I Decided To Hold Onto The Last Book - The Cellar Journey Part 3

Scanning the room, I quickly realized the room was round. The bookshelf wrapped around the left side of the room to a door straight ahead. On the right side of the door was a wall with writing all over. Phrases, which mostly seemed to revolve around the word why, streamed across the wall in different sizes and colors. 

 

Why was I here?

Why did you hurt him?

Why did I do it? 

Why did you get help?

Why should I follow?

Why are you helping me?

Why should I care?

 

Why...? Why...? Why...?

 

The questions definitely resonated with me as I slowly read them. They all seemed to be questions I had asked at some point in my life. Looking across the wall with writing, I noticed a light fixture. It was simple, just a light bulb connected to an electrical circuit and plugged into the wall. About 30 feet in diameter, the room was fairly large and I wondered how it ever got here. I began to wonder how I never realized this room existed. 

 

I began looking around the fixture for the light switch but couldn't find anything. No switch, no lever, no chain. Nothing. 

 

Looking closer at the light bulb, I noticed it looked loose. I grabbed the bulb to tighten it. 

 

Flash!

 

I turned quickly as the bright light decimated my night vision. The room was now fully illuminated. 

 

I turned off my flashlight and gazed around the room.

 

* * * * *

 

I felt safe in this room and was not interested in leaving. 

 

I looked down. My right hand was holding the flashlight and the left was holding the book. I didn't need the flashlight anymore so I quickly tucked it into my pocket. The book was too big to fit, so I continued holding onto it.

 

Snap! Spark! 

 

The noise came out of nowhere and turning around towards the sound, I saw sparks flying out from the light fixture. There seemed to be an electrical short and sparks were flying out everywhere. Maybe that was why the bulb was loose, I thought to myself. 

 

The sparks increased, shooting every which way. Continuing, they were landing on the books and several caught fire. 

 

Quickly, I looked around to see if there was anything I could use to put out the fire. 

 

Nothing. 

 

Then, the door I entered from closed. There was no way back. 

 

I ran to the books and tried to smother the fire with other books. I went from one to the next to the next, but the sparks were too many. I ran back at to the light fixture in my attempt to stop the source. 

 

Unscrewing the bulb and it didn't stop it, in fact, now the sparks were coming out faster. 

 

I notice the cord was still plugged in, I grabbed it and pulled it out. 

 

Oh no...

 

I made it worse. Sparks were pouring out of the outlet and there was no stopping it. I looked over at the bookshelf and it was completely engulfed in flames. 

 

If this fire was not stopped, the house was going to burn down.  

 

What else can I do?

 

What about the other door? Maybe there was something in there which could help. Running to this door I pulled out the key, assuming I would need it, and stuck it into the lock. Turning the key and the handle, the door opened widely and quickly. 

 

And then it hit me, like a ton of bricks. 

 

* * * * *

 

A wave of water slammed me into the back wall as it poured into the room from the, now open, doorway. Quickly the room began to fill with water as I scrambled to figure out what was happening. At the rate the water was coming in, there were only minutes left before the room filled up. 

 

I braced the wall as I attempted to get up. 

 

Aww! My back was aching while I slowly struggled to pull myself up. As I finally stood, I realized my book was gone. It must have been knocked out of my hands when the water hit me. Frantically, I looked around the room to see if I could find it. Since all the other books were destroyed, the one I was holding was the only one left. I had to find it. 

 

The water was at my waist and moving violently around the room. Just a few minutes ago I was about to be burned alive, now it looks like drowning was my new fate. 

 

Sloshing about in panic, the water was up to my shoulders. Out of the corner of my eye, I finally noticed the book was floating about. Quickly, my arms paddled away, pulling me towards the book. 

 

Within a foot of it, I felt something move in the water. Looking around I realized, something was swimming around me. 

---