A Helping Hand and Bookstore at Mundek

Mundek was an ancient town, surreal in its beauty. Every pair of eyes saw it differently, but those who could see beauty chose to live there, while others passed through without a second glance. Over the years, its architecture evolved, its population changed, but its soul remained untouched. At its heart stood a beloved bookstore—a living relic preserved across generations.

The store had once belonged to Alo Apache, a respected board member of the community and its last private owner. When he died suddenly without an heir, the townspeople took over. Fearing the government might raze the building for commercial use, they placed it up for sale under one condition: the buyer must preserve its history, architecture, and cultural essence. Until a suitable buyer came along, the townspeople took turns maintaining it.

Two weeks later, a young woman named Laura stepped through its doors. A recent graduate in cultural studies, she had no interest in joining her father’s corporate world where everything was a business transaction and nothing more. She craved something authentic—a place to anchor her ideals. The moment she entered the store, she felt an inexplicable pull.

The volunteer on duty, startled by her interest, quickly recovered. “You’ll have to speak with the board members. I’ll call them now. In the meantime, please look around.”

Once she agreed, he went into the office to call Jalen, a board member. Jalen was shocked to hear the news and asked what she looked like. The volunteer glanced out of the office to take a second look and described her as “modern, fit, wearing an ethnic top with jeans, energetic, attractive, and with loose brown hair.”

Laura wandered through the aisles. Dusty tomes and relics whispered stories to her. She paused at a shelf lined with miniature sculptures—figures around a pot, each capturing scenes of a once-forgotten tale. She traced a finger over one.

“That shelf tells the story of the town’s ancestors,” the volunteer said softly. “It may date back a century. Our main condition—this store must remain as is.”

“I understand,” Laura replied. “Art is humanity in physical form. To destroy it is to erase a soul.”

He nodded, impressed. “The board will meet you at 5 p.m. here. Until then, maybe explore the town. It has much to show.”

Laura assured him she would be early. On her way out, she saw a young man shelving books and thought to ask him for suggestions.

“Hi, nice to meet you. I’m Nova. I heard you might be buying this place.”

“I hope so,” she smiled. “Know any good food or places to visit?”

“Sure. mind if I’m your guide?”

They wandered downtown. Nova pointed out local spots, adding rich backstories to each. Over lunch, he shared that he too struggled with his father, Nodin—another board member.

“But why buy a place in a fading town when you could travel the world? They don’t care for you except for their principles.”

“Because this place speaks to me. It feels like home. I want to keep those cultures and principles alive in this world rather than spend life chasing thrills.”

Nova frowned. “You’re living in a world created by some professor. But this town has teeth.”

“And maybe I’m just stubborn enough to love it anyway. I’m grateful for your kindness, but I don’t need preaching. Thank you—I can explore the town myself,” she countered.

The friendly feeling she had took a step back as she stepped away from him to continue exploring alone. Wherever she went, her eyes saw beauty.

By 4:40, Laura returned to the store. Inside, three board members—Jalen, Kevin, and Nodin—sat waiting in the office. The fourth chair remained empty, honoring Alo. She knocked on the door and entered with a greeting, introducing herself.

“Why are you interested in this store?” Jalen asked.

“I love anything—or anyone—that doesn’t harm others. That’s why I love this community from the moment I stepped in… no, from the moment I learned about it. This store feels like a calling, and I will take care of it like Earth takes care of us.”

Kevin, skeptical, leaned forward. “What three principles does our community follow?”

“Empathy, helping others, and rejecting greed—these are taken from ‘Mother Earth.’”

“Where are you from? Who are your parents?”

“Louisville. My mother passed when I was young. My father… we don’t share values.”

Nodin interjected gently. “If you promise never to demolish anything here without our consent, we will consider you.”

She agreed. They asked her to return tomorrow morning for their decision. As she was leaving, Nodin asked if she had a place to stay for the night. She told them about the hotel and left. That night, the board members discussed, and while Kevin voiced his suspicions, Nodin and Jalen couldn’t convince him. So, they called a community to vote late that night.

