2024 Story Collection

Hope & Her Child III

She walks back into the grand hall. She waves for him to follow. She has him stand next to her on the edge of the line that encircles the rose in the floor.

"Stomp your foot down twice," she commands. He does as she says, confused. Suddenly he hears a cracking in the marble and is ready to apologize, but she stops him.

"Now, take a step onto a petal." He does as she says and the petal drops down as he does. He almost loses his balance, but she catches him. "Careful now."

She joins him on the petal and the floor breaks apart, falling down in sections just lower than the others, into a staircase made of the marble petals.

She grabs his hand begins to descend the stairs.

He thought it would be dark at first, but a string of glowing lights on either side of them fill the space with a warm light. They float in a line that seems to follow them as they navigate the darkness.

He realizes then what it is that surrounds them, books. It is a huge library with a seemingly infinite amount of floors.

The woman stops suddenly a few floors down and looks at him with a smile.

"Welcome to the library of Alexandria." She widens her arms and breathes in the smell of old books. "This holds every book ever written. In any time or place."

"It's beautiful," he says, looking around it in wonder.

"It's a challenge to navigate," she chuckles, "you'll have to learn a lot before you can even attempt to use it, but once you do, it's yours to use."

She smiles warmly. He wants to say something to this generous woman, but before he can, she suddenly stomps twice with her heel and grabs his shoulder to steady him as the stairs surge back up to the top and once again become one mosaic floor. They stand on a different petal now. He sways, dizzy.

"Now," she tells him, "bathe and change into your new clothes, I will make you some food." She walks over to the kitchen. Though as he watches her, he realizes she more glides than walks as if floating just above the floor.

He does as told. He walks over to his room and into the bathroom. It takes him a few moments to remember what hand did what but figures it out and hops into the bath. He allows himself to sink into the water. It feels unreal.

Is this really my home? Home. It was a foreign word to him. Something he never thought he'd have and yet, here he was. In a place of his own. He feels something warm growing in his chest, for the first time in a long time. It breathes life into his soul.

He washes himself using the bar of soap she gave him. It smells of lavender and chamomile, just like that woman. He didn't mind.

After the bath, he walks over to the wardrobe to grab clothes, but once he opens it, he is overwhelmed with decisions. There were so many colors and styles and designs. What would be appropriate? He doesn't want to make a fool of himself.

He looks at them again and decides on the most colorful of the clothes. It is one that was hung. He tries his best to clothe himself but struggles with the strange clothes. She is a kind woman. She should help me, right?

He decides, instead of fighting the clothes, to just ask for help and heads into the kitchen. She notices him immediately and sees his struggle with the clothes. She smiles at him before walking over.

"You look quite dapper," she tells him as she helps him button up his shirt. He smiles back.

"Thank you," he says, a blush spreading over his cheeks. "You are beautiful." She chuckles and thanks him as well.

"Tuck in the shirt to your waistband," she tells him as she takes the tie. He does as told. "This is called a tie," she explains as she ties it around his neck, tucking it into place in the collar and helps him into the bright blue jacket.

"You like colorful things, don't you?" She asks as she walks back over to the stove.

"Yes," he replies and sits down in a chair at the counter. "I like things that are bright and strong."

"Vibrant," she offers him the word.

"Vibrant." He agrees.

She places a bowl of something in front of him. It is puffy little squares in a red paste.

"Ravioli," she says, sitting beside him at the counter, her own bowl in front of her.

"What is it?" He asks curiously. The smell is intoxicating. It smells like nothing he's ever seen.

"It is a food from another place and time. I quite enjoy it." She says. She takes her spoon and eats a whole ravioli at once. His eyes widen at such an elegant woman stuffing her face.

She notices his shock and laughs.

"Try it." She picks up his fork and stabs it into a piece and hands it to him. He fumbles with the fork before finally being able to shove the whole thing into his mouth.

His eyes widen as he chews. The flavors are all so new and so fascinating. He closes his eyes, savoring the taste.

"It's good, isn't it?" She asks, and he nods, chewing. "It is one of my favorite foods and it is actually quite fun to make. It is beef, cheese, tomato sauce all inside a pasta pillow and covered in a beef and tomato sauce. I absolutely adore it." She takes another huge bite. He laughs at her full cheeks. She looks like a squirrel.

"I do not." She says.

"Should I find a mirror?" he jokes.

She laughs, "No need. I trust you."

She turns back and takes another big bite.

He sits there frozen at her words. She trusts him.

A tear rolls down his cheek as he takes another big bite. For once in his life, he was excited to see what the future held.

The End.

January 9, 2024