…A door?

It was in quite a strange location. It was awkwardly placed on one of the square pillars that functioned as a support beam for the building, and it faced one of the bookshelves in a way that would make it difficult to enter or exit. She had only noticed it because it was slightly ajar… and there was a strange faint glow emitting from the crack. None of the other pillars she walked past during these hours had a door, and they were so narrow. It seemed pointless to have a door there. Curiosity tugged at her.

Rose cautiously approached, and now that she was closer she could see its details more clearly. It looked ancient. The library itself was ancient of course, but its appearance had been modernized. This door was a clumsy contrast to its surroundings. The mere glimpse of its weathered appearance stirred something within her. She marveled at the ornate carvings that decorated the doorframe, intricate patterns etched with precision, telling tales of craftsmanship from centuries past. Her fingers grazed the surface of the door, tracing the patterns etched upon its timeworn facade. She felt drawn to it somehow. She hesitated for a moment, her hand lingering near the aged brass doorknob, before summoning the courage to push it open, revealing the mysteries that lay beyond.

With a creak of protesting hinges, the door swung open, awkwardly knocking into the nearby bookshelf.

What…

the…

The scene before her was impossible. This pillar could only be a maximum of four feet long, but this door had opened into a spacious room with candles and books adorning its walls. It defied all understanding of the world. Rose stood there in the doorway, shocked at what she was witnessing. She didn’t know what to think. She bent to look down the side of the pillar, trying to comprehend how this could ever be the case. Despite her confusion, something was pulling her to explore this strange phenomenon. She was hesitant, but this room’s presence somehow didn’t trigger even an ounce of her anxiety. Rose took a careful step inside, the dusty wooden floorboards creaking under her weight.

The air inside was heavy with the scent of aged parchment. The shelves, cut from sturdy oak, sagged under the weight of ancient large books. Dust particles danced in the streams of light emitted from the candles all around, casting an ethereal glow upon the shelves within the room. It appeared untouched by the passage of time, as if she had just walked through a portal into the past.

What is this place…..

In awe, Rose stepped into the center of the chamber, her senses immersed in the ambiance. She focused her attention on one of the walls, her fingertips trailed delicately across the spines of the books, each whispering its own tale, enticing her with their strange characters etched into leather. As she walked, her eyes settled on one in particular among the volumes. Though coated in dust, she could see it was a deep royal blue adorned with faded symbols and enigmatic patterns. Rose gently lifted the book from its resting place, cradling it in her arms as if embracing a hidden treasure. The book exuded an aura of mystique, an unknown language on its worn cover. As she cradled it, she was amazed to feel her palms tingling wildly.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Woah…

The pages crackled with age as she opened the strange book. Characters she had never seen before were inscribed on each page. Cryptic illustrations danced across the yellowed parchment. Rose's eyes darted across the text, her curiosity piqued by the secrets contained within its pages.

“…..GrRrrrRrrrRrrr”

Rose was suddenly startled by a faint, unnerving noise.

It started as a low, guttural growl that reverberated through the room, sending shivers down her spine. The noise grew louder, becoming a sinister rumble that seemed to echo from within the depths of the chamber.

Her curiosity was instantly replaced with fear, her thoughts racing. What could be making such a ghastly sound? Her imagination conjured images of lurking shadows, unseen horrors lurking just beyond her sight. Panic surged through her veins, urging her to flee. Rose hastily slammed the book shut and stumbled backward, knocking over a small table, sending ancient artifacts crashing to the floor. As the noise from the fallen objects mingled with the eerie growls, Rose's instinct to survive overrode all thoughts. She turned on her heels and sprinted towards the chamber's exit, her footsteps echoing.

The sound pursued her, seeming to grow closer with each step. It was an otherworldly chorus of growls, hisses, and screeches, filling the air with a malevolent symphony that fueled her terror. Adrenaline surged through her veins, urging her to run faster, to escape the clutches of whatever nightmare was behind her. Finally reaching the safety of the main hall, Rose slammed the ancient door shut behind her, gasping for breath. Any echoes of the unearthly noise stopped the instant the door shut, leaving only the rapid thumping of her heart as a reminder of the harrowing encounter.

Trembling, Rose leaned against the nearby bookshelf, her mind reeling with fear and confusion.

Oh my god… holy shit

What the…

fuck

The noise had shaken her to the core, and she never wanted to find out what the source of those howls were. There was something within the depths of that chamber, and she had idiotically come face-to-face with it.

What the hell was I thinking!?

What animal even was that…

As Rose's racing heartbeat began to steady and her breaths became more controlled, she turned to face the door she had just escaped from.

…WHAT

Her eyes widened in disbelief and her breath caught in her throat.

The door had vanished.

In its place stood nothing but a blank pillar, devoid of any sign that a door had ever been there. It was as if the mysterious chamber had melted away into thin air. Confusion and disbelief washed over Rose as she stared at the empty space. She blinked, rubbed her eyes, and pinched herself to ensure she wasn't trapped in some twisted dream. But the absence of the door remained.

Yet, in her hands, the ancient novel stayed, its weight a tangible proof of the room she had entered. Rose stood there stunned, just staring at the book in her grasp.

I have to get out of here… right now