The next day, Laura arrived early. Nova opened the store for her. She sat near the door, reading until the board arrived. Ten chapters later, they walked in. She joined them in the office.

Nodin started, “We’ve decided to trust you.”

Hearing those words, she momentarily spaced out with happiness. Kevin’s voice brought her back. “We’re considering giving you a three-month trial. Based on your behavior, we’ll decide afterward.”

She requested a discount.

“We’ll talk after three months,” Jalen said firmly. They shook hands. She noticed matching scars on their hands but said nothing.

They handed her the keys and left. Nova volunteered to help that day. She told him to start dusting shelves on the partial floor.

With a smile, he said, “Great. Once I’m done, you’ll see your reflection on the wood.”

She smiled and started cleaning the main floor, still wondering about the scars but didn’t ask. They talked and worked together, and the friendly feeling steeped back in. Later, a man stepped into the store.

She walked toward him, greeted him, and asked what he was looking for.

“Hi, I’m Mathew. I take it you’re the new owner of this store. Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, is it that obvious?” she asked.

“It’s not a big town. Everyone’s talking about you—and they say you’re attractive. Seeing you now, I think that word doesn’t do you justice.”

“That’s sweet. What did you want to ask?”

“In the last two weeks, I’ve worked here a few times. It felt like a path in my life. If you can give a job to someone without much experience but who’s a hard worker, I’m ready.”

She kindly declined, but he offered to work for free for the first month. She couldn’t resist and agreed. “Okay, you can start tomorrow. I have help today. I’ll pay you next month for this one. See you in the morning.”

That evening, Nova invited her to dinner with friends. They laughed, drank (except her), and she made sure everyone got into cabs safely before walking to her hotel. Texted the realtor about the house requirements and fell asleep.

The next morning, Nova messaged “immedialty, come to the store”. When she arrived, police were there informing board member’s and other’s that Alo had been murdered.

Even before she could speak, Kevin shouted angrily, “Here she is! I told you she was an earthquake sent to destroy us. Let the police take her!”

“I didn’t do anything!” she insisted.

Jalen calmed the room. “Alo was killed before she arrived. The blood and missing book suggest someone is seeking the Nahasdzaan Oninj.”

She was shocked. A few people started murmuring, “What about the incident last night?”

“I told you—it wasn’t her,” Nova said, loud and clear. “A guy attacked me. She was the one who took care of us yesterday. A caring person doesn’t do such things.”

“True,” Mathew added. “When I offered to work for free, she insisted on paying me later. She doesn’t kill, steal, or attack.”

Privately, the board questioned Laura. She admitted reading about the Nahasdzaan Oninj—it was a gift from Mother Earth to save the town from drought. She also confirmed her whereabouts during the incident.

“We don’t have enough proof to show she’s involved, but until further notice, this store will be closed. Everyone, go home and keep an eye on your families. You,” said Kevin, pointing at Laura, “hand over the keys.”

She wanted to convince them to keep the store open, but the rumors had spread too far. She thought it best to speak with them once things calmed down. She handed over the keys and walked out. Nova followed and said he would speak with his father to help get the keys back.

Wandering the streets, ignoring her texts, she bumped into Mathew.

“You look lost. Let’s grab food. I’ll explain.”

Over dinner, Mathew revealed a legend. “Centuries ago, during a deadly drought, the tribal leader Tecumseh prayed. A few days later, he fainted from dehydration. Mother Earth appeared in his dream and gave him a clay pot, warning never to be greedy. The pot produced limitless food—anything grown on Earth—when activated with a few drops of blood from a specific lineage. It saved the people, so they called it Nahasdzaan Oninj, meaning ‘Mother Earth’s Hand.’ It was passed down through generations, along with control granted by the bloodline.”

