˾ ‘The world without its star’ The 99h version has ended. It remains blank to what comes next, but one thing is certain: you who stayed till the end will find his ‘Role’ - message from the author.̚

“Role? Is this some sort of hint for the next version?” I stared at the last page of the book in bemusement. However, I didn’t give the author’s thought any attention. Rather, I felt disappointed with how the version ended.

“Just one step away from the goal, but that damn guy, he pisses me off.” I slammed the book close and bunged it on the circular table before me.

I sighed and glanced around at the people sitting outside the cafe just like me. I leaned against the chair’s back, and my head lifted as the inner canopy of the umbrella came into my field of view, which was protecting me from the blazing heat of the summer.

With a dejected expression, I thought about my day and can officially call it my worst day.

First, I arrived late for work because of this ridiculous reason; I was sacked from my job at Red-Mist Rocks video game company.

Afterwards, I came to this popular cafe that is near my office. Like always, I believed that reading a novel from my favorite author will cool my rampaging emotions down. More precisely, the novel I have been reading for a decade.

But it just backfired with an utterly disappointing ending.  

“I guess nothing can be done now.” I tried to keep a cool head and picked the book from the table, observing the book’s cover.

By the way, I didn’t introduce myself.

“My name’s Author Luis.”

 “Are you a writer?”

It was the most expected question, on every occasion when I barely had to introduce myself. Nonetheless, it never mattered. I was, after all, just an introvert who, till now, is living a lonely life.

Many times, giving up was the option that I thought to choose, however, each time I abandoned the idea because of one person.

He was a person who wrote novels that were only made for me. Times when depression was my enemy, the novel I would be reading would give me strength to fight against it.

Times when I couldn’t go any further with life, the characters of the novel would show me reason to keep on moving. Those novels were the light for me in the darkness, where I stood alone.

Those characters weren’t fictional to me, but rather like real people standing by my side. My emotions would be their emotions; my fight would be their fight.

Among them, there was a novel that stood tall and bright. A compelling story that I never stopped reading, waiting day and night when the next version would be available.

There were 99 books, each book containing each version of the novel, [The world without its star]. It was a novel close to my heart because of its uniqueness.

Around the age of 17, I got my hands on this novel, taking me a decade to read it completely up to the 99th version, meaning by now I’m 27 years old.

Buzz… buzz…

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and in an instant, it was in my hand. The bright display filled with a variety of colors was showing a message by an unknown foreign country number.

My fingertip touched the flat screen, and the text sent by someone appeared.

-          Did you miss me, dumbass?

What a rude person.

-          Who is this?

-          Nice, is that how you recognize your friend, lonely introvert?

Lonely introvert, wait… A thought clicked in my mind, could be… No doubt.

-          How’s the stay in the US?

-          US my ass. It was all just a talk that this place was amazing. I think people live in the past and don’t want to see the present state of a country.

-          I don’t like this place at all; I want to come back to Morviana. I wish I had wings.

-          Poor thing, your suffering is my pleasure.

-          Duck you, lonely introvert.

-          By the way, I have some work left and will talk to you later and save my number.

-          Also duck you again, lonely introvert.

For a moment, a faint smile could be seen on my face. I closed my eyes and dove into my thoughts.

While the thoughts absorbed me. The sun that was bashing its heat at the world suddenly disappeared behind the dark clouds.

Because the atmosphere cooled down. I came to my senses and looked around. There was a faint darkness in the atmosphere.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“Shit, I think there might be a cloudburst soon." I hurriedly got up and packed everything in the office bag. I pondered while staring anxiously at the dark sky from under the umbrella.

There was absolutely zero chance I would reach home without getting wet. But I can’t give up; all I need is a raincoat. I entered the cafe and asked for a raincoat. As their regular customer, they must have saved one for me.

“We apologize, but we have run out of raincoats a bit too quickly.” Just my luck. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so damn slow if not for my thoughts. 

I stood outside the cafe and gazed in one direction. In the end, it had come to one choice. “I hope I at least make it there in time.”

I dash, and simultaneously the raindrops launch from the sky. The water droplets softly hit my skin and suit. The rain got faster and heavier as I reached further towards my destination. 

Dig!

The door to the bookshop moved as it was pushed, causing the bell to ring.

“Welcome my dear customer.” It was a polite voice that greeted me.

“It’s raining pretty hard,” I said with a wry smile wreathed on my face. The water cascaded from my suit as the floor drenched with colorless liquid.

“It is indeed,” he said in a calm voice. It surprised me. I thought he might show an unpleasant face, but gladly it was quite the opposite.

His hand lifted and leveled with the shoulder, pointing towards a small door at the corner of the space. Beside it were clothes of my size prepared.

Surprised, I looked at him with an impressed expression and joggled my head, then I asked, “Were you aware I was coming?”

“It’s my job to care for my special customer,” the bookseller said.

The bookstore, which was the only place that came to my mind in such a situation, not only was it a close place, but also belongs to someone I know.

 I took the prepared clothes and wore them. Both the pants and the shirt were in black. After coming out, I felt better. The pain of the loose fall at the bottom of the abyssal. But for sure, it is only for a mo.

