I worked every afternoon in that mansion’s library. It had a gloomy appearance with its large Gothic windows, giving the place a sense of mystery but also a certain melancholy. The place had a somewhat unsettling reputation. The owner was a wealthy man who, with all his riches, had amassed a wide variety of books. From cookbooks and novels to books of sorcery, bestiaries, and grimoires. Because of the latter, the townspeople feared him, but the man didn’t seem like a bad person to me. In fact, he felt like a father figure. I had known him for about half a decade, and he always helped me with whatever I needed. Thanks to him, I was also able to go to the capital to study at university.

I was collecting books and from the window, I could see the heavy rain with the flash of lightning faintly illuminating the surroundings. Despite working, the owner allowed me to read some books when I had free time, and now I was reading something to distract myself.

Then, a lightning bolt struck near the place, and the ground shook violently. The loud rumble of the event left me somewhat disoriented and deafened. When I came back to my senses, I saw that some books had fallen due to the impact.

Because of the mess caused by the lightning, I set out to pick up the books that had fallen from the top of the shelves, but first, I went to find a ladder. And so, I did, I picked up the books, two at a time, and climbed to place them back where they belonged.

As I climbed to place the last books, I noticed something strange. Where those books had been, at the top of the shelf, there was some sort of door, or at least it appeared to be one. The old wallpaper was so worn that it revealed it, as if that part could be opened in some way.

I placed the books elsewhere and tried to open that little door, but it was impossible. There was no handle or anything to pull it open.

I could still hear the sound of rain falling like tears from the sky. Tears from some entity superior to us, perhaps observing human actions, either enraged or saddened by the future that lay ahead, tearing the sky with blinding flashes and deafening roars.

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I looked for ways to open that little door. My biggest curiosity was to know what was behind it.

Finally, I managed to open it. I used a wooden ruler that was on the table where I was about to read. When I opened it, out of nowhere, I felt a horrible chill. But there was "nothing," it was so brightly lit that I could only see white everywhere.

Despite this, I felt something calling me. Urging me to enter and move forward. I had the feeling that I shouldn’t, but what else could I do if curiosity had gotten the best of me? I had to know what was in there.

So, I proceeded to enter through that radiant tunnel.

As I entered, I crawled. The floor and walls were completely smooth, and somehow, the tunnel began to enlarge, but it was imperceptible to the eye because everything was white. How was this possible? Moments ago, there were walls on either side, but now there weren’t. Now I could stand, and I couldn’t feel any walls nearby.

I looked back, and everything was the same. I was confused, and it seemed like there was no way to return. But, for some strange reason that I couldn’t understand, I continued on my way to who knows where, seeking to find something that I didn’t even know what it was.

As I advanced, I had strange sensations. I felt like I was being watched by someone or something, and I felt horrible tingling in my limbs. I was feeling exhausted, my vision was blurring, perhaps from dehydration. I had no idea how many hours I had been wandering aimlessly. But I couldn’t stop, I had to reach the end, I couldn’t rest without knowing what was at the end.

Finally, there was a change, the place began to darken. Slowly, the place was finally engulfed in darkness. I couldn’t even see myself, and I hadn’t brought any lamp, but I kept walking, straight ahead, always forward.

The sensations of being watched, and the pain grew stronger, I could barely breathe, I was out of air. I was walking with the last bit of strength I had left.

I bumped into something. It was a door. I knew it because it seemed to have its own glow, clearly visible in that deep, cold darkness. With my remaining strength, I grabbed the handle and opened it.

When I looked through the door, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was something majestic. Something I had never seen before, a celestial scene that exceeded all my expectations. Vivid, bright colors mixed with ethereal shapes. A sensation of perfect harmony filled my being. It was a place that surpassed my limited understanding of this world.

Finally, I could see what lay behind the door. With a smile on my face and my curiosity satisfied, I lay down on the cozy ground. I looked at the sky, feeling happy. The grandeur of this place had completely captivated me. I closed my eyes and rested.

In the reception area, the owner was looking for the young man. He needed him for a task. He searched and searched but couldn’t find him. He remembered that in the morning, the young man had mentioned he would go to the library. For that reason, he decided to look for him there. He didn’t find him.

Then, he passed by the place where the young man had left the ladder to place the books on the shelf. The wallpaper on the wall was intact, the ruler still on the shelf.

Only the young man had disappeared.