by H. Duke
Shannon,
If you’re reading this, you have discovered the secret of the fiction room. I hope you will forgive me for not telling you directly. Some things must be experienced firsthand.
I will not bore you with my adventures (yes, and misadventures, too), as I’m sure you will have many of your own. Unfortunately, I will not be there to guide you. What I can do is give you some advice, which is to close up every night and leave by nine, and leave the Werner collection be. Your life will be simpler for it.
But since I know you will not follow this advice, here are some rules:
Rule #1: The books in the Werner collection must remain closed between 9 PM and 5 AM when not in use.
Rule #2: Never bring a book into its own portal. This closes the door. There is no reopening it.
Rule #3: Do not take anything without leaving something of equal importance behind. The worlds can only handle imbalance for so long; and eventually they will seek to even the scales. Trust me—it is best to decide for yourself what to give up.
Lastly, I must admit a lie. There is a third key to the fiction room. I had to be sure it would not fall into unsuspecting (or ill-meaning) hands. I chose to keep the truth of the fiction room to myself, and I have lived a lonely life for it. I leave you to make your own choice on the matter. I only ask that if you choose to share this key, do so with caution.
Sincerely,
Mae
Shannon reread the words several times before folding the letter.
“Is everything okay?” Randall’s voice sounded far away and distorted.
She turned the key over in her hand. She could give him the key; she was sure he was a good person. After a few more moments of consideration, she placed the key and the letter back in the chest and closed the lid. Randall would understand. She was the guardian of this place now. She needed to be sure.
She turned, and climbed the ladder back into the light.
*Author’s Note: Thanks for reading The Fiction Room, the short story that inspired my Library Gate Series. If you’d like to read the full series, you can find them here: hdukeauthor.com/library-gate-series.
You might also consider signing up for my reader group. I routinely send stories and behind-the-scenes exclusives like this one. You can sign up here: hdukeauthor.com/reader-group-fiction-room.
Thanks
-H. Duke, author of fantasy, horror, and more
More books by H. Duke
Fantasy
Jeremiah Jones Cowboy Sorcerer Series
Jeremiah Jones Cowboy Sorcerer: The Complete First Season
Season One Episode One
Season One Episode Two
Season One Episode Three
Season One Episode Four
Season One Episode Five
Season One Episode Six
Season One Episode Seven
Season One Episode Eight
A Cowboy Sorcerer Christmas (reader group exclusive)
Taming the Wolf (reader group exclusive)
The Pagewalker Series
Pagewalker
Spinebreaker
Wordeater
The First Adventure of Braddy Evers (Coming soon!)
Horror (written as H. H. Duke)
Things on the Shelf: Three Tales of Christmas Terror
Find an up-to-date list at http://www.hdukeauthor.com
About the Author
H. Duke has written over ten works of fiction, including the weird west serial Jeremiah Jones Cowboy Sorcerer and the Library Gate series.
These days, she can be seen travelling the United States in her travel trailer with her husband Giru and a shiny black dog named Jupiter. To see an up-to-date list of her works and find out where she’ll be writing next, visit http://www.hdukeauthor.com.
The Fiction Room
© 2017 by H. Duke
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real people, places, or events are used fictitiously. Other places, names, characters, and events are creations of the author’s imagination. Any similarity to actual places, events, or people (living or dead) is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any format, without the express written consent of the author. An exception is made for short excerpts used for educational or review purposes.
Cover image © 2017 by H. Duke
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