While the bookseller was adjusting the books on a shelf, I took a seat on a chair next to a desk. I retrieved the book, 'the world without its star,' from my bag that was resting on the desk.

My eyes slowly glanced around; it is hard to say that this space is any bigger than an average room; it is still the best place for me.

Strangely, there have been no visitors other than me on any occasions when I am here. It was a question I asked umpteen times, only for him to dodge it all the time.

My father introduced this shop to me when I was nearly 7 years old. Sadly, my parents one day went missing and were never found. Because of that, my life became difficult, leaving me with no relatives, or someone who could help me in my hardship except for the bookseller, who helped me till I stood on my two feets.

Staring at the bookseller, I could see his straight and silky blonde hair from the back of his head.

Silence filled the place, to light up and perish the empty atmosphere. I said, “So, how’s the shop going lately?”

“As usual” I didn’t know what this as usual is but okay.

“By the way, what do you put on your face?”

“Pardon?” He turned around, giving me a good glimpse of his pale skin and charming face that could bewitch the ladies. Damn, here no one would ever think about looking at me.

“I mean, your face looks as young as it was two decades ago. What’s the secret?”

“You can call it reverse aging,”

“You can’t hide that secret forever. One day I will find out.”

“Keep on trying, I believe you will.”

The bookseller, with that face, looked around 30 years old. But if twenty-four years were to be added up. By now, he might be 50 years old.

After arranging the books, accordingly. He came and sat beside me, taking the book from my hand.

“Did you read the entire book?” he said with an awestruck expression. Then, the most awaited question came out of my mouth.

“Next version?”

“It pains me to tell you, but this is the last version I receive from the author.”

I hurriedly said, “That’s not good. Haven’t you met the author this month? Did you ask about the next version?”

He shook his head in a negative but then paused as if something clicked in his mind, “Right, there was a message that I forgot to deliver to you from the author.”

I was focused and more attentive than ever before in my life. A message for me from the author? It would be a privilege for me to hear what he has to say.

“Go on”

He narrated the author’s words while staring at the book in hand. “The story from now on will be differ from the versions you have read; however, the next version will be available soon, but there is a surprise,”

I looked at him curiously. “What kind of surprise?”

 “This time, you will discover the version yourself instead of receiving it directly.”

I beat my brains out, discovering the 100th version of the book myself. The author is trying to play a game now. How interesting. But there’s still one question: when will the book be available for me to begin this game?

“Is there anything else he told you?”

“Nothing else”

“The author’s words are somewhere diffuseness, aren’t they? Seems like an introvert, not likely to express his words.”

“Seems like you”

“At least, I do. Explain better”

Bookseller, then stares at the last page, and murmurs, “Maybe the answer will be known slowly.”

“What are you murmuring?”

 “It’s nothing. By the way, how was your day at the company you work at?”

The question penetrated my heart, and the fresh wound, slightly healed, burst open again. A gloomy face arises on the surface of my face.

He was waiting for my answer; I rubbed the back of my neck with a blue and downhearted voice; I told him. “Got fired”

“Oh! Why is that?”

I didn’t want to talk about it, making sure whatever happened in the company just buzzed off my mind. To explain the bookseller, I needed to explain with a single word, which was on my mind for a very long time.

“Corruption”

Bookseller nodded, understanding how companies are nowadays.

Silent spread, nothing came to mind like it turned blank. After a short period of silence, Afterwards, broken by the bookseller.

“You remember how you always wanted to convince me to go outside, but I always declined.”

 I remember the rarest thing to the point it was the most impossible thing for me to witness. ‘Seeing the bookseller outside the shop.’

Not even once, I caught him even crossing through the door and venturing into the outer world. I always asked him to go outside the shop, and he always said,

-          If I went outside, the world would have to suffer.

I took his words lightly. Not only me, but anyone would. Is he some sort of criminal? It makes no sense, but the way he says it is as if he wants to start the fifth Mar-vendora war.

“So, I was thinking, why not I give you a surprise today?”

I replied, taking a guess, “You’re going to go outside”. It might not boost my mood, but for now, a faint smile appeared on my face.

However, I was both wrong and correct. “Yes, but” his complicated expression was hard to read. He added, “There’s another surprise.”

Today seems like an odd day.

“My ears are all up.”

“well---”

Before he could tell, there were shouts outside. People outside could be seen through the window of the shop, and their voice reaches inside.

“What’s all of this commotion?” I got up and headed towards the door. While holding the knob, I heard the bookseller telling me. “Be careful, perhaps, there might be hell outside.”

Hell outside? I lightly laughed and remarked, “Even if it’s hell, it doesn’t concern me.”

“Are you sure you can survive it?”

“Absolutely, I can.”

What does he mean by that?

I head out, my head turned straight, only to be faced by a blinding light. The eyelids went shut, protecting my eyes from getting harmed.

What’s this light? I asked inwardly.

I had already taken a few steps outside and stopped. Suddenly, the light that could be sensed even after closing my eyelids dimmed.  

Taking this opportunity, the eyelids fell apart, and my field of view became clear. The rain had stopped, but the clouds remain. I don’t know why but...

My eyes went wide, and my mouth was half open. I couldn’t believe my eyes. “What the hell is going on?”