The Boy and The Unknown World🔊

Once upon a time, in a city known for its towering skyscrapers and bustling life, there was an old bookstore. The owner of the bookstore, Mr. Ebbot, cherishes his legacy passed down from generations - his family's century-old bookstore.

Mark, atypical of the children of his age, grew up loving books. Every weekend, he took off on an adventure, not the ones that took him to a park or friends, but to Ebbot's bookstore, where he spent hours immersed in a different world each time. The bookstore was like his second home. Mr. Ebbot treated him as his own grandson and Mark, in turn, respected him as his grandpa.

One day, as Mark was engrossed in a newfound book about magical folklore, he pulled out a dusty pallid-colored book. It was labeled 'The Unknown World.'

Mark, intrigued by the mysterious title and the aura it expelled, took it to Mr. Ebbot. Recognizing the book, Mr. Ebbot looked at it pensively and warned Mark, 'This book hasn't been read for years. It is not a simple book, but a passageway to tales unknown. Only the brave-hearted can survive the journey the book embarks upon them.'

Undeterred by the warning, Mark borrowed the book and started reading. As he delved deeper into it, strange things occur. The words danced before his eyes, images took form, smells became real, and he could hear and even feel the emotions sprung from the pages – fear, euphoria, suspense, and exhilaration.

One story led him to an enchanted land where singing flowers painted the sky with vivid colors. Another navigated him through a grove of whispering trees, revealing ancient secrets. As he jumped through each tale, Mark found himself evolving, turning more valiant, kind, and insightful. He was no longer the boy from the city but a gallant adventurer, a wise friend, a humble student, and sometimes even a secret keeper.

While Mark was entangled in the extraordinary expeditions, the real-world worried about his sudden seclusion. His parents worried for his social growth, while his friends missed him at the park. Distressed and increasingly anxious, they sought Mr. Ebbot's advice.

Hearing their concerns, Mr. Ebbot paid a visit to Mark and observed him engrossed in 'The Unknown World.' He pointed out that while the book was providing Mark wisdom and bravery, it was also exposing him to the risk of losing touch with his world.

Realizing the truth in Mr. Ebbot’s words, Mark decided to complete his journey with the book and return to his life. When he did so, he had changed. He wasn't just Mark but a young boy who had journeyed through unknown tales, learned from mystical creatures and evolved beyond his age.

He began taking his friends to his extraordinary journeys, sharing his experiences and the wisdom he accrued — the laughter, the courage, and the tears. His tales filled the air around him, encouraging the love for books among his friends and painting vivid images of far-off lands, brave heroes, enchanting creatures, not only in his mind but also in theirs.

'The Unknown World' came to be known as 'The Book of Mark.' The boy, who was once considered solitary, became the heart of social gatherings, an oracle of sorts, indirectly, a storyteller.

The city's skyscrapers echoed Mark's stories, unbeknownst terrific tales of adventures. The bookstore was no longer an old overlooked building; it became the city's heart. Mark’s world and ‘The Unknown World’ had become one, much like the city and its bookstore.