Spiral Library

The Successor (Book1)

By Evren Sener

Edited by Charise Diamond

ISBN ebook: 978-605-62748-1-7 Blog: www.spiralibrary.com www.drumsofheaven.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EvrenSener.Author http://www.facebook.com/Spiral.Library Twitter: @evren_sener

copyright 2008, Evren Sener, All Rights Reserved.

CONTENTS Chapter 1 The Sound of the Gong ....................................................................................... 3 Chapter 2 - Leaving Home .................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 3 - Twelfth Night and the Library Family ................................................................... 7 Chapter 4 - Eleventh Night and the Wolf....11 Chapter 5 - Tenth Night and the Secret Garden17 Chapter 6 - Ninth Night, Crime and Punishment25 Chapter 7- Eighth Night and the Enemy.35 Chapter 8 - Seventh Night and the Book of Elements.39 Chapter 9 - Sixth Night, Desperation and an Unexpected Guest49 Chapter 10-Fifth Night and Love.. 61 Chapter 11-Fourth Night and the Glass receptacle68 Chapter 12-Third Night and the Laws of the Library..74 Chapter 13-Second Night and the Commander.79 Chapter 14-Last Night, the Attack.85 Chapter 15-Dawn and the Ceremony .92

Book Description: A library in an unknown land with lost children. Nothing is as it seems! An unspoken mystery behind the sealed doors. One girl dares to ask questions and ready to learn the truth. Be ready for the unexpected! This library has a story to tell. If you enjoyed watching Umberto Ecos The Name of the Rose and reading J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter then you will love this. Soe is a 12 year old teenager, living in the city of the Spiral Library. However this city is no ordinary city and the library too. The city is governed by the Chief Librarian. His orders are law and everybody accepts everything as it is. Time to time children are selected and taken to the library to work in there. Starting from that moment they cannot contact with their families anymore. One of these jobs is to become the successor of the Chief Librarian. It is the highest position that a person ever get. Some time ago Soes twin brother and friend Ros are both taken to the library to become a successor. However one day it is announced that they are lost in the library. Something terrible happened to both but there is no further explanation. Nobody asks why. Everybody is either so scared to question the Chief Librarian or fool to believe in him. Only Soe alone starts crying out and question what is really going on. What are these sealed doors of the library are hiding? Suddenly she is claimed by the Chief Librarian to become his successor. Even she rejects she is forcibly taken to the library. Soon she will discover the real identity of the Chief Librarian and her parents. When the secret of the library is revealed to her she will be forced to make a choice and sacrifice. What will she do? Will she finally be able to learn what happened to her twin brother and Ros? The Spiral Library is an interesting page-turning thriller full of events instead of long descriptions of rooms or hallways or furniture. A deep spiritual message is embedded in the story and make you think maybe everything is really different than it seems.

Chapter 1 The Sound of the Gong On top of a hill overlooking the city stood a grandiose and imposing building. Its windowless walls guarded many mysteries. It was known as the "Spiral Library." Nobody knew exactly when or by whom it was founded and no one knew the number of books it held or where they had come from. These were the secrets known only to the Chief Librarian and his successor. The library was protected by armed guards who had special secret skills. The staff and guards attended to their duties out of faith, love and loyalty to their master, the Chief Librarian. They lived out their lives of work and devotion sequestered within the walls of the library and without communicating with friends or family elsewhere. Limited communication took place at times when they had to leave the library to go shopping or perform other duties necessary to the library community. Being selected to belong to the library family was a great honor. For centuries Chief Librarians had periodically picked out ten children to join the library family. The families were notified of this selection at the birth of the child. When the children turned twelve they were respectfully escorted from their homes to the Spiral Library by the special library guards. There they were educated and taught to work in a variety of tasks. Only two out of each group of ten children were selected to become candidates for successor to the Chief Librarian. After a period of training, only one became the successor while the other mysteriously disappeared. After the death of the Chief Librarian, the successor took his place. No one living in the city surrounding the Spiral Library would go against the laws and regulations of the library. No one would ever ask about what was going on there or what might have happened to the successor candidate who did not succeed and had consequently vanished. By their silence they showed respect for the infinite secrets of the library and trust in their wise master. Although the city had a family cemetery, the residents of the library were cremated after their death. It seemed the library wanted to seal its secrets in ashes. The library was a sacred place. Silence was the most important law. This rule of silence was not broken, even in certain areas open to the public like the giant reading room. Announcements were made in writing on a regular basis. Important information, news and notices on educational topics were hung on the marvelous wooden door of the library. There was also another announcement tool, a golden gong that was used only in case of an emergency. No one had ever heard the sounding of the gong and it had never been mentioned in the history of the library, even as far back as 10,000 years. After all these thousands of years, however, one dark day, the gong was sounded three times, Bong! Bong! Bong! The feel of pure gold rippling out in reverberating sound waves echoed in the ears and the very cells of every living thing. All at once those walking in the streets stood still, children at play stopped moving, and even the birds froze in place, stunned by the sound of the great golden gong. No one knew what to do. Then suddenly everyone began running to the library. A library staff member wearing a black suit was waiting at the librarys front door. When enough people had gathered, he made a shocking and unexpected announcement: We

