knees.

"Ugg, I really can't deal with you right now," She whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Well, I am glad you're alive, too, Miss Paige." The curator spat. She grabbed Paige's chin, lifting her head.

"Let me tell you something. You owe it to Miss Billie to keep going. But I understand that may be difficult, given that she is not here."

Paige let out a short, heartbreaking sob. "Stop, please..."

"Now, if you would let me finish. You know I don't like to be interrupted."

The Curator turned to face Paige and continued. "You also owe it to yourself to keep going, Paige. You may think that you are not strong enough to get through this, but I know you are. You can fight one day at a time. If all you do today is not give up, then you have won. Then you live to fight again tomorrow."

Paige looked out over the water, at the sun just beginning to peak itself over the horizon.

"Curator, do you..ahh..do you know what happens to the Erased?"

The Curator put her arm around Paige, awkwardly embracing her.

"I'm sorry, my dear, I am not aware of their fate. All I know is that I can no longer see their stories. If you ask me what I think happens, all I can offer you is a wild, hopeful guess."

Paige let her head drop to The Curator's shoulder, grateful for her strange, but loyal friend.

"Please tell me. I need answers. I will take whatever small comfort you can give me."

"I do not think Miss Turner is gone, nor the people of Earth or any of the erased. Just because we can not see them, doesn't mean that they are not there. Stories can be created or destroyed, but the love behind them can not. She is out there, somewhere, I like to believe that. I rather miss her referring to my hair as a sugary confection."

As the sun rose on the water, the light glistened across the ocean waves. Paige pictured herself on a beach, not unlike this one. With purple waves lapping at her feet, and the light from the pink sky dancing in Billie's eyes.

She felt a surge of something dangerous race through her, something that could break her heart all over again. Break her soul. She felt it; there was no doubt about that. Hope. She felt hope.

SNEAK PEAK TO THE SEQUEL:  Chapters 1-3

Chapter 1

Pain exploded in Paige's head. She backed up several steps, and ran again, full force, into the wall. This was the fourth library she had tried this month, looking for an open portal. Without a key, she was stuck looking the hard way.

Marcus refused to give her a key, saying she was "unstable" and "reckless." He said she needed to let Billie go. That we won, and Billie didn't sacrifice herself only to have Paige spiral out of control. Searching for Billie was the only thing keeping her going. Everyone told her that Billie was gone, that Earth and everything ever erased was gone. She should move on, grieve, and get on with her life.