by Caleb Smith
“Is a friend someone that you bully, beat, rob, and curse every chance you get? Is this what you consider a friend?”
The boys were baffled and clearly not ready to take on the elder man, who sported a full, fluffy gray beard, looking more like a lumberjack than Santa Claus.
“Ahh. Never mind then. I guess we’re in the wrong place. Come on; let’s get out of here,” Mike said and pulled Joe with him as they both wearily exited the shop.
Noah remained kneeling in silence, amazed at what had just taken place. Who was this guy? he wondered.
“You can come out now, son. Your friends are gone.”
Noah slowly stood up from below the counter, showing his face while adjusting his crooked glasses. The green suspenders on the tall, burly man gleamed – the color complemented his blue, flannel shirt. He was a lot taller than Noah had initially imagined. In fact, he was huge! It was no wonder his enemies had been quick to leave; this man had become intimidating in the time it takes Clark Kent to change into Superman! He seemed kind, though, as if he knew all about Noah’s troubles.
“Welcome, little friend, to our humbly delightful book shop where imagination looms and adventure awaits at every stop. We have books of might, books of light, and books that make you laugh, all right!’”
His words seemed almost scripted or memorized, perfectly spoken in rhyming sequence.
Noah was at a loss for words, so instead of replying, he just took a good look around and instantly fell in love. Still standing behind the counter, he saw a store immersed in color with built-in couches and chairs lining the walls. The furniture connected to the fine wooden shelving carved and marked with tribal art. In the middle of the shop were more standing book shelves in between which were bouncy balls and boards with wheels and scooters to help visitors navigate the aisles. The strangest thing of all was that the entire floor consisted of a mirror. Noah came out from behind the counter and peered down to his mirrored image and asked, “Why do you have a mirrored floor?”
“Pickpockets and thieves may steal and take what they please, but not in this store. No, not any more, with this floor. We now can see anywhere, I do declare, and we do have a sign that reads ‘no skirts,’ just to be fair.”
Noah thought about it for a moment but quickly caught on when spying the sign on the wall, which made him chuckle.
“I get it – so, you can see everything that goes on.” The ceiling was glass, as well, and Noah could see his reflection above. To the far-left side of the shop was the bottom of a big slide that ran up through the ceiling.
The odd man quickly picked up on Noah’s delight and especially of his curiosity about the slide.
“Where does the slide start?” Noah asked with big eyes.
“Would you like to find out, little friend?” The man asked, seemingly growing five inches taller as he spoke.
“Did you just get taller?” Noah asked, doing a double-take.
“Oh, sorry friend.” He then shrunk himself back to his original size.
Noah was flabbergasted. “How did you do that?”
“How did I do what? Oh, you mean the growing and shrinking bit? That will come a little later. But, first, my boy, I must escort you to the top floor!”
Any teen his age probably would have been freaked out by the idea of a growing and shrinking man who floated above a mirrored floor. But Noah was intrigued.
“Are you...floating?”
“Let us go, my dear boy. Down the slide you will enjoy. Follow me, please.”
The man crossed his feet and held one welcoming arm out and the other on his hip, bowing his head like a matador. He then floated toward the colorful staircase, and Noah followed. He felt love and kindness in the air, despite having witnessed impossible acts (acts that were quickly becoming “normal” in his mind). This shop made him feel as though he were trapped inside one of his story books. He eagerly followed the floating, could-be giant up the staircase of vibrant colors. The multicolored steps formed a magical rainbow path leading to the top.
“How many floors are here?” Noah asked, his heart pounding.
“Three, four … I’m not sure any more. Perhaps five or six, it’s just a couple of more clicks.”
The steps then turned into a ramp with ample grit that grabbed each foot as he fought for position. Before the weary boy knew it, he had arrived at the top floor and began following the bearded man into a lounge area even larger than that on the bottom floor. It was set up differently but still held the same amenities. The story shelves looked like they were made of gold, and they were interspersed with comfortable, colorful lounge furniture. The floor and ceiling were still mirrored, but the space up here far exceeded that on the bottom floor. All of this was quite hard for the young lad to comprehend – this place impeached his rationality.
“What did you say your name was?” Noah asked.
“I didn’t, Noah,” the man replied, “but my name is Enoch.” Noah was shocked that the man had known his own name.
“Enoch. Hmmm… I haven’t heard that name before.”
“Well you have heard it now. And, just so you know, we could have taken the elevator.”
Sure enough, there to the immediate right and to the left of the slide entrance was an old 1950s-style elevator, gleaming in gold just like the book shelves.
“Is everything up here gold? The bookshelves, the elevator, and all?”
“If that is what you see, then it must be.”
“Ahh, OK. Whatever you say,” Noah replied, playfully agitated.
The boy found the closest window and walked past a cove of bookshelves and chairs. He looked out as night began to eat day and spotted the ground, way, way down. He saw his bike lying next to the street, looking miniature to his eyes.
“How many floors up are we?” He hoped for a reply that wasn’t a riddle.
“Four. Four is the floor that we’re on and can’t ignore.”
