The Central Library

The frozen wilderness was silent. Adalyn felt like she had been walking for hours. How did she get here? Where was she, and where was she going? Something was very wrong. The forest felt... off. A fog drifted over the landscape, making it nearly impossible to find her way.

Step by step, Adalyn moved forward, careful not to make a wrong turn. The ground's elevation was hard to judge, and she couldn't afford a dangerous fall. She was completely alone. Her only option was to keep moving. Darkness was falling. If she couldn't find any landmarks or a sense of direction soon, she wouldn't make it.

Determined, Adalyn dropped to her knees beneath the misty fog and began examining the ground. She spotted tracks in the snow. After what felt like hours of crawling, she found her first glimmer of hope.

Large animal tracks cut through the snow, all heading in one direction. With nothing else to guide her, she trusted that nature knew something she didn’t. Rising to a hunched posture, she began following the trail as it wound through the endless wilderness. At last, the trail led to a flowing stream.

Capitalizing on the small victory, Adalyn stumbled to the water and cupped handfuls to quickly gulp down. Renewed, she felt a sense of strength and motivation. As she scanned her surroundings, she noticed the fog lifting. Adalyn took in the oddly familiar landscape. Her options had seemed limited, but now she had one:  the river flowed down into a valley. It wasn’t much to go on, but she decided to follow the river downstream and see where it led. Where there was running water and valleys, there might be some sign of civilization nearby.

Adalyn followed the winding river into the valley. The trek took much longer than she had estimated from her spot near the hilltop. The vast landscape stretched for miles. Eventually, the wilderness began to clear. The darkness began to recede as a warming light revealed a large village in the middle of the valley. 

Exhausted, Adalyn pressed on, fueled by adrenaline to reach the village. The edge of the village was worn down, with buildings falling apart and nature reclaiming the outskirts. But as she walked further down the street towards the village center, she could see the town was full of life. There were people everywhere.

Something still seemed strange. The deeper she went into the village, the more she realized it was much larger than she had thought. "Village" was the wrong word—"city" was more accurate. As she continued to walk, the buildings grew larger, and the streets filled with more people. Adalyn tried several times to talk to the strangers, but most everyone ignored her. Some glanced at her before continuing on their way, while others acted as if she didn't exist. The whole city seemed to be in a hurry.

Feeling dismayed, Adalyn slumped onto a nearby bench. Tears filled her eyes. What was happening? This city felt familiar, but she wasn't sure if she had ever been here before. Then again, she couldn't remember where she was from. Her blurry eyes cleared, focusing on a large building in the middle of the city. It suddenly stood out to her. She wiped her eyes and looked more closely at the central area. The building was large and white, with massive pillars supporting it on all sides. Compared to the other buildings, its architecture was grand.

Adalyn gathered herself and tried to calm down. There was nothing else to do but investigate. Whatever this city held for her, she was certain this central building was the key.

Boldly walking through the crowd, she finally reached the building. Wide steps led to massive oak double doors, creating an impressive entrance. To her surprise, no one seemed to notice the building. As soon as she left the street, everything became quiet. It felt like this building was completely isolated. While the rest of the city was a grid of endless streets teeming with people, this place was different. There was something comforting about it. Reaching the doors, Adalyn slowly pushed them open.

Inside, the space was enormous. Ornate marble floors and classic Victorian crown molding decorated the interior. Adalyn stood frozen in awe, taking in the beautiful masterpiece. Balconies lined the high walls, with five or six floors easily. The walls were filled with books. Adalyn couldn't remember the last time she had seen so many books.

“Hello, Adalyn, it’s good to see you.” A woman's voice echoed through the halls.

Adalyn jumped and saw a tall, middle-aged woman standing in front of her. The woman's smile instantly eased Adalyn’s nerves. Her piercing blue eyes seemed to look right into Adalyn’s soul. Gently touching Adalyn’s arm, she said, “You look puzzled. Is there something I can help you find?”

“Where…” Adalyn struggled to find the words. “Do I know you?”

“Of course we know each other. You look like you’ve had quite the adventure. Why don’t you come over to the front desk, and I’ll see what I can do for you.”

Adalyn followed the woman to a large circular desk in the center of the building. The woman moved behind the desk and faced her.

“Now, Adalyn, what can I help you with today?”

“Where am I?”

“This is the central library. All information, past and present, is stored here. This is the main hub for knowledge. I’m the librarian, and I’ll help you find whatever you’re looking for.” The woman smiled warmly. Despite her cordial demeanor, Adalyn could see she looked tired. Her vibrant eyes were weary, and her long, silky brown hair appeared slightly disheveled, as if she had been working a long shift. However, her fancy cream-colored dress was spotless. Adalyn could tell she took great pride in her role as a librarian.

“So…we know each other? From where? I’m sorry, but I don’t remember you.”

“It’s okay, I can tell it’s been a rough day,” the librarian laughed softly. “I think you need a map. Don’t worry, we have extensive maps here. Let me just pull up the most recent one in our database. One moment.”

“I guess a map would help,” Adalyn replied, puzzled.

“Don’t worry, a map will help you find where you need to go and where you came from. It’s the fastest way to assist you.”

The librarian turned to a computer and began typing, searching for maps. Adalyn had no idea what kind of maps the librarian was looking for, but it seemed she genuinely wanted to help. Adalyn decided to see how this played out. Maybe she could actually get some answers here.

