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The Last Custodian

Le dernier gardien

By Khalid laakikiPublished about a year ago 1 min read

In a world bathed in the glow of omnipresent screens, where knowledge is a mere click away, Elias is an anachronism. A librarian. But not just any librarian. He is the last guardian of a dying breed - physical books.

The Great Transition, as they called it, had swept the world in a tidal wave of digitalization. Libraries became relics, their contents deemed obsolete in an age of instant gratification. Yet, amidst the digital deluge, Elias found solace and purpose in the quiet sanctuary of his library.

Now, it is more than just a place of books; it's a fortress, a lifeline to a past humanity seems determined to forget. The towering shelves hold within them the collective wisdom of centuries, a treasure trove of human experience, art, and thought. But there are those who see this knowledge as a threat, a power to be controlled.

As the world outside grows increasingly reliant on algorithms and data, Elias finds himself under siege. Mysterious figures, cloaked in shadows, are closing in on his library. Their motives are unclear, but their intent is chillingly obvious: to silence the echoes of the past.

Armed with little more than his encyclopedic knowledge and a stubborn refusal to surrender, Elias stands as the last line of defense. The fate of human history rests on his shoulders. With every passing day, the stakes rise, and the line between protector and hunted blurs.

ClassicalMicrofictionPsychologicalStream of ConsciousnessShort Story

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