“So, you have four floors of book space here” Noah asked with wide eyes and a smile he couldn’t hide. I could live here, he wondered.
“You will get a better look at the entire store on your ride down the magic slide.” Noah glanced again at the slide, now noticing a sign affixed to its opening that read in big block letters, “MAGIC SLIDE.”
“Why is it magical?” he asked.
“Because, my little friend, as you travel down and look out onto each floor of the store, your imagination will come to life, and whatever you believe to be real will be real through your eyes only. What you see is yours to keep. Others might see things differently, and whatever they see is their own.”
“Why is everything a riddle with you?” Noah stepped away from the window.
“It’s only a riddle if you hear it that way.” The giant man was growing again, his head hitting the twenty-foot glass ceiling and just missing a hanging light before he shrunk back down to a normal 6’4”.
“How do you do that? Grow and then shrink like that?”
“It’s easy really. I don’t think about it; it just happens.”
Noah wanted to take a few more seconds to view the immense top floor of the shop from his position near the slide. There were so many stylish nooks in which to sit and read, it was like a library for young people, only the books were for sale.
“Are you ready?”
Noah looked up. “I sure am.”
“Well, have fun my friend. I’ll meet you at the bottom.” The wonder man then vanished in thin air.
Noah grabbed the red handles, lifting his legs and feet onto the slide. Once set, he pushed himself down the rainbow-colored tunnel. Moving faster than anticipated, he yelled with delight as the array of colors melted into one, seemingly like a port hole of some sort. He shot down, twisting and turning, and came to pause at the third floor, getting a bird’s eye view.
This floor had a series of water-filled bookshelves with goldfish swimming about probably made of some kind of hollow plastic. The floors were different too. They consisted
of squares of light, as varied in color like a jumbo pack of crayons. It looked like some kind of outrageous disco floor. The lights projected through the mirrored ceilings, rendering the floor electric, while tables, chairs, couches, books, and games lined the perimeter. Noah wanted to see more, but he was then catapulted to the second floor, the slide winding and twisting along the way.
On the second floor birds and animals flew and ran freely. Everything from parrots and doves to chipmunks and ferrets, some sitting on shelves made of chiseled stone and moss. The gentle sound of trickling water permeated the background. It was like a sanctuary with trees lining the walls, some carved out to accommodate a comfortable seat. The ground was like a forest floor, trailing from shimmering pools to mini-waterfalls held together by loose stone. The ceiling was covered with vines and tree limbs, hanging lights interspersed among them. The stone book shelves appeared in sets of threes, curved to form circles throughout the floor. Each circle held its own little world of imagination. Noah knew right away that this was a place for self-reflection where one could make a furry friend and read his or her favorite story in complete peace and harmony. How on earth did they get all this stuff up here?
But just then, his spiral down the slide resumed. He whipped down through the tunnel, whooping with excitement. As he came shooting out on the first floor, he was unprepared for what greeted him. Planting his feet on the mirrored floor, he stood face-to-face with a man nearly identical to Enoch. Enoch stood beside him, and the two grinned.
“Noah, I’d like you to meet my twin brother, Elijah.”
Chapter 7
His mother was angry when at last Noah’s optimistic face appeared at the kitchen door from the shadows of the dark.
“Where have you been? I thought you were kidnapped or dead. I called down to the Sherman’s house, and Wendy said you left there over an hour-and-a-half ago. It’s been dark for the past hour and you’ve been nowhere to be found.”
The quiver in her voice showed her deep love for the boy, but the gnarled, contorted look of anger on her face clearly displayed her protective instinct. “What is going on with you, Noah? You never talk to me anymore; you come home, and all, but lock yourself in your room. I feel like I don’t even know my son anymore. Why are you showing up here so late when you know I forbid it? You could have gotten a ride home!”
The boy didn’t know where to begin in answering – he could see his mother was clearly upset, and for that he was sorry. “I’m sorry, Mom. I won’t do it again.”
He walked over and hugged her. She squeezed him intensely, and then the two separated, but she left her firm hands on his. “You promise me this will never happen again? You’re all I’ve got.”
“Yeah, Mom, I promise.”
“I would like to know where you’ve been, young man.”
A sudden knock on the front door interrupted her investigative efforts. She opened the door and was happy to see Earl’s face behind the screen.
“I see Noah’s bike outside; he must have made it home OK?”
“Yes, he just came in. Earl, I thank you so much for your help in driving around looking for him. It really means a lot.”
“Well, I know how it is. I’ve got three of my own, Mrs. Thomas.”
“That’s Ms. Thomas, but you can call me Evelyn,” she replied with a gracious smile.
“Well, I hope you don’t mind the bike for Noah. He helped Wendy all day out in the yard and earned it fair and square.”
Evelyn stepped aside, allowing Noah to be a part of the casual conversation. “I think that bike will be just fine for him as long as he’s home before dark!”
Earl saw the boy and wanted to voice his concern. “Are you all right son? Did you run into any problems on your way home after supper?”
