#Marchmadness - Day 7

March Madness, I have to give it a try although I write (and tell) mainly short stories. I really have a problem finding the right words. I try to read more in English and wonder if you know what I am reading at the moment.
By now I wrote 12,254 words

I learned, thanks to @mariannewest, there is always a story to tell, no matter what the prompt is. If you like to join or like to be a #MMFan (reading the novels written this month) please do so @freewritehouse see HERE.

I used the prompt snapshot for Day 7.

Here you can read what I already wrote:
Day 1. Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Day 6.

The picture is a pixabay.com pic.

03-07 (Day 7) - word count: 2077

He took out the little mirror she had given him during dinner and watched himself.
He looked at his reflection for a very long time, even drew a few faces. So did the young man in the mirror. So that's what he looked like. Young like he had been a long time ago. How come he didn't feel the same way? To be honest he also didn't feel old, but he knew somewhere, deep inside, he was.

By now he should have looked like his great-grand father. The man looking at him looked the same as his uncle did. The one with the happy face, who came to visit at the time the day of birth was still celebrated.

He wondered what would happen to him if he decided to keep driving the train. Would he, sooner or later, look like a toddler or would he simply vanish, be dissolved or stay in the other world? The world he liked so much. Would she be able to be there with him?

As he looked at her again he noticed she started to reread the log at it's start.
Her yellow eyes moved quickly back and forth as she read. She clearly was a fast reader. She looked young, just like he did. Was she able to age at all? Had she always looked this way?
He turned the little mirror on its back. There was a drawing of something. He didn't know what it was. Somehow it looked familiar to him.
Because she was still reading he went to the other bed and waited. It was good to stretch out, to lay on a soft bed instead of sitting in the train. His neck and head could now take some rest. He relaxed a deep sigh escaped as he closed his eyes, still holding the mirror with the strange picture in his fist.

Courage woke up, yawned and jumped to his feet.
He was awake and there was no time to waste. He had had a deep sleep and felt reborn.
'You can show me around now', he said to Charlie. The man was reading a book and clearly had not wasted time to get some rest himself. 'You didn't need any sleep did you?'

'No, I didn't. I slept before we left. I can do without sleep for a way longer time as you. Therefore I do need to sleep much longer as you do. A short nap can help, but it isn't sufficient. I would feel broke if I live the same way as you do.'

'You are a wind listener aren't you?'

'Yes, I am, and you, you can hear the thoughts of many.'

Courage laughed. 'I can indeed and so can you. Your brother can't. What's his gift?'

'I haven't figured out yet. I could say his gift is his helpful heart or the fact he might be the last born. Perhaps he doesn't need any or there were no gifts left over as he came to the world.'

'I doubt it. He has gifts for sure. Perhaps he didn't develop them yet or never needed them? He always stayed at home and he had less to worry about. Many took care of him.'

'If it comes to that you are right. His only worry was the house. He always wanted to stay inside or close to it. Close was with the back or front door in eye sight.'

'You think he's afraid? If so, what if he has a good reason to be so, he saw something and feels threatened?'

'He never said a word about being threatened. He would tell us, me or our parents or his companion for sure. His reactions were not as if he suffered from anxiety either. It's more as if he always feels homesick as soon as he has to leave. It already starts when he leaves our garden. I know it sounds weird, but this is the best way to describe it. He really is an open book. You can read his face, his thoughts and he is not really the quiet type.'

Courage giggled. 'I noticed that, also that he does not feel the need to close his mind to anybody. That can be dangerous.'

'I know. I tried to teach it to him, but for some reason it doesn't work. Good thing we are here. The club is a safety house and it will protect him and his thoughts. I don't want anyone to harm him. Are you aware of the fact he want to join you on your search?'

'I heard him. He is welcome to come along, but he will need his companion. I can not guarantee his safety. You know we travellers aren't strong knights. The only thing we can do is travel fast, using tunnels most beings do not fit in and we all have some gifts. No special gifts by the way. The gift of hearing and reading can be a help to escape in time, but if it comes to me. Well you know where you found me and you had to save me from my plight.'

'It all turned out fine. We all are save now. I heard time is changing. We need to be prepared.'

'How do you know?'

'It's brought to me by the wind. I hear the voices, their is much secret activity all around us. It is a good thing time doesn't exist as long as we stay here. So since you have time. Come along I show you the library.'

'I am not a great reader.'

