Chapter 22: Touch or No Touch?
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I gasped as I woke up in an unfamiliar but beautiful library. It was a huge room with bookshelves lining the walls from the floor to the high ceiling. The shelves were made of rich, dark wood and filled with books of all sizes and colors. Soft, golden light filtered in through tall arched windows.
Balconies wrapped around the upper levels, decorated with intricate carved patterns.
Cozy seating areas with armchairs and couches were scattered throughout, perfect for reading. Small tables sat next to the chairs to hold books or drinks. The air smelled of old books, leather, and polished wood. It was quiet, with just the gentle sounds of turning pages and footsteps.
The ceiling had fancy moldings and paintings of scholars on it. The whole library felt like a special place full of knowledge and history.
"This isn't the tower." I said in confusion. "Where am I?" I couldn't remember coming to such a grand library.
Suddenly, a splitting headache struck me. The pain was so intense, I cried out and fell to the floor, holding my throbbing head.
Gradually, the pain faded and bits of my memory began coming back in flashes. Hazy pictures formed in my mind, slowly revealing how I had ended up here.
As the fog cleared, I started to understand where I was and why. The library, which seemed so strange at first, made sense now. The unease I felt went away as I realized this grand, cozy space with its shelves and balconies was where I belonged.
I randomly picked up a book near me and saw the title "The Shadow and Time." A smile crept across my face - it was one of my favorite novels from my past life, although I had forgotten everything by now.
"Huh?" Suddenly, something weird happened. A memory flashed before me, and I saw visions of myself reading that very novel. I was on the couch, in bed, even in the bathroom, completely absorbed in the book. I remembered everything - the chapters, the lines, and even what I was doing at those moments while reading it.
All at once, I was overwhelmed by this sudden flood of information. The book slipped from my hands, and just like a video being turned off, the memories vanished. Now, I could only vaguely recall what had happened back then.
"Incredible!" I couldn't help but blurt out loud, realizing what had just occurred. I was definitely sure of where I was now. I was inside my own mind!
"Is this what they call the Mind Palace that Sherlock Holmes has?" I wondered in excitement.
Holding the familiar book had triggered a burst of vivid memories, allowing me to relive moments from my life. It was as if a door had been unlocked, granting me access to the deepest recesses of my mind, where my experiences and knowledge were stored like data in the form of a book.
With this finding I began to thoroughly explore the library. But first, I began testing out If I can get the vivid memory with just a touch using my finger I began poking at the books in the shelves
A few minutes later.
I figured out how to trigger the vivid states of my memories. It was surprisingly easy - all I needed was to touch a book for 5 seconds, allowing me to relive experiences associated with it. However, after leaving the vivid state, I couldn't re-enter the same book again, perhaps due to a cooldown period of some sort. I made a mental note to research this further later on.
For now, I decided to explore more of the vast library, as there might be many more secrets waiting to be uncovered. Excitement coursed through me like a madman, and I ran around the expansive space, eager to find anything interesting.
The library was truly massive. Even after running for quite a distance, I hadn't reached the end. Thankfully, there were chairs and even sofas here, allowing me to rest my tired body. I plopped down onto a plush white sofa, sinking into its softness with a sigh of relief. The comfort it provided was astonishing, was just or even more so than the furniture in my tower. It might be enchanted with magic, as the quality surpassed anything I'd experienced on Earth.
As I lounged on the sofa, my eye caught sight of an ominous book floating on a white platform in the center of the area I was in. If this was indeed a resting zone, then I was likely in the heart of the library, as seating and desks were typically positioned in the middle or outer regions.
I had noticed this peculiar book earlier but hadn't dared to touch it, fearing it might trigger a traumatic memory or some sort of trap. However, there was an undeniable force drawing me towards it, like a magnet. Initially, the pull was faint, but now it was like a blaring alarm, demanding my attention and shaking my very being.
The question lingered in my mind: to touch or not to touch? But the nagging sensation grew so annoying that I could no longer resist. The decision was made – touching it is, consequences be damned.