The Tower 5

The door opened again just as it had the first time.  Without reservation I entered and glanced around.  Nothing had changed, except there seemed to be a layer of dust on everything.  I looked up at the winding staircase and groaned.

I still hurt from climbing the stairs before and here I had to do it again.  With a deep sigh I started.  The passage didn't seem to go as long as before and after a much shorter time I found myself at the top of the stairs looking across at the flickering fire.

Everything up here was just as dusty as the main floor, but I turned immediately to the tall chair and the stand where the man had put the book.  The chair was empty and the book still sat on the stand.  I walked silently across the thick carpet and approached the book.

The dust here was the same as everywhere else.  I reached out and brushed it away, anxious to see what was there.  The page was blank.  I blinked remembering something had been on it before.  I looked around hoping the man would return to explain everything, but the room remained empty.

Frustrated and annoyed I walked over to the bookshelves.  They were still lined with the many leather-bound book, but they looked even older and more worn.  I couldn't understand what was happening.  Why did this place look like a hundred years had passed.  It had not even been a day.

I took a deep breath trying to picture everything as I had first seen it that morning.  The warm fire, the rich carpets and no dust.  When I opened my eyes nothing had changed.  Frustrated I moved toward the stairs.  Clearly there was some sort of magic involved in this, but I didn't understand it nor would I be able to without some sort of help.

Resigned I started down the stairs.  I am a practical person, but I love fantasy.  This whole dream reeked of fantasy and magic.  Yet my practical brain wanted to understand, wanted an explanation.  So I was determined to find one.

I reached the bottom of the stairs and left the tower.  A large meadow surrounded the tower and tall trees surrounded the meadow.  To the north I noticed a tiny break in the trees and what looked like a path.  With a tremor of excitement and nerves I made my way to the path.

To be continued...