To acknowledge the Truth is to thirst for more.....

“Damn” she muttered into the silence as she checked her watch. The word cut through the empty silence around her. She grabbed her notebook and phone hurriedly stuffy them and her printouts into her bag. The flashlight fell to the floor leaving her in darkness. She continued to mutter as she slowly made her way back to the door. The dim light of the stars her only guide. She followed the path she’d made through the thick layer of dust that covered the carpeted floor.

She caught the glow from the corner of her eye. Dimly green and possible vibrating. It was odd. Although she had passed that shelf many times, she’d never taken the time to pull books away from it. She, against her better judgement, found her feet cutting a new path through the settled dust toward the glow.

She stared at the book thrown haphazardly on top of the others. Glowing ominously in the darkness. It seemed to be calling to her. She slowly reached for it. Nothing spectacular happened when she touched it. The book was smaller than the others on the shelf; no bigger than her had but it felt too heavy for it’s thickness. Rubbing her hand over the front cover she saw silver embossed words, “To acknowledge the truth is to thirst for more” she read the words aloud giving a shiver as they coursed through her mind.

She turned the small book in her hand. It was old but the leather was still supple and well oiled. The lock that held the book shut was ornate. More ornate than she had ever seen for a book. She traced her finger over it. Dented. She looked harder. Someone had been desperate to open it but seemed to have failed. She traced her finger over the lock one last time.

She was pulled into reality by the sound of her alarm. Muttering a string of curses she dropped the book in her bag and quickly headed to the door. She crossed the threshold into the foyer and made her way to the large oak doors. They clicked loudly behind her as she exited.

Her footsteps were noisy as she crunched across the gravel walkway. She hurried towards the woods. Turning back just before them to look at the house silhouetted against the moonless night sky. Then it happened. A glow surrounded the house pouring through every window. For a moment she saw the house not as the abandoned ruin but as something more beautiful; like for a moment its former glory was visible. The loud bang sent her on her way.

She was running along the well-worn path, yet again cursing herself for knocking the flashlight to the floor. She fell over a wayward branch but managed to pull herself upright. She needed to get to the clearing she’d be able to see if the others had heard it. She stepped into the clearing inhaling deeply. Her heart pounding against her chest and her ears filled with the sound of rushing blood.

It was quiet. It was empty. They others weren’t there. She rumbled through her bag searching for her phone. Her face fell. Shattered. “Damn” she muttered dropping it back. She felt the book and pulled it out. The book still held the green glow as it had in the library only now it was brighter. She sat on a fallen log and looked at it again. She read the words out loud and then examined the lock.

She’d seen it, vaguely, in a dream. However, it had not been on a book but rather on a door.

“It’s not safe for you here.” A voice came out of nowhere, “They will find you.”

Stood up and looked around the clearing. Nothing, just her. She fell back to the log watching a wall of green light encircled the clearing. Then she heard it again, a loud boom and then the ground beneath her feet vibrating.

She sat stunned for a moment. She forced herself into calmness before walking to the wall. She placed her hand on it feeling the energy flow through her. Even though it engulfed her she was unable to exit. She stepped back.

“I told you they would find you.” He said stepping from the shadow of the light. “They are desperate now” He spoke without looking at her.

“Who is trying to find me.” She asked. “ and who are you?”

He turned his black eyes to her forcing them into her soul. She shuddered at the feeling, “Have you not read the book?” he asked.

Her confusion crossed her face. “The book”

“This will hold for now.” He stated as something sounding like large hail pelted itself against the wall of light, “Do you have the book?” he asked his eyes once again on hers.

“What book?” she questioned.

Irritation crossed his features, as he shook his head, “The book the goddess left for you. You must have it if the barrier has been put here to protect you.”

She rummaged through her bag pulling the small glowing book from it. “This book” she said to him, “ I found it today just before this.”

Another pelting of hail vibrated the green wall. He turned to her their faces inches apart, “You have not opened the book”

She thrust it into his chest, “Check for yourself, it was locked but someone tried to open it.”

He backed away from her, “I cannot touch the book, and we cannot stay here.” He looked at her.

“I will not leave until….” She lost her words as the ground shook violently beneath her feet. She lost her balance falling into his chest. Warmth encased her suddenly as she felt his muscles tense to hold the weight she added to him.

She’d felt this before this warmth. A few dreams ago she’d fallen and a shadow had pulled her to her feet. She steadied herself quickly trying to regain her composure. “

“We must leave.” He spoke with urgency now waiting for her. Waiting for a decision she didn’t know she’d have to make.

She started as a hairline crack ran down the wall of green light.

“The house,” she yelled, “It glowed green before I ran here and then the ground vibrated.”

“We must go, it is waiting for you” he said as the fracture grew bigger, “do not lose the book.”

She had barely placed the book in her bag before he had taken her hand and started out of the green light back into the woods. She could feel herself running. Adrenaline and fear the only things keeping her legs moving. She fell over the gravel path, “Aleria,” he said pulling her to her feet. She could feel something behind them, she could hear it. Gravel crunching louder than her weight would allow.

The energy rushed through her as they passed through the barrier. She turned to see the shadow as it hit the wall. A scream pierced the air, she covered her ears watching the shadow glide away. She stood staring at the figure in front of her. “What was that?” she asked breathlessly.

“Evil” he stated flatly taking the steps to the door, “only you can open it.”

She twisted the handle as she had so many times before. This was different. She stood in the tiled foyer for to a second time. Instead of the darkness she was accustomed to there was light from candles burning along every wall. Upon the floor she saw the same delicate design that had be used on the lock of the book. It was more than a design it was a symbol. Same as that she’d seen in her dreams.

“You must read the book,” he said taking a drink from a bottle, “but we must sleep”

In the brightness of the light she was able to see him. The black eyes, the slim build that was blessed with muscles. His voice though, she had heard it. She didn’t know from where but she had heard it.

He looked at her, “There will be time for questions, but we must sleep” he said as if he’d seen the questions welling up in her mind.

He pulled the sword from sheath and began his way up the stair, “Come” he said simply.

She followed because there was nothing else to do. He went from room to room. Opening the door and then closing the door. Until finally he found what he seemed to be looking for.

“You can sleep here” he said opening the door wide. She stepped into the candlelit room. It looked as if it had been set just for her arrival. Unlike the library there was no dust and fresh flowers had been set into the vases.

“I don’t understand” she said turning to him, “What is happening.”

He sheathed the sword and pulled the bottle from his bag once again.

“The book will answer, but now is for sleep.” He said passing the bottle to her.

She took it. The fire of the drink burned its way down her throat and into her chest.

She choked and as she pulled the bottle away from her lips.

“Strong yes,” he looked at her wiping her mouth, “but it will help sleep come quickly”

She didn’t move after he’d shut the door. She let her thoughts have free reign within her mind. Nothing that had happened made sense. The room in which she was standing made less sense. He made the least sense. Him knowing her name and about the book. She must be lost within another dream.

She forced herself to the bed and stared out the window. The green light vibrated again. She could hear anything this time. The house didn’t shake. She pulled the book from her bag. It still had the green glow. She lay back against the pillows unable to appreciate the softness of the blankets or the firmness of the mattress.

She reread the embossed words on the cover. “To acknowledge the truth is to thirst for more.” She fell asleep pondering these words and hoping that the green light would until she woke from her dream.