Noah felt compelled to tell the whole truth but did not want to cause an uprising of angry adults, so he only told half the truth. “No, sir. The truth is, I found a new book shop downtown on my way home, and I was there the whole time. I haven’t been down that way much, and I figured since I was on a bike, I would take a spin down through.”
“See! Look, he talks to you more than he does to me,” Evelyn said with a smile.
Earl smiled. “Well, you just make sure you’re careful down there in all the traffic; some people can’t see well after dark.”
“He’s not to be out after dark,” Evelyn piped in.
“You listen to your mother, now; she knows what’s best.”
“Yes, sir, and thank you for having me today; it was a good day,” Noah replied.
“Anytime your mother here allows it, you’re more than welcome in our home.”
“Thank you,” Noah said, walking off to his room and leaving the adults to talk.
“Thank you so much for your hospitality and for caring about my son.”
“You’re welcome Evelyn...any time. Have a nice night, now.”
She closed the door and locked up, then walked over to her son’s room and peered in. He was already curled up with a new book in his hands. She wanted to confront him about this new book store and his executive decision to take his new bike downtown, but she couldn’t do it. She saw him safely in his bed doing what he loved to do best; reading. All that mattered to her was that he was safe, and he was. In her eyes, all prayers had been answered. She left him and went about her duties in the kitchen.
The book was one given to him by the twins just before he left the book shop. Since stepping off the slide, everything that had transpired had seemed like a whirlwind – in this moment, he just wanted to remember his visit with the twins.
“You must be careful with this; your imagination is strong,” Enoch had said. “You will fall into this story relatively easy. When you want to come out or back to the physical world, you must close your eyes and count to three, and you will arrive as you were. You must make sure that nothing comes back out with you. Be free and clear of all things when you come back.”
Noah’s eyes had sparkled with excitement as he reached for the faded book still clutched tight in Enoch’s grip.
“Especially, rogue energies. You must never let them out of the story. They will wreak havoc and change the depths of time, as well as all the grand records.”
“We will be held accountable for it,” Elijah had added.
“I understand, kind sirs. I will be extra careful with this book and will bring it back to you in a few days.”
The two burly brothers had looked at each other, then nodded their heads to agree. “We trust that what you say is true. Let us down, however, and your privilege will be through.”
“So, in other words, don’t prove you wrong?” The young teen had asked.
“He’s a quick learner,” Elijah had said to his twin.
“Yes. Yes, indeed he is,” Enoch had replied.
“Protect that book with your life; it is a real living thing you carry, a world within a world.”
“I sure will,” Noah had exclaimed, tucking it inside his front tubular sweatshirt pocket. It was then hidden and safely secured on his person. “Well, I should get going. My mom is probably panicking.” Noah had then made his way toward the shop door. He looked back and thanked his new acquaintances and assured them he would be back in a few days with a full report on his adventurous endeavors. He left the store chuckling at the idea of actually going inside a story book. Yet, he knew what they were talking about. For most of his life, his mind had told him that he’d been physically present in the various book adventures, though his body had told him otherwise. Regardless, he now had a new read and was excited to dig in. Maybe somewhere along the way, he could find reason in what he had witnessed that day in the shop and why it had come to his aid when he had least expected it.
Chapter 8
Noah didn’t know what to make of the book – it had no sleeve or fancy artwork – and, it was bound by canvas that bore the weather of countless decades. At one point, it might have been emerald green, but time had washed away its cheerful blis
s and given it character. There was no title on the binding or front cover. He opened the hardened jacket to find a blank page. He flipped the page over and he saw the title: Instructional Book I: The Boy Who Could Run.
Was this a joke? He laughed out loud, for this certainly was not a story of his choosing. He opened the next page and the illustration depicted a boy running down a gravel trail toward a dark green forest painted with evergreens. A trail was winding through them in a snake like manner. The picture was compelling: he immediately was pulled into the book.
He became the running boy, like a snow rabbit hopping on the outskirts of the coiling trail, catching broken sun rays that had been intercepted by great pine branches. Off in the distance, feasting on soft light greens protruding from the forest floor, stood deer. Yearlings mimicked their grazing mother as the trail was tender on his fast moving feet. He wore what the boy in the story was described as wearing, but he felt naked and never more comfortable. It was as if he were running on air and enjoying every empowering step he took to push forward. Running further down the trail (which was now engulfed in shadows), he felt like he was moving at the speed of a race car, yet he experienced no fatigue. In this place, it seemed, fatigue did not exist.
He picked up the pace and kicked it up a gear, traveling even faster, leaving a trail of smoky dust behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a big cat watching him from atop a cliff that was blanketed in moss. As he kept pace, the cliff’s end became evident and in his mind, he knew that cat would jump for him. And sure enough, it happened. He continued running, now cruising at seventy miles per hour. Wind-swept tears trickled across his temples and into his ears. He glanced behind him and noticed the cat was not far behind. The mountain lion had been closing in on its prey, but its running speed was no match for the boy. He was now beginning to top speeds of eighty miles per hour. The trail tunneled through the dark forest. Undoubtedly, those darkened areas presented more trouble for him.