regret to inform you that we have lost all of our Chief Librarians successors. The Chief Librarian will select a new successor soon. Let us all pray for mercy. Do not lose hope! Whispers circulated amongst the people. Some started screaming and crying while others placed hands over hearts and silently closed their eyes. People looked at each other in fear and anxiety. One of them cried, We want to see our master! The library staff person said: We do not have the opportunity of seeing him right now. He is too busy. He will explain when the time comes. Nobody noticed but there was an old woman hidden under a dark cloak who slowly disappeared among the shadows of the trees. *** Chapter 2 Leaving Home After returning home from the Spiral Library, Soe turned to her mother and said, Mom, did you hear what he said? My twin brother and Ros are lost! They will never come back again. There is no way to accept this. How can you stand still for this? Why is it that no one opposes the Chief Librarian and tries to get their children back? Why do children get lost? Soe's mother stroked her daughters hair while a slight smile appeared and disappeared on her face. My dear, she said, you're not old enough to understand. One day I will share the secrets of our people with you. As you age, you'll learn what is happening. Today all of us heard about a great catastrophe. You're lucky that you did not understand anything at all. Never be disrespectful to our master, and dont think ill of him. He feels and knows everything. Believe it or not, he shares your sorrow deep in his heart. Never lose faith in him. He is our guide and master, and he loves and protects us all. Soe looked at her mother aghast. Mom! she shouted, dont you understand that my brother is gone? They said that he will never come back again. Dont you even regret that? How can you do nothing? I cannot understand it! She broke down sobbing and began to cry. Her mother hugged her: Can you please be calm? Believe me, my heart is shattered. We all know what happened. There are more things to be upset about than not seeing your brother anymore. We have sworn allegiance to our master and he has forbidden us to explain what is going on. When eyes go blind and ears become deaf, trust the whisper of your inner feelings. They will guide you. Then you can look and hear beyond. I cannot explain more than this to you. Soe sobbed, Oh mother, Ros was my sun. When he was taken to the library, even then it did not matter much. It was enough for me to know that he was alive. I did not have to talk to him again. Keeping the hope that I would see him again was enough. But now all my hopes have faded away. My sun has set and darkness is everywhere. If it is any consolation to you, I know. I have also been through this. In the next moment Soe and her mother jumped in shock as there was a very hard, loud knock on the door. Mother got up from her chair and went to open the door. She was stunned when she came face to face with the library guards accompanied with the Head Guard. 6

One of them spoke in a firm commanding voice, Your daughter is chosen by the Chief Librarian as a candidate to become successor. We have come to claim Soe. When the mother heard those words, her hazel eyes opened wide. She couldn`t believe what had just been said. She could barely get a few words out of her mouth as she haltingly uttered, Our master should have warned us about all these things. Suddenly her face flushed, embarrassed by what she had just said. Quietly she stood aside in the doorway. The guards motioned for Soe to come with them. She screamed and tried to run away but they easily caught her. As she was escorted out of the house she cast a last bitter look at her mother. Aren`t you going to interfere with this? I do NOT want to go with them! What kind of a mother are you? Mom! They will make me disappear like my brother and you are not going to do anything? You're like the rest of this city. You are completely brain-washed. The Librarian is deceiving each one of you. You have all lost your minds! I'll never forgive you! she screamed. As the guards proceeded towards the library with the girl in their arms, Soe`s mother, Rea, and the Head Guard remained behind. The Head Guard looked deeply into Reas eyes. He had a lot to say but talking would interrupt their sacred vow of silence. In an unexpected moment, Rea gently picked up his hand and touched her own face with it. He felt her wet tears on his palm. May our master have mercy on me and forgive me. I'm forcing you, but you have more strength than I; you always did. It is sometimes too heavy to carry our secrets. I am still fighting with myself. Im no one to question him, but this time he has chosen the wrong candidate. I had some hope for the other candidates but now I have no hope because I know Soe very well. It is an unfortunate decision. The Head Guard slowly and gently pulled his hand away from her face. A loving gaze appeared and disappeared in his eyes. Her fate has chosen her, he said. Then he turned his back and set off on his way towards the library. Rea silently watched him walking away. Then she turned back into her house. After closing the door she sat at the table and sobbed. The guards took Soe to the section where the library family lived. Soe was still struggling, crying and screaming. The guards left after locking her in a chamber especially prepared for her. For awhile she kept on hitting the door but nobody answered or helped. Hopelessly, she lay down on the bed and kept on crying. *** Chapter 3 Twelfth Night and the Library Family Suddenly she woke up with a start. She realized that she must have cried herself to sleep. She looked around but couldn`t see anything. The weak light of the moon was illuminating her bed but keeping the rest of the room in shadow. "It must be night, she thought. For awhile it seemed that she had forgotten what had happened. Then she remembered where 7

