The Lost Books
Angel of Aphelion
Episode 6 - Thalo Blue
All wait in the quiet of the Lost Books library, gazing at the book sitting open on the front counter. Little Eli stands with Dee on the balcony above.
Rowle emerges from the book amid the twinkling lights, and the group gathers in. "How is he, Rowle?" asks Carissa. "They think he's going to be okay," he says.
The room lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank you, God!" says Eli. Rowle continues: "They just need a little time."
Carissa puts a comforting hand on Rowle's shoulder.
Rowle hears something and looks down the hallway to his study. "It's alright," he says. "You can come and join us." The others grow curious. "There's no need to be afraid," says Rowle.
"I don't feel…" Asha walks out of the hallway, "...afraid," she says. "Welcome to the Lost Books," says Rowle.
Dee leans down toward Eli. "What's going on?" she asks. "Rowle managed to liberate her from her story. Like we did with you," says Eli. "It isn't always easy to do. Sometimes it seems…impossible."
Down below, Asha takes in the Library and its remarkable people and is filled with -- WONDERMENT. She stares at Nether. Then, she stares at Eli. Then she looks around at all the others.
"Everyone, this is Asha," says Rowle.
"This is what you were trying to tell me about?" says Asha. Rowle smiles.
"Welcome, Asha," says Carissa, Nether, K, and Eli, each in turn.
James smiles at Asha, and the two stare at each other for a moment longer than expected. Rowle and Carissa notice.
"And Rowle," says Carissa, "this is James Sunday. James, this is Rowle Noble."
The two men shake hands, and James blurts out: "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I'm the one who left the door open." Rowle is surprised but moved by James's honesty. "The Wanderer," says Rowle. "I don't know what that means," says James.
"It's the title of your book, James," says Carissa.
K steps forward. "And we have another new arrival," he says, pointing his cane to where Dee stands on the second-floor balcony.
"Hello, Miss…" says Rowle. "Dee," she says. "Dee, is that short for something?" asks Eli.
She doesn't answer.
"I'm sorry. This might not be the right time, but I was told you may be able to help me," James says to Rowle.
"Carissa tells me you need to restore your memory, but your book is missing," says Rowle.
"Yes!" says James. "I... I'm just trying to remember who I am... who I was, and that little boy needs my help, but I don't know how to do it like this."
They all turn their attention to James.
"Boy?" asks Nether.
"My son," says James.
"You have a son?" says Eli smiling like a happy uncle.
"A son?" repeats Nether.
"How old is he," asks Rowle.
"I don't know, exactly," says James. "Five or six, if I had to guess."
"How is that possible?" asks K.
Rowle can see that James is getting overwhelmed. "Have you been to your old room yet?" Rowle asks James. "No," he replies. "I'd start the search for your book there," says Rowle. "Let's get them settled in, shall we? Carissa, would you help Asha? And K, would you help Dee?"
"I can show James his old room," says Eli. "Thank you," says Rowle. "Then, we'll all meet for dinner."
"Oh," says Rowle. "Take care not to pick up just any of these volumes and read. Some can be... far more dangerous than others."
Carissa leads Asha, K, James, Eli, and Dee down a bright hallway that winds and bends pleasantly. They pass several doors staggered along the hallway, each unique in size, shape, material, and colour. Some have symbols. But each and every one of them is welcoming.
Carissa notices Dee noticing the doors.
"Studies have shown that mental well-being improves in spaces that curve and bend, unlike spaces laid out in a grid. And unique elements also have benefits. I could imagine a little six-year-old girl pointing at any one of these doors and saying: 'I live there!' with pride — without having to see an address or letter or number. The shape of the world around us is influential. Don't you think?" Carissa asks Dee. "Yes, I do," Dee replies sincerely.
Eli stops at a tall double door of finely carved alder. "This is your room, James."
"And yours is this way, Asha," says Carissa as she leads Asha farther down the hall.
He pushes the finely detailed doors. They glide effortlessly to reveal a beautiful room with white oak hardwood floors and a high ceiling. There is a bed on the far wall, a table, shelves, and a wooden chest in the corner.
Asha looks back to see Dee walking with James through the door to his room. "I guess we're stopping here," says K, following them in.
James and Dee enter, studying the collection of intriguing items on the shelves: a sextant of pure silver, a long pipe that appears very old, a small, once tarnished cross, a flute, and seven small eagles carved from stone.
Dee gazes at the items on the shelves. She recalls the feeling of staring in the shop windows in Yorkville.
"I don't see any books," says James.
Dee walks over to the wooden chest in the corner and tries lifting the latch, but it's locked. "Only James can open that," says Eli. James walks over. He touches the latch. It glows with a yellow light, which is followed by a CLICK.
