Learning to Love Time Loops Without Going Insane

Their trip started easily enough. Bill had pulled up a map from the console near their reading room and copied it down. They needed to head two thousand stacks forward, turn left, head another three thousand, turn left again, and head two thousand more. This didn’t make a lot of sense if the library was a standard geometric shape, but considering they were dealing with dimension magic, Andy wasn’t willing to question it just yet.

The final instruction on the map was to pick the correct direction from the crossroad and walk until shelter was needed.

“So are this map telling us where to go or predicting what will happen as we try to get there and what we need to do?” Andy asked Bill as they walked.

“No idea. Initially, I had considered the map just didn’t represent a Euclidian world like we were used to, but now I’m wondering if it’s more of a safety map. If we follow the instructions, we will find our way and probably not die type of map.”

“Huh, interesting thought. So we have dangerous directions then.”

“I think Cal has rubbed off on you.”

“Nah, I’ve just accepted my fate and given into his naming scheme. Plus, I’d rather avoid growing into a grumpy version.”

“Honestly, it’s hard to believe you two are the same person at this point.”

“Are we, though? I have no idea how that even works. Apparently, the universe thought we were different enough to split apart.” Their chatting stopped once they reached the designated stack count.

The library in front of them looked far older than what was behind them. There were consoles in sight, just rows of dusty wooden bookcases.

“Any guess how we pick the right direction?” Andy asked Bill.

“Nope, so let’s just pick one. It gave us no clues, and there doesn’t seem to be anything here to lead us either, so I say Left again. Let’s make our journey a square.”

“I think it would be a rectangle, but I get your point.”

“I think the idea that geometry is normal here is completely out the window now, Andy.”

“Yeah, yeah.” They both turned left and continued deeper into their endless library.

Several hours into their journey, suddenly, everything went silent. The quiet humming sounds of lights and various other sources disappeared. Their feet made no sound as they stepped.

Andy looked at Bill and tried to speak, but no noise came. He instead gestured, trying to convey a “What the fuck is going on” message.

Bill shrugged in response, shaking his head.

Then they saw it. Something was dragging itself across the ground towards them. Arm after horrible arm, it pulled itself surprisingly quickly. Its head resembled something between an owl and a human. A large distended abdomen was being pulled behind the creature. It squirmed and writhed as it was dragged across the floor. It looked like still living creatures were pounding on it from the inside, desperate for release, but no sound could be heard.

Bill frantically pointed to a spot between two of the bookcases and dashed between them. Andy squeezed himself after the capybara. The lights started to dim. Andy grabbed Bil before the light entirely failed. They had no choice but to stumble along together carefully, hoping to find some safety.

Andy reached out to check in front of him before his next step and was greeted by something furry on the bookcase. It rubbed against his hand gently. He could feel light vibrations across the creature. Had he found that voice’s cat in the middle of this? In an answer to his unsaid question, the animal hopped onto his shoulder and started rubbing against his neck.

It certainly seemed like a cat.

He tried to continue on. The cat hit him. He stopped. The cat relaxed. He tried to move again, and the cat him again. He decided to risk listening to the cat’s not-so-subtle orders. He gripped Bill’s shoulder, trying to silently signal him to freeze as well.

Andy felt something brush past his leg. He stayed perfectly frozen in place. Minutes later, the lights returned. Andy could hear himself breathing again. Bill was crying.

“It’s alright, buddy. I think we’re safe now.” Andy consoled his friend.

“I don’t know why that of all the things we’ve been through got to me so badly, but I just felt so helpless. Are you aware you have a cat on your shoulder?” Bill went from a shaken voice to sudden interest.

“I am. They were on the shelf here, and I’m pretty sure they are the only reason we made it through that alive. It hit me every time I tried to move.” Andy explained why he had forced Bill to stay in place.

“Hey, is that my cat? Did you find poor little Wiggles? I bet he was terrified without his mother.” The owner of the voice finally came into view.

It was a Gryalth. A different-looking one, she was wearing a graphic t-shirt with a frog riding an elephant on it alongside cut-off jean shorts. Andy had no idea what to make of her.

“Ugh, hi. I’m Andy, this is Bill, and yes, your cat saved us.” Andy stuttered out the words.

“Aww, Mr. Wiggles, you are such a good boy, but no more running off. Hi Andy and Bill. I’m Serilina. So is the panic on your faces from something you encountered, or do you come from a world where my people are horribly evil?” She asked, trying to smile.

“Both, actually. Look, it was nice meeting you, but we need to continue on. We have to find some books before shit hits the fan again.” Andy wanted to be safely locked away in a reading room as soon as he possibly could. He didn’t trust a random Gryalth, even if her cat had just saved them. Plus, this woman was clearly doing fine on her own.

“Oh, I understand. This place has become a nightmare since the exit gates shut down. Good luck. I hope you find your book.” She walked between two bookcases and vanished from sight before Andy could think to follow up on the exit gates.

“Hey Andy, I think we are here, actually.” Bill was looking at the shelves.

“Huh, well sheltered was needed. Any guess how we find our way back to the librarian if we need to?”

“Nope. Come on, let’s get the closest reading room populated with books and try to relax for a while. I feel about ready to explode from stress.”

They did just that. Bill spent several hours in a hot bath trying to calm himself while Andy thumbed through the books. They needed something on reality location runes and authority systems. There were several hundred books. This wouldn’t be quick.

*

It wasn’t. It took them over a decade to find everything they needed and determine what a rudimentary rune diagram should look like.

“So the problem is, while I’m pretty sure this will work. The door it creates is going to be permanent, and we need to do it back at the octagonal room we entered in at.” Bill was going over the details again out loud.

“So we have to find our way back then?” Andy asked.

“Yes, but that may not be as hard as I was originally worried it would be. I did some more reading last night, and I think all paths away from the stacks lead to the librarian. One of the tricks of the building design.”

“Interesting. Any idea how long it will take us to get back?”

“Nope, but I doubt it will be as long as it took us to find this place. It seems the return trip is designed to be easier.”

Decided it was now or never, they packed up and headed out. They walked away from their room with only the librarian’s desk as a goal and soon found a large pathway similar to what they had followed to their very first reading room.

“Seems to be working.” Bill said.

“Yeah, but we need to run now!” Andy yelled. He had looked behind them and saw several black shadow shapes piling out of the stacks behind them.

Andy tried something to speed them up. He formed a gravity ball on himself.

“Bill, grab one of the strings and hold on tight.” He reduced the gravity of the ball, and both of them started leaping forward much faster. It was good that this worked because the shadows were moving nearly as quickly as their low gravity-induced speed allowed.

It didn’t matter, though, as they could see the librarian’s desk in the distance. One final leap, and they were into the safety zone. Andy looked back and saw the shadows retreat into the stacks. They were safe again. It had been a very long time since he had felt this kind of relief.

They ignored the librarian, returning to their entry room instead.

“Here goes nothing, well actually everything, but you know what I mean,” Bill said as he began tracing his diagram on the ground. Once he was done, he started channeling mana into the center. They were greeted by a wooden door slowly growing from the floor until it was nearly ten feet tall.

“Will this get us home?” Andy asked, unsure.

“I really hope so.” Bill opened the door, and they both ran through.