“Two decades ago, a board member requested blood to get gold from the pot. When denied, he gathered followers by promising unlimited gold. They began forcibly taking blood from the townspeople. The streets were painted with blood. Alo along with the other members fought him hard and won by killing him. Alo hid the pot and left clues in a now-missing book.”

Laura believed him, especially recalling the board’s scars. She had questions, but he said it wasn’t the right time and that his help was needed to find the killer. He walked her to her hotel. “As an outsider, you’re safe. Call me if you need anything.” He shared his number, hugged her, and left.

She went to her room and fell asleep. When she woke, it was almost dark. She saw a message from a realtor about a house. Curious, she went to the realtor’s office for a tour, but he was leaving. She convinced him to give her the keys so she could tour the house alone.

Inside, nostalgia swept over her. The house was small, dusty, and needed renovations, but she felt attached to it. In the basement, she noticed all was dirty—except a tiny wooden sculpture on the wall. When she touched it, a hidden door opened to a secret room containing old books, boxes, and a clay pot in the corner.

Suddenly—boom. Loud footsteps above.

She quickly closed the hidden door and hid under a blanket. Through a hole, she saw a man in black clothing with a hood and cap walk toward the secret door and enter. She crept closer and saw him sitting in front of the pot with blood tubes beside him. Believing he was the killer, she grabbed a thick wooden stick and waited. Her hands shook, her heartbeat raced. She tried calming herself with deep breaths—but he heard her. He approached the door.

She swung the stick like a bat, knocking him unconscious. Panicking, she called Nova, but he didn’t answer.

She tied his hands with her scarf and leaned him against the wall. When she removed his hood and cap, she gasped.

Her phone rang.

“Hello? Mathew!. Mathew is the killer! I hit him and tied him up. I found him with the blood tubes and the pot. How could he do this?”

Nova on other side “Calm down. Which house are you in? I’ll be there fast. If anything feels unsafe, leave immediately.”

Mathew regained consciousness. “What are you doing here? Why did you hit me?” he asked, pleading to be untied.

“I should be asking you! How did you get this pot and these blood tubes?”

“I’m protecting you. The killer threatened your life.”

“If you’re not the killer, you wouldn’t have to do this!”

He stood. “Yes, I would. We must protect what we love. I chose to protect you. Since I saw you wandering the streets, excited over little things, I began falling for you. There’s no other way.”

She stood, confused. He pulled out a knife from his waistband and cut the scarf. As he neared, he slashed—she dodged, but the blade grazed her left forearm. She tried to flee, but he grabbed her and slammed her against the wall.

“Why? These townspeople are good—and so are you,” she whispered.

“Good people?” he scoffed, pacing. “Good people would’ve saved my mother in the hospital from dying without medical care. Good people would have felt empathy and see’s a loving husband, not a greedy person looking for gold. They ignored their principles when it came to my father and killed him. Now it’s time they suffer. This pot will help me do that.”

“If they failed, then be the one to change it,” she said, reaching for the pot.

He noticed and approached. Squatting before her, he said, “Don’t do it. I really like you. I don’t want to kill you.”

She turned on speakerphone—Nova was still listening and shouting. Mathew was momentarily distracted by his shouting. In that blink, she grabbed the pot and threatened to smash it if he didn’t back off. Fearing Nova’s arrival, he pretended to yield—but stabbed her foot which made her grip loosen, then he swiftly took the pot from her hand.

Suddenly, the pot began pulling Mathew inside like quicksand. He screamed for help. She reached for him, but he vanished. When she put her bloody hand inside, she only found gold.

Nova arrived, ensured she was safe, and took her to the hospital. That night, he gave the pot to the board and explained everything. He asked, “Why did it pull him in and not Laura?”

“Even a helping hand won’t tolerate a greedy heart,” Kevin said. “Mother Earth’s warning was true. But what I don’t understand is—whose blood triggered the pot? Is Alo’s descendant still alive?”

“Is it Laura? We thought "Alo" lost her on that bloody night,” Nodin said.

The room fell silent.

Mystery continues in this town, but greed never will.