He opens the chest.
James is filled with a feeling of astonishment. The trunk is filled with precious jewels, gold coins, and diamonds the size and colour of pink lady apples.
"This… is mine?" asks James. "All yours," says Eli casually.
"A few hours ago, I couldn't afford an ice cream."
"An ice cream?" Eli says incredulously, exchanging a glance with K. "This is just what you keep here."
"What do you mean?" asks Dee. "Read the ledger," says K as Eli pulls a small book from its holder in the trunk lid and hands it to James.
"You have greater treasures than you can presently imagine, I imagine," says Eli.
James opens the book to a page with a bookmark and starts to read. "Out loud, please," says Eli.
James reads: "Down a corridor that ran deep to a room that was vast, limestone halls kept safe esteemed fortune." And as James reads, a flood of colours washes over them. And they are all carried by that wondrous transmission from where they were -- to where they are.
James, Dee, Eli, and K stand in a limestone cavern surrounded by great glass boxes of sparkling treasure.
"This is... mine?" James and Dee stare out over the massive, gleaming fortune.
In the main room of the Library…
Rowle takes a seat on a bench. He looks over at Nether, who stands like a proud tower at the end of the table. His lustrous fur of three kinds of purple, two kinds of blue, and one kind of green, has a sheen that seems to enhance even his impressive stature.
"What's troubling you, Nether?" asks Rowle. "We took James for a ride," says Nether. "That's where we met Dee." "I'm so happy you were able to bring somebody out," says Rowle.
"There was something with us in the desert," says Nether. "As if something dark had woken up."
Eli leads K, James, Dee, Asha, and Carissa to the top of the stairs. "Rowle, I was telling James about Palmer's Ridge," says Eli. "How about there for dinner?" "Anywhere you want," says Rowle.
At Palmer's Ridge...
A hotel, restaurant, and garden courtyard sit at the top of a great cliff overlooking a sea of clouds. Yet, the sky above is clear, and a banquet's wonderful aromas waft through the air.
A portal opens. In the dancing coloured lights, Rowle, Carissa, James, Nether, Eli, K, Asha, and Dee appear.
"That smells good!" says Asha.
They all sit at a large table as servers come by offering different delicious dishes. Then, with a "yes, please," food is placed onto one of the golden plates in front of them. Soon, every plate is full of scrumptious delights.
They eat.
K turns to Rowle. "Something strange happened shortly after we met Dee by the station." "The growl," says Rowle. "Yes," says K.
This catches James's attention. "Did anything else happen that was unusual?" asks James. "Like what?" asks K. "Did Dee and I disappear?" asks James. "Because for a few seconds it seemed like…." James looks up from his food and notices they've all stopped eating except for himself and Asha.
"What is it?" asks James.
"Did he do it?" Eli asks.
"Did I do what?" says James.
"Wander," says Nether.
"Can you tell us exactly what happened?" asks Rowle.
"I offered Dee some water and…" he turns to Dee. "You experienced it, too, right? I offered you some water and…."
"The world around you…changed," says Eli excitedly.
"Yes!" James and Dee exclaim at the same time.
"What WAS that?" asks James.
"You wandered!" says Carissa, "This is a good sign! James, you tapped into the abilities you had as The Wanderer," she says.
"Plane walking," says Rowle. "I remember the Old Watch saying it was unlike anything he'd ever seen. Do you want to give it a try?" he asks.
K turns to Carissa. "A book jumper and a plane walker. This could be something," he says.
Rowle leads them to the gardens that overlook the clouds beyond the white cliff face. Rowle and James stand in the centre of a square platform of marble. The others gather around the outer edge and watch with growing curiosity.
"It happened once before, too. When a police officer touched my hand," says James.
"What were you feeling when it happened?" asks Rowle.
"Anxiety?" says James.
"Interesting. So your anxiety put you back in contact with your power," says Rowle. "Are you comfortable calling up that feeling again?" he asks.
"I can try," says James. He closes his eyes and concentrates.
"Now shake my hand," says Rowle. James clasps Rowle's hand -- but nothing happens. "Do you mind if I give you a jump start?" asks Rowle? "Okay," answers James.
With a flicker, James feels a surge of energy. And in an instant...
Rowle and James find themselves floating in some grey otherworld. Adrift but connected by their handshake. The two men release their grip and return to the rest of the group.
"What just happened?" asks Asha.
"Why that place, James? Of all the places you could go?" asks Rowle. "The only thing there is... fear."
But James has no answer.
"Maybe that's the only place his fear would let him get to," says Carissa.