The Vanishing Guides

Margot owned The Gilded Page, a quaint bookstore tucked away on a cobbled side street, its windows brimming with antique tomes and sun-faded poetry. Patrons knew Margot as quiet and clever, the sort of person who could find you the right book even if you could not name it. It has been a family business since her great-grandfather opened in the 1880s.

But what no one else knew—what not even her closest friends suspected—was that behind a shelf of encyclopedias, a hidden door led to a room that had belonged, for generations, to the secret society known as the Cartographers' Circle. Only those within the Circle knew that it was given by a knowledge keeper.

At first glance, it's just a regular stockroom. She fills the box with inventory and occasionally works on a small antique desk, finishing her business accounts. Next, a small break room with the usual fridge and microwave. Even some employees who have been there for years are unaware that something extraordinary occurs there.

But the desk holds a secret in plain sight. Only the circle member knows how to read the secret code. The code leads to a sequence that opens the hidden room. Even some people have suggested that she should get rid of that old crappy desk. It is dull and has lots of scratch marks.

But the desk is a key to a secret world. They do not have the importance of that desk to the world. The hidden room looks nothing like the plain stock and tearoom. She loves being the protector of this secret world. She hopes that people never realise how vital that desk is.

The secret room was Margot's inheritance. It smelled of cedar and ink, its walls lined with maps, peculiar artifacts, and a locked glass case filled with slim volumes: the society's guides. These guides were more than books—they contained knowledge of hidden places, forgotten histories, and the secret paths between worlds. Only the most trusted Circle members ever saw them.

Most people are unaware that volumes are stored in what appears to be an ordinary bookstore. People browse the shelves, buying thlatestst boo Some of humanity's most crucial information is directly under their feet. People just view young women who run a suburban bookstore, and they do not look twice at her.

One rainy morning, as the city slept under a silver mist, Margot unlocked the secret door to perform her usual ritual of dusting, cataloguing, and simply being among the quiet treasures of the Circle. It was a typical Sunday morning, and the shop was closed. She loves spending time with them.

She told people she visited the store to do a tocktake and some paperwork. Luckily, no one has even questioned her on this. She stopped receiving any Sunday invitations as she started to take over the store from her Grandfather. They know the answer would not change regardless of the event. They teased her, calling her old-fashioned or a workaholic.

But today, something was different. The glass case stood open, its lock dangling uselessly. Inside, where the guides should have been stacked in their careful order, there was nothing but dust and the faintest imprint of vanished volumes. Therey must be a terrible mistake. She is the only one with the key.

Margot's heart stuttered. She checked every shelf, every drawer, every secret compartment. The guides were gone. She pinched herself. She was sure she had had this nightmare numerous times. But today it was real. Er's family has collected and protected these documents for centuries. She has barely been in charge of them for a year, and all that information is gone.

She pressed a trembling hand to her lips, recalling the last Circle gathering—a month ago, laughter echoing in the hidden room, candlelight flickering over the old maps. Only four people had been inside since then: Mrs. Ellery, the retired historian; Thomas, the young linguist; Professor Goodwin, always scribbling in a black notebook; and Margot herself.

Margot closed her eyes, remembering her grandfather's words: "The guides protect and must be protected. If they disappear, follow the clues—they will always leave a trail." Only a few people actually know that guides exist. It is her role to protect them, and she failed at their task. Now she remembers every single thing her family taught her.

Setting her jaw, Margot searched for anything amiss. A slip of parchment on the floor caught her eye. On it, a single sentence, written in cipher—the Circle's code. Margot fetched her notebook, deciphered the message, and felt a strange mix of dread and hope: "The path is hidden where the stories cross, beneath the oldest tale."

Knowing what she must do, Margot hurried back into the bookshop. She knelt beneath the central table, where a first edition of "The Odyssey" rested atop stacks of folktales—her grandfather's favourite arrangement. Sliding the table aside, she found a loose floorboard. Underneath, a hollow space. She believed that he was the only person who knew that.

Inside, one guide remained, its cover embossed with the Circle's sigil. Tucked within was a note: "We had to move quickly. Trust no one. The Circle is not unbroken." It was in my grandfather's handwriting. That does not make sense. Was this some sort of test.?She kept pinching to confirm that it was not a horrible nightmare.

But now, for the first time in her life. She started to question if she could fulfil her destiny. She has prepared for the role of a protector of guides. She remembered spending most of her weekends and school holidays learning about the guides. She would spend hours learning the secret language. She was surprised how quickly she knew it.

Margot gripped the guide, resolve hardening in her chest. The Cartographers' Circle was in danger, and the guides were scattered. But Margot would not let the legacy vanish. She would follow the path, uncover the truth, and return what had been stolen. The bookstore was opened to protect humanity's secrets and knowledge.

For in the world of secrets, stories were both shield and sword—and Margot was ready to wield them. She had centuries of knowledge on her side and drew on her grandfather's wisdom. She now has to follow the clues. The whole world is under threat. The world needs her to save it.