The Secret Library of Madame Marceline
Madame Marceline was a well-respected figure in the small town of Verge. She owned a beautiful, old colonial mansion on the edge of the town. But the most peculiar thing about her was that nobody could remember a time when they hadn't known her. She had looked the same, acted the same for as long as anyone in the town could remember.
Many claimed that she had a secret for her never-aging appearance, and they weren't entirely wrong. Madame Marceline had a secret, but it wasn't a botox treatment or a miracle skincare. Her secret was buried deep in her mansion, in a magical place that only a few had seen – the Secret Library.
Living alone, she guarded this library like the apple of her eyes. But she wasn't selfish, her guardedness was due to the certain nature of the library itself. It wasn't an ordinary library with shelves full of books. Instead, the 'books' it contained were alive.
Every book was dedicated to an individual from the town. The pages encapsulated the person's entire life story from birth to death– their achievements, their mistakes, moments of joy, moments of despair. These were no ordinary books- they were 'Life Books.'
Madame Marceline was bestowed with the task of a caretaker, she was entrusted with the responsibility to chronicling each person's life in these books. She was not to interfere or manipulate events of their lives but only observe and record. She took pride in this and strived to ensure that everyone's story was told honestly and accurately.
One day, young Oscar Wilson stumbled upon the Secret Library. Oscar was the town's troublemaker- he was rebellious and often found getting into fights. Madame Marceline had seen trouble coming with Oscar for while, and as she predicted, one fateful day, the boy broke into her mansion out of curiosity.
Oscar had instantly felt an enchanting attraction towards the library, something he couldn't comprehend. As he opened his 'Life Book', he was amazed and terrified at the same time. He saw his past actions, his present activities, and a vague glimpse of his future.
This new revelation frightened him and made him realize the consequences of his reckless behavior. The 'Life Book' acted as a mirror, reflecting his true self. Oscar saw the wrongs in his choices and felt an overpowering desire to mend his ways.
Remembering his mother’s tired face, his absent father, and the childhood he had lost to his reckless behavior, Oscar felt a coarse lump in his throat. He realized that he wanted to change his story, re-orchestrate his life and give it a new direction.
On his way out of the library, he was caught by Madame Marceline. But instead of reprimanding him, she merely offered him understanding and advice. She told him that even though the 'Life Books' recorded someone's life, it was the person's actions and choices that had the real power to change the course of their life. Our lives, she taught, were pen in our hands, and it was up to us how we chose to write it.
Transformed by his experience, Oscar did change. He let kindness replace his anger, replaced his rebellion with acceptance. He started working hard in school, helped his mother around the house, and stopped picking fights. The town was surprised by the change but welcomed it joyfully.
As for Madame Marceline, she continued her work, secretly observing and documenting the town’s life in the Secret Library, her magical realm where real-world life stories unfolded. But most importantly, she had imparted an invaluable lesson to young Oscar, who went on to become one of the most respected individuals in Verge.
This story serves as a reminder that it’s never too late to mend our ways, and it’s our actions more than our past that define us. No prophecy, no 'Life Book', has the power to rule one's life unless we let them. In the end, we are the writers of our own stories.