The next day..
In the library...
Theo walked back to the university library, the book clutched in his hands like a fragile secret. The early morning sun slanted through the tall windows, turning the marble floor to gold, but he barely noticed. His mind was a tangle of questions he couldn't untangle.
The librarian, an older man with kind eyes and a gentle smile, looked up as Theo approached. "Ah, Theo," he said warmly. "Back so soon. Can I help you?"
Theo hesitated, glancing down at the book in his hands.
Theo: "I… I was wondering about this," he said, holding it out. "I found it in the library last night. Do you know anything about it?"
The librarian peered at the worn cover, his brow creasing. "I'm sorry, Theo," he said, shaking his head. "I've never seen this before. It's not part of our collection. Are you sure you didn't bring it from somewhere else?"
Theo: "No," Theo said quickly. "I swear, I didn't. It was just… there." His voice dropped to a whisper. "It's like it appeared out of nowhere."
Theo: "Please," Theo added, his voice urgent. "Could you check again? I found it on that shelf."
The librarian nodded and checked the library's records once more. Minutes later, he looked up and sighed. "I still can't find any mention of it, Theo. I'm sorry."
He gave Theo a sympathetic smile. "Sometimes old books find their way into unexpected places," he said gently. "But if it's not in our catalog, I'm afraid I can't help."
Theo left the library feeling more lost than ever. He tried to focus on his classes that day, but his mind kept drifting back to the book and the questions it raised. As the evening light softened the campus, he headed home, the book cradled close.
Back in his room,
Theo sat at his desk and stared at the book. The memory of Abyzou's voice, the weight of his touch, still haunted him like a ghost in the dark. He swallowed hard.
Theo : "Let's see if the internet knows anything," he muttered.
He opened his laptop, typing in every strange symbol he could remember, every cryptic phrase Abyzou had whispered. But every search turned up nothing — no history of the book, no sign of Abyzou, no explanation that made sense.
Theo: "There's nothing," Theo breathed, his voice hollow. "Nothing at all."
Theo: Should I open it? he wondered. The memory of Abyzou's eyes burned in his mind. What if he appeared again? But even as fear twisted in his gut, his need for answers was stronger.
Theo: "I have to know," he whispered.
He took a breath and opened the book. Its pages lay blank and silent beneath his fingers — no ink, no symbols, just endless white. He flipped through them again and again, but they refused to give up their secrets, as if mocking him.
Theo:"Why won't you tell me anything?" he murmured, tracing the empty pages. "What are you hiding?"
To be continue...