Flashback continues
I was in another world.
Well that was my first thought.
The place was unlike anything I have ever seen before. It was practically pulsing with magic.
I was in a library. Shelves filled with books, more books and even more books. Some looked brand new, while others appeared used but not old.
There was not a speck of dust in sight. The place was so clean, I could see my reflection on the polished surfaces.
I turned around to go back from the door I came through, planning to explore this place hen I was feeling much better but the door was not there. It was...gone.
The wall it had once been on was smooth without any indication that a few moments ago there was an opening I came though.
I blinked, then again staring dazedly at the wall as the seconds ticked by.
"SERIOUSLY!!!" I shouted at nothing. "Argh!"
I took a deep breath, ran my hand through my dark hair, closed my eyes and exhaled.
Getting worked up would definitely not help me.
I opened my eyes again, allowing myself a closer observation of the room I was currently in.
There was a set of double doors at the farther side of the room, so I went through it and ended up in a long corridor.
There were doors lining up both sides of the well lot corridor. Trying not to panic, I went into every single one of them.
It took me hours to completely examine the mansion, maybe even a palace. The place was s so huge; it was night by the time I was done yet the way home seemed elusive.
On cue, my stomach growled indicating the gnawing hunger I felt.
I tried to recollect the way to the kitchen and retraced my steps to it. It took a while to remember the way but I eventually recalled.
Not having surveyed the kitchen on my earlier self-tour, I was not sure what I would find. It certainly wasn't a pantry filled with an assortment of foodstuff.
My stomach growled again breaking me out of my slightly dazed state.
The food was enough to last me a long time. But I was not sure how long, I was not sure how long it would take me to be find an exit.
I inspected the ingredients with great measure and arrived at one 'tiny' problem; I did not know how to cook.
I scratched my head, frustrated.
'well it's just cooking, how hard could it be...right?'
I grabbed some ingredients—carrots, pepper, some weird looking orange, red and black powder.
I stared at them, confused and utterly lost.
That's what I need to make soup right.
'Do I need to add some oil too?.....or was it butter?'
I picked up a pot and added water to it, cut the carrots and pepper into big chunks and added them to the water with the powders.
I found a giant spoon and stirred it. I knew I needed to boil it so I lit up flames on both palms and heated the soup.
'Now fire I can do'
I kept the heat high even when the soup started steaming.
How long was supposed to keep it on the fire? Or in this case, keep the fire on it.
I waited for a long time before dubbing the soup as finished.
I quickly retrieved a bowl and spooned the weird colored soup in.
The chunks of carrots and pepper floated on the surface of the liquid.
I took a tentative sip before spitting it out and gagging.
Yuck
It was bland and spicy and bleh.
I guess cooking isn't as easy as I thought.
I forced myself to gulp down the soup even though it was anything but edible.
When I was about to leave something on the far corner of the room caught my eye. It was an open book.
I walked towards it, curious, and stopped just I few steps from it. I peered at the book reading what was on the page.
Realization dawned on me , it was a recipe book. The title read, 'Blueberry crumble '.
Written under the title.was a list of ingredients and apparatus used to make the dessert.
There was detailed step by step instructions on how to make it too.
I slowly began reading it out loud, focusing on the words and images of the ingredients. Not noticing what was happening behind me.
Hearing something clatter I raised my head and turned around noting how utensils and ingredients were moving about in the air following the instructions I was reading.
I was stunned at first before laughing in bewilderment.
' guess I don't have to worry about making my own food anymore'
Soon a sweet fragrance tingled my nose arousing my taste buds.
I guess this place works with magic after all.
From then on my meals was my least concern for a while after that.
I spent the next few days in the library looking for books to show me the way out or at least help me understand the place.
I also found books to help me continue my training.
A long time had passed since I stumbled here but I didn't look a day older than the day I came.
Eventually I found a way out that proved my theory right; time does not exist in this place. But that is a story for another day.
*****
I was in the library when I reached a shelf that had books that seemed different than the rest. They seemed to be glowing as they thrummed with barely contained magic.
However, one particular book seemed to pull me to it.
It was light blue with silver edges and a lock in the shape of a dragon. The words, ' The path between worlds' were written in gold corsive letters.
I sat down on a table, book in hand. I placed it gently on the table and studied the lock before it clicked in my mind.