she was and her face creased with pain. At that moment she realized that something was hidden in the dark corner of the room. Even though she could not see what it was, she could feel its presence. Fear overtook her. She was afraid to call out to it, not knowing if it was a friend or an enemy. Then her mother`s words came to her mind. She used to say, "Request the truth from your inner self. Ask your feelings." She closed her eyes and, after taking a deep breath, she whispered to herself. Is this uninvited guest dangerous or auspicious, a friend or a foe? Almost immediately, her inner voice responded, No such thing like danger is present. You can trust him. Meanwhile, Soe noticed that the uninvited being came closer to her. She felt its warm breath on her face. When she slowly opened her eyes she came face to face with a giant wolf. Its long white teeth shone under the moon light. For a moment she was out of her mind with fear, choking and hardly able to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding. When she was able to take a deep breath, the silence was torn with Soes scream. She jumped towards the door of the room, pushed it open and ran into the corridor. Luckily the door was now unlocked. She started running madly down the hallway. She ran until she crashed into one of the guards. The library family was awakened by her screams and came into the corridor to find out what was going on. Although the guard desperately tried to calm her down he couldn`t. Soe desperately hurled kicks and punches. At that moment footsteps were heard. The Head Guard and his soldiers hurried towards the sound of commotion, their steps ringing on the stone floor of the corridor. As they approached, the crowd divided on either side with respect and reverence. The Head Guard shouted, Enough! Soe was suddenly silent and fell on her knees. She was still having difficulty breathing. She tried to speak but no words came out of her mouth. The Head Guard commanded: Give her some water! Water was brought immediately. Soe slowly and silently drank from the cup that was handed to her. Then the Head Guard asked her what was happening. Soe said, in a trembling voice, R-r-room ... the room! There is a wolf with big yellow eyes in the room! Its teeth were shining like glass in the moonlight. It was about to eat me! The Head Guard turned towards the other guards, She says that there is a wolf in her room. Immediately take her back and guard her door. Soe cried, I'm telling you the truth. I did not see it in a dream. It was real! Why do you think that we do not believe you? he answered firmly. Now go to sleep. Hearing this Soe felt outraged. What kind of a place is this? I`ve said that I have a wolf in my room and you are sending me back there and telling me to sleep? One of the guards gently pulled her by the arm away from the crowd. Escorted by the other guards, they began to walk toward the room. Now Soe was angry towards the voice within more than anyone around her.