A few minutes passed, and Adalyn noticed the librarian was becoming impatient. Tapping multiple keys on her keyboard, she sighed in frustration. “This never used to happen. The database always responded. I apologize for the delay; the system isn’t cooperating. Not to worry, we can do this the old-fashioned way. Let me guide you to the map section of the library.”

Adalyn followed the librarian through what seemed like endless shelves of books, magazines, and every kind of media imaginable. She had never seen such a vast library in her life. After walking for what felt like a long time, she was still puzzled by the absence of people in this magnificent place.

“May I ask, why are we the only people in this library? The streets outside are some of the busiest I’ve ever seen. I would expect this place to be bustling with people.”

The librarian looked back and gave a weary smile. “That’s because they’ve forgotten about this building. They’re so busy trying to save the city. You see, the city is slowly dying. The wilderness is taking over more and more each day, making the city less functional despite everyone’s efforts to stop the spread of nature. They’ve forgotten how important it is to keep the memories of the past and present alive.” She looked down as she walked, deep in thought. Then she stopped and looked at Adalyn almost frantically. “Believe me, I’m trying to keep the central library going, but every day it gets harder. I’ll keep things running as long as I can.”

Adalyn was stunned by the librarian’s dedication. By all accounts, she should move or give up, find a new place to live and another library to maintain if she loved her job that much. Instead, she chose to stay and keep this amazing place running. Adalyn admired her for that.

“You’re doing a great job. This is the most impressive library I’ve ever seen. I imagine I could find information about anything I need here. Thank you for helping me.” She smiled warmly at this librarian, trying to show her gratitude for the kindness she was showing. 

To her surprise, the librarian bit her bottom lip and put her face in her hands, trying to hide her emotions. “Thank you, Adalyn. That means the world to me. It’s been challenging to keep the library operating properly.” She quickly composed herself and gestured towards another large section of the library. “Follow me. The maps are right over here.”

The map area of the library was impressive. Scrolls of maps filled the shelves, and the aisles were much larger than in other parts of the library. Long tables in the middle allowed people to spread out entire maps to view them fully.

“This place is amazing,” Adalyn gasped, taking in everything. The books, maps—all of it seemed to speak to her. She felt more at home with each passing minute spent at this central library.

“Are you looking to find where you came from or where you're going?”

“I guess where I’m going would be a good start.”

“Good choice,” the librarian smiled. “I think I know just the map.” She walked over to a stack of maps and began thumbing through them.

“Ah, here it is!” She pulled out a large map and carried it to the nearest table, spreading it out.

Adalyn studied the map. It showed a grid of roads, leading to a small town. “I’m not sure if this will help…”

“749 Solus Park…it’s right off of interstate 47.”

Adalyn perked up instantly. “I know that address!”

The librarian smiled. “I should hope so, that’s where you live.”

Adalyn shook her head. “I don’t understand. How could I forget where I live, let alone that I was heading home?”

Rolling up the map, the librarian handed it to her. “Adalyn, you’ve been here before. You were just here last week asking me for a map.”

“I… I don’t understand…”

“Just hold on to this,” the librarian insisted, pressing the map into Adalyn’s arms. “Let it guide you home. But remember, the map is temporary. To truly know where you’re going, you need to be honest with yourself and those you love.”

A sense of revelation came over Adalyn. “I was going home with someone…but not here. I was somewhere else.” Things started to come back to her. Kyle was waiting for her. She wouldn’t leave him behind. As her memories cleared, the surroundings seemed to blur.

“What’s happening?” Adalyn started to panic. Today had been too much.

“It’s okay, Adalyn,” the librarian reassured, grabbing her arm. “You’re going back home now. If you get lost, I’ll do my best to help you remember for as long as I can. I’ll be here with you until the end. Make sure you’re there for those who need you… including yourself.”

Everything became a blur. Adalyn's sense of reality shifted. What was once the library now seemed like nothing more than a fleeting thought. She felt like she was sitting down… somewhere.

“Mom? Mom! Mom!”

Adalyn looked around. She was in her car at Southside Elementary. Kyle was seated next to her, looking concerned and frantic.

“Hey sweetie! How was school?”

“Mom, are you okay? I got in the car and was talking to you, but you were just sitting here in a trance. You were asleep with your eyes open!”

“Sorry, Kyle. Mom’s just a little tired after her shift today.” She smiled and patted Kyle’s leg. “Let’s get you home, and I’ll make you some dinner.”

Kyle seemed to calm down at his mother’s reassuring words and instantly appeared unbothered by what had just happened. For a moment, Adalyn pretended to adjust her seat. Was she okay now? It had been about a week since her last episode. No, she was good now. Her mind was clear. But how long would this last?

She put the car in drive and slowly pulled out of the school. Everything was going to be okay. It was okay to not be okay all the time. She needed to accept what was happening and take action.

“Hey, Kyle, when we get home, why don’t you watch some TV for a half hour. Mom’s going to schedule a doctor appointment with Dr. Summers before dinner.”

“Are you okay, Mom?”

“Nothing to worry about, Kyle. I haven’t been feeling too well, so I’m going to have the doctor help me feel better.” She smiled at her son who had just opened a comic book, completely satisfied with her answer. She would be okay. There was a 7-year-old sitting beside her who needed her. Adalyn would overcome this. No more denial, time for action.

As she drove home, she checked her rear view mirror to switch lanes. The reflection of herself was clear. Adalyn saw the face of the librarian.