The Tales of Serinia: A Librarian, A Stranger & The Forgotten Tales
The tranquil town of Serinia lay nestled between a stretch of unending emerald trees and a brooding mountain range. The townsfolk led simple, content lives, knowing neither the hustle of city streets nor the thirst for gold, but in their own unique ways, they were rich.
The story I tell today is the tale of the loved librarian, Ms. Jane, and the hidden wonders of a small town.
In the heart of Serinia stood an ancient three-storied building, boasting an impressive dark oak façade touched with a century of history. The Library, as the townsfolk fondly called it, was home to numerous books and was the birthplace of countless stories and dreams. Ms. Jane, the gentle, gray-haired librarian, was the key-holder to these adventures. Her warm smile and kind eyes were familiar to all.
In the hours of daylight, the Library served as the hub for the villagers. The storytelling corner for curious children, the quiet study spaces for enthusiastic learners, the research section for elderly historians, and the cozy corners for avid readers, the Library had space for all. Ms. Jane was loved and respected, her opinion sought for scholarly pursuits and considered treasure for those in need of advice.
One day, a stranger came to the peaceful town of Serinia. He was a man of uncertain age, with an air of a scholar who had perhaps seen many cities and experienced numerous lives. The stranger was intrigued by the harmony of Serinia and decided to settle down in the welcoming town. Drawn to the intellectual haven, he began to spend his days at the Library.
The Stranger, intrigued by Ms. Jane's wisdom, sought her company.
Over shared stories and hushed discussions, a peculiar friendship began to bloom. The townsfolk began to see less of Ms. Jane, who seemed pensive, lost in her thoughts. The Stranger's curiosity took him to the third floor of the Library, which had been closed off for as long as anyone could remember. Finding the door long rusted shut, he sought for the key.
One extraordinary evening, Ms. Jane presented the Stranger with an antique iron key. 'Untread tales reside there,' she told him softly, 'Be the story-thief you wish to be or the dream-weaver the town needs.' The Stranger was both, a thief and a weaver in his right. With a heart filled with gratitude and hands trembling with excitement, he opened the door to the forgotten floor.
Books, scrolls, and parchments lay untouched over the years, a layer of dust serving as their only blanket. Yet, they had a luster that spoke volumes of the adventures they held within. The Stranger lost himself in the mysterious charm of the forgotten floor. As days turned into weeks and weeks into months, Ms. Jane began to look younger. With each narrative the Stranger unraveled, traces of time seemed to peel from her soul.
One day, the Stranger did not show up in the Library. The sun passed its peak, evening approached, yet there was no sign of him. Ms. Jane, with a heavy heart, climbed to the third floor. The Syracuse Sun sat on the reading table, its pages open to a photograph of a young woman, the mirror image of Ms. Jane, and her beloved, a man resembling the Stranger. Tears filled Ms. Jane's eyes as she gently touched the photograph.
That day onwards, the third floor opened for the townsfolk. In the forgotten tales and dusty scrolls, they found forgotten versions of their ancestors and insights of forgotten traditions. In erasing her past, Ms. Jane had chosen to gift her town a legacy. She had aged well beyond her years, yet the love and respect she commanded remained unaltered.
As for the Stranger, he had vanished just as mysteriously as he had arrived. What he had done was to unlock the past the town had forgotten, unwinding it in the process.
The tale of gentle Ms. Jane, the brave stranger, the Library, and the forgotten tales of Serinia found its place in the heart of the residents. It became a legend to be passed on, a reminder of their roots, a beacon to guide each on their voyage of self-discovery.