Qunae 'Ahmar and The Stolen Word

The Book in the Tower

•Qunae 'Ahmar•
Chapter 7

I love sleep. I can just relax and escape from the real world with just the simple action of closing my eyes. I can escape to cloud 9 and just dream in a world of my own.

However, occasionally, the real world has a habit of seeping into my dreams and space.

Unfortunately, this night was one of the times I had the misfortune of having my privacy intruded by an unwelcoming force.

In my dream, I see a dark room with only the moon light shining in from the top through a glass window. The walls and ground are made of a gray looking hilly stone. There are four white columns around the moonlight. In between those columns at the center of the slightly dark room and under the light of the moon is a podium holding an old closed book with a creased black cover. The book slams open, the old pages expanding out. Two guards that were waiting by the only door run to it.

"This never opened before!" One exclaims.

The other looks at her partner. "Is this good?"

The pages then proceed to flip back and forth in a nonstop process. The two guards panic and lean back as if the book will explode with any wrong movement.

"What could this mean?! Are we in times of danger?!" The man exclaims. He clutches his staff, holding the top of it from its hold on his back.

The woman's gaze stares just as intensely. "We cannot leave our posts. We need to keep calm."

He nods very slightly. "Okay."

I hear harp music play. Gentle strums fill the silent air. They both stiffen and turn their attention to the delicate instrument.

It hadn't originally caught my eye, but now I notice it in the corner. An old harp, dirty and with vines wrapped all over, was playing music—on its own. I see the strings go back and then forward, letting out soft music.

"No. Way!" The woman finally shows signs of nerves. Her eyebrows knit and her fingers tremble as if she is hiding from a dangerous serial killer that waits her outside a closet door. "T-that hasn't worked in centuries!"

He takes a small step back. "We have to go." He pleads.

She hardens her facial expression and furrows her eyes until she finally looks down, knowing what needs to be done. "Go ahead. I'll keep watch. We cannot leave the book unguarded. Now go! Quickly!"

He looks at her with concern knitted into his facial expression but nods a bit. "Yes, ma'am."

She offers a comforting smile. A lie of a smile. The kind of smile adults give you when they don't want you to worry and buy you sweets to keep you distracted. "Now hurry, cadet."

He takes action and sprints to the door but the door locks shut. His eyes expand and he grits his teeth. "Oh no!" He tries to force the door open by pulling the handle but it's no use. A wasteful effort.

She goes into utter horror and feels her jaw drop. "Try again!"

"It won't open, ma'am!" He exclaims in the commotion.

"Move aside!" She shouts. She pulls out a pistol and he slides to the side. She shoots a bullet at the door handle but instead, the bullet bounces off the metal and strikes her stomach. She gasps and falls to the ground, clutching her gut. Her auburn hair scatters on the ground like water paint on paper. The armor they wear does not offer strong enough protection to deal with the damage weapons offer. They appear more suited for combat.

"No!" He shrieks and runs to her side. He gently turns her over on her stomach so she can cough the blood out without choking. "We need to get out of here!"