A lost book

"A history of the Neanderthals! Would you read the title for once, Kresimir?"

Kresimir shrugged and smiled mischievously, "I don't know, Alan. I thought I was supposed to just write about it."

Alan rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless. Cheeky bastard. He wouldn't stop talking, would he? Who would've thought that both of these weirdos would get along so well?

"You need to read something to write," Alan said as he glanced at the titles of books before him.

"Then I'd love to write about you," Kresimir said with a smirk.

Alan's cheeks turned pink, and he avoided Kresimir's piercing. He had to concentrate. They had a project to complete. The project's deadline was the day after tomorrow while others did their projects sincerely. Alan and Kresimir spent their days in anything other than completing the project tasks. He would have said wasted, but any time spent with Kresimir would be one of the best time he would ever have. 

"Look into my eyes, dearest. I know we are in a hurry, but-" Before Kresimir could complete his sentence, the footsteps were heard. 

The Librarian stood with a stern look on her face, "Be quiet and hurry up. Only an hour is left."

Both of them nodded and focused on searching the books needed for the Indus valley civilization, the last piece of their project.

Kresimir scoured through the titles of the books that were on the top shelves. Alan meticulously read the title, as well as the index of the books. The information they found was a repeated one. Finally, as they went through the whole section of the books, their faces fell. It was as though that this code, their language, was almost indecipherable, just like an enigma. While Alan's namesake cracked the German 'Enigma,' he didn't feel he could do anything like Turing. Alan leaned on the wall in the section where Kresimir stood, his eyes closed.

"Found anything ?" Alan asked him.

Kresimir shook his head and sighed. "I never thought after making all this progress in our field, any language could remain undeciphered." 

Kresimir put his hand behind his back. His eyes widened immediately.

"What happened?" Alan asked, curiosity glooming In his eyes. 

Kresimir shrugged and turned, examining the wall. It had a small holder that probably what to work as a lamp holder. Alan scanned the surrounding. Two pillars stood, but they made no significance as such. He touched a pillar, and gripped it for a moment or two. The lamp holder moved, and a small drawer took its place. He looked at Kresimir, whose eyebrows were raised.

"It's asking for a password, isn't it?" kresimir asked as he examined the drawer. 

"It is. I don't think I can find it, though!"

Kresimir furrowed his eyebrows and patted Alan's shoulder. "I am sure you will, once we find a clue."

Alan didn't say anything but began searching for a clue. 

"Værst år i menneskets historie!" 

Alan looked at Kresimir, started.

"Where did you see that, Kresi?"Kresimir pointed at the inscription on the pillar. 

"Let me see, "Alan said, pushing kresimir aside, "It's in Danish. It means the worst year in human history!"

" I didn't know you could speak Danish!" Kresimir exclaimed.

" Well-I- learnt it for -"Alan stuttered, his face reddened. 

"For?" Kresimir pushed for more, with his knowing and teasing smirk on his beautiful face.

"Let's focus on the task in our hands. " 

Kresimir looked at Alan for a long time but nodded eventually.

"2020?", nothing happened. "530 AD?"

The wall creaked and moved aside. A dark room appeared in front. Alan moved forward, but a shiver went through his spine. His gut was telling him to stay away from the room. He looked at Kresimir, who had that determined look on his face. How could Alan leave? What if Kresimir was going to stay and investigate? No, to had to move forward. And so he did. He was expecting a dark dungeon that some mysterious cult used. But when he entered the room, it was just like part of the library with the books. On some tables, some sections cooking well-maintained while others looked like they had little to no visitors. 

"Alan!" He heard kresimir whisper-shout.

" Look at this!" He said urgently, handing him a book. 

When Alan read the title, he couldn't believe his own eyes. " It can't be!" He exclaimed to observed the book and went through it briefly. "Love's Labours won! By the gods, it can't be it's the lost play of Shakespeare!" 

"Doesn't look lost to me."

And next to was it was Kundalkesi, the translated version of a lost Tamil poetry.

"Does that mean!?" Both of them said at the time.

They hurried to find the history section of the library. As they to the Indus Valley civilization and they found what they have expected to see. A real-life diary entry of a traveller translated to modern English.

***

"May I enter, professor?"

Professor Enfield looked at him through her glasses. "You may, Alan."

Alan entered, only to find Kresimir sat in one of the chairs. He raised his eyebrows, silently asking him if he knew anything. Kresmir shrugged.

"Professor, is something wrong regarding our project?" 

Professor shook her head.

"No. But I have to ask you to remove the last part of your project." 

Alan narrowed his eyes. Something was fishy. He thought the Professor would be happy to read that part she loved to talk about civilization. How pleased she'd be to find out that it was as advanced as today's world! But have she was, asking to remove it? Did Kresimir write the correct bibliography?

"Why, professor? We have cited the book as well. We found it in that section of our library. It was creepy with passwords and all."

The professor scanned both the boys and sighed like she was disappointed with them.

"I think you do know the reason. The book you have cited is a lost one. Most historians think it doesn't even exist!" 

"But we found it in our library. It isn't lost anymore, is it?"

"It is for the rest of the world-"

"Why?"

"Because they don't want anyone else to see it," Kresimir replied and turned his sad gaze to Alan. "Think about it. Why did that civilization, so advanced, fall behind with the rest of the world!"

"Ignoring nature! That's what we are doing right now! The information would be useful, wouldn't it?"

Kresimir shook his head, "It'd just change the timeline. It won't help us in the long term!".

Alan glanced at both of them. Were they right? What if this was the only way? Alan took a deep breath and nodded.

**

 Alan looked at the heights of the waves. His worst fear came true, as the human race was on the brink of extinction. He glanced at Kresimir.  

"What would have happened if we didn't delete that part ?"

 "I don't know. But having you in my arms is all I care about."

Alan blushed and swatted his arm. "Ow! Don't hit me. I'm an old man!"

"So am I. "

Both of them hugged each other. Alan heard Kresimir's heartbeats, which calmed him, made him ready for whatever they were going to face.

Just then, they heard a strange noise. When Alan opened his eyes, they found a helicopter-like object near them.

"Get in!" A voice screeched.

"Professor Enfield? How is that possible?" Alan asked, his eyes widened.

"How else did I think we had all those lost books?"