The Library Of Time

How did I come here?

I have used many libraries in my time, to borrow books and read books, and sometimes have a cup of tea and cake.

I would meet people and chat, do research, ask questions, and usually get them answered but this was different,

I was the only one in this library and the corridors of bookshelves crossed each other at right angles like a series of modern city streets.

I don't remember leaving home or wanting to go to the library, I have three local libraries but none like this.

Libraries have librarians, reception and entrances, nit this one was just corridors of bookshelves crisscrossing each other and disappearing into the distance and also stretching unbelievably high.

I had never seen anything like this, but I felt small and lost.

I walked down a corridor of books and picked out a volume, it was a hardback bound in leather but with no apparent title. I opened it and every page was empty, I couldn't tell if this was new or ancient. I flipped through it again and there was nothing in this volume. Whether it was a notebook or diary I could not tell but why would there be an empty book in a library?

I replaced it and picked out the next one and that was the same. I then went to the next cross corridor and picked out another one. This was blank too.

I had made the assumption that this was a library because it was row upon row of bookshelves and cases, but there were no notices to say it was a library. Then I noticed something else odd, there were no named sections. Libraries have Science, Fiction, Non-Fiction, and lots more, but this was row upon row, corridor upon corridor of books.

The corridors seemed to go on forever. As I wandered I realised that I didn't feel thirsty or hungry, and I didn't feel tired, just confused.

I picked out another book, the binding was the same as the blanks that I had seen, but the title seemed strange, just a string of numbers in gold letters:

1946:11:09:12:33:56:540131,238441

Something touched my shoulder and it felt like an electric shock. There was a creature but its face was a blank and it only had two fingers, but it spoke to me.

Creature: "You have passed the test. You have done well. You have persevered and found your first record"

Me: "Where am I? What is this I am holding?"

I hadn't opened the book yet, I was still wondering about what was written on the cover and spine.

Creature: "You are in what is known as 'The Library Of Time". Everything that happens on the surface of our world is recorded here, and you are holding one of those records"

Me: "What do those figures mean?"

Creature: "That is quite simple, they are the time down to the second and a map reference of where the events recorded take place. Take a look inside and see how we record all that happens in this world"

I looked at the books on the shelves in this section and saw that each spine had similar numbers on them.

I opened the book and saw in tiny handwritten notes what had happened at that place (Barley Church). The book detailed the comings and goings of people, praying, lighting candles, and tending graves. Lots of miniscule events were recorded, but I was not sure what this was for and who recorded this.

Me: "What is this, and who is recording all these events?"

Creature: "All things must be recorded and cannot be forgotten. We are charged by our higher power to maintain this library"

Me: "I saw a lot of blank books, what are they for?"

Creature: "They are the ones that you will be using for your recordings, while you are here"

Me: "Pardon, I didn't sign up for this, in fact I don't know how I got here"

Creature: "You were chosen when you passed on, this is where you will be for the forseeable future"

Me: "No way, I'm not doing it"

Creature: "You have no choice, you will stay here until you complete your recordings. You will be shown visions and you will write them in the books. You are not the only one. When you have completed your tasks you will be allowed to move on"

Me: "Move on to where?"

Creature: "That depends on how you lived your life, but if you weren't evil it is likely to be The Good Place"

I stood there in shock. Was this Purgatory? How would this play? How long would I be here?

I really didn't know

I was now alone, waiting for something to happen so I could work towards leaving this place.

A screen appeared and I was holding a book and pen. The book was titled, so I started to write down what I was seeing on the screen.