'There is no need to be one, the words will come to you.'

After they woke up Alain the three of them left the room by a small door.
Alain could swear it wasn't there as they arrived but he kept silence.

'Here it is, the library. You can pick out a book you like, about a subject you like to know more about or one that can be the answer to your question. You don't need to worry, the words will come to you if what is written meant to be known or heard by you. If not, ask an other question.'

'Who wrote all these books', Alain asked.

'They are all written in the past. A time long before ours and saved by the Ancestors so those who wants to know the truth can find her here.'

'Where are the others? I mean the other members of the club?'

'Some are here, some left to do their task. This is a safe place which means you can only see the others if they are willing to show themselves to you. You can see and be with the ones you arrived with or … if you feel safe enough... be with the others if you are willing to show yourself.'

'I think for the time being it's better this way', Courage said. 'I need to find my companion. I know she is somewhere out there.'

'You could try that book over there. That big one with the blue cover at the highest shelf. It's called an Atlas. It's a map of the world. How it once was and how it is now. You can ask it where to find her. Shall I give you a hand with it', Charlie asked.

The traveller nodded.
An Atlas, the word sounded good to his ears. For some reason he thought the book belonged to him. He was curious to find out what the world looked liked. He partly lived in the tunnels and wondered if they could be found back in it as well and if so... were others able to see them too. Wouldn't that put them in danger?

'Charlie... is what I will see the same as others can see if they open this Atlas?'

'No, it's not. What you see is what your eyes and mind can see. The answer given to you is personal and given to your question. Nobody can ask what you ask, feel what you feel, speak out the same words with the same meaning as you do. What is it you worry about?'

'The tunnels. Will the tunnels be shown on the map? If so, the ones who use them can be in danger. It was nearby a tunnel they caught me. I didn't hear them come, didn't feel anything. Usually I do. I'm always careful. I hardly dare to breath, didn't make a sound and... wasn't giggling.'

'The book will erase what it showed you as soon as you close it. So whatever it is, you have to remember or save it. Make a snapshot of it and save it into your memory. If you are not able to do so and you forget, the only way to lay hands on it is to come back over here. You know where to find the club and how to get in.'

He took the book of the shelf and handed it over to Courage. They had nearly the same size. The little figure could easily hide behind it.

'How about you', Charlie asked his brother, 'what is it you like to know?'
'Nothing special really. I made up my mind. I will join Courage at his search for his companion. I think I am no longer homesick. The feeling is gone. I just want my companion to be here. I miss him and I want to spend time with him as well. I am sure we will find Courage's companion and there will be a time I need to find my way home.

Is it possible to read a tale? A fairy tale I mean, like the ones our mother always told us before bedtime? I frequently fall asleep half the way and it would be good to read the end now.'

'Just walk around here and read the titles. You are a great reader so you will find what you need. You can take all the time you need. In here time doesn't exist. I will ask our companions to come over here and join us. I miss mine too. You should know... just like Courage and you I have questions too and there are things I need to investigate and questions there need to be answered. You don't feel worried about the house any longer?'

'No, I don't. I want to keep it safe, I know our parents are still alive and they will come back. It's their place, but I also feel it will be protected and cannot be harmed any longer. Now if you excuse me.'

He slowly walked among the shelves of books. There was no need to hurry, no special book he had in mind. He would recognize it as soon as he saw it.

Charlie knew what books he was looking for.
There was a good reason why his father had taken him to the club. One of his tasks was taking care of the library. He was gifted, had more gifts as most. In this club he was the only one who could see all members and they were only able to see him if he allowed them to see him.

During the past years he spent a lot of time in the library. He read every book at least once and known it by head. Not only the wind but also the books told him what he had to know.
It was not that they had to prepare for a fight or rebellion, but the change was near. It would be brought to them no matter if they did fight or work for it.
In the old times a group of the Ancestors their ancestors did fight and care for what would happen after their death. They had talked about environment, saving the world, but had lost their trust in the Mother. They were not able to listen nor hear and did interfere in what was not theirs to interfere with.

They were the ones who made many rules and laws to live by. Freedom was reduced, just like life. It was no longer allowed to travel. There were limits within which to live, human beings, animals, plants. Every living being had to stay within the permitted, national, borders. Those who didn't were destroyed. Money became useless. There was a world created by a sick mind. A person who should know better, since he was what they were not mortal.

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