She spoke to herself: You said no danger, but I came across a long-toothed wolf. Do you think this is not dangerous enough? I wonder what you would say if there was real danger? You are useless! For awhile she waited for an answer but the inner voice did not respond. When they reached the door of the room, she saw the wolf sitting at the door waiting for them. Soe bitterly cried and clambered into the arms of the nearest guard. The guards presented arms and bowed to the wolf. Seeing this, it stood up and slowly passed by. After reaching the end of the hallway the wolf turned around and addressed them, Place her in the room. This is the beginning of her twelve nights in a row that will be spent in the library. Do not forget, time can only be lived backwards. It was then that Soes 12-day training began; a count-down from day twelve to day one. Soe was still stunned but her panic subsided and she began watching everything with a mild amusement. There was no logical explanation. When the guard placed her in the bed and covered her with a blanket, her head was full of questions but she knew that nobody would explain anything so she preferred to remain silent. When she was about to sleep her inner voice whispered "I told you so. It was harmless." Soe restlessly turned in the bed and then fell asleep. Meanwhile, Soes mother, Rea, raised her head from the table where she cried herself to sleep . It was dark. She slowly turned her head toward the door. There was someone out there. Although no one knocked at the door, she could feel the visitor`s presence. Suddenly a loving expression appeared on her face. She knew the visitor. As she turned her index finger in the air, the door opened by itself. A petite older woman with long white hair entered. She was no one other than the mysterious visitor who vanished among the trees after the announcement. Her entry into the room brought the scent of spring flowers. Suddenly all the candles in the room were lit. The two women looked at each other for awhile and then they embraced. The old woman sat down slowly on a wooden chair and the door closed by itself spontaneously. Rea said, Welcome, with a smile. The old woman replied, You are not surprised to see me. I've learned not to be surprised. Well, said the elderly woman, at least we have learned that much. However, you still have a lot to learn about your desires. You've been crying. This room is full of tears. Rea shrugged. I just wanted to relax a little. The elderly woman replied thoughtfully, I hope the evil lord of time, Kal, has thought the same thing and has not taken your tears as a sign of weakness. You know he always observes. I know, Rea said. After a long pause she spoke again, May I offer you some tea? I found some very nice fresh ginger roots in the forest. The old woman smiled and shook her head in the sense of 'yes'. Neither of them spoke as they drank their tea. During this silent tea ceremony a deep happiness sprang up throughout the room. The candles began to shine more powerfully. Within this magical atmosphere, 9

even the articles in the room became almost alive. The feet of the table and chairs began to sprout green leafy vines and then blossom. When the old woman took the cup away from her lips, her face turned to a young girl's face. Her silver hair turned to black. She looked at Rea and spoke: With each passing year, your tea carries the healing power of nature more and more. Rea rose from her seat and pulled the curtains. She did not want any intruders to witness their holy meeting. Grandma Gae, in reality you are so young and beautiful but you hide your beauty under the cover of an old woman. I wish to see you like this all the time. Gae smiled, You know that our image is part of the illusion of time, just like distance. I am neither old nor far away from you. Like everyone else in this grand scheme, I have a task to achieve and a costume to wear. I have to hide behind this old woman mask for the ones who are not ready to handle reality, so I can protect them and help to avoid any confusion. Even in this secure land it is like that. I have to look after and protect the forest. I cannot leave there for a long time. We all have to help the Chief Librarian. Everything is as it should be, complete and whole. I know, Grandma Gae, said Rea with a sad wistful voice. You know but you cannot accept. You're not yet able to overcome your own desires. I am aware that you are struggling hard but struggling is not enough. You should really want it. Kal always watches, patiently waits, never wastes a minute. He is devoted to his task and tests everything. He allows only the ones who can pass the tests to move beyond. Desire, anger, jealousy, greed, arrogance and ignorance make us his slaves. There was a deep silence between them. Gae broke the silence: Kal has seen that you have held the Head Guard`s hand. You expose your weak points widely. Rea cried out, You are talking about him like a stranger and people are calling him Head Guard. I cant handle this. Once we loved each other. I`ve done my best to forget him. You are handicapping both yourself and him. Don`t do it. Stay away. Our master was fair enough to both of you. You are forcing your conditions on this situation. You must realize that Kal is fooling you! This illusion of love is not real. True love is not anything like this. You like seeing him and touching him but you do not love him. If you really loved him you would set him free because he has made his choice. Don`t confuse him. Rea cried, He has chosen his responsibility, but he still loves me. Grandmother Gae spoke firmly: He knows what love is. He loves you not for his own desires or the things that he will take from you. You are one of the reasons why he has chosen to stay there and continue his duty rather than live with you. His duty is to protect the library and the mission of the library is to protect us. He has chosen to stay because there was no one better than him to defend it. You owe your comfortable life to him. However, you are selfish to want him for your own. Remember that the sun does not rise for only one person. Rea said softly, her head bowed, Youre right, Grandma. A short silence hung in the air and then Rea continued talking. What do you think about Soe being selected as a candidate? I do not think she can be successful. She almost hates the master.

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She does not have hate in the core of her heart. She is just an inexperienced young girl. The day she learns the secret behind the library she will offer her loyalty. You do not trust her, but very soon she will be so successful that everyone will be surprised.

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