Mech

Chapter 16: Knowledge is Power

"In there?"

Catt winked and licked a paw, swiping it over the white diamond.

"You mean..Alexander is..here. Right n'that room.."

I took a step on forward, stretching out a trembling hand and feeling the wooden surface. It was just like the desk, but it had so much more purpose. Behind this door was the creator of this entire place, the man who very well could have tortured his daughters in order to make them immortal, the man who could have saved everyone but was so caught up in his little sub-project that he was blind to the corruption. The creator.

"Mrrow."

"If you say so.."

I felt as though I should knock, but the thought occurred to me that if he were dead, which was very possible, no one would answer anyway. I grabbed the handle and pulled. The door opened with ease, sliding across the floor with such silent grace. Inside, a draft of that old tree smell hit me like a train and I coughed violently. I wasn't used to this. Why was it so strong? Catt bounded inside excitedly and I could hear purring all down the dark hallway. Just inside, small torches burned on the wall, illuminating the doorway. I took one and carefully guided the flame in front of me. These weren't made of wood, they were gas powered like most. The hallway was quite thin, but I realized this wasn't the only one. There were several hallways to choose from. No..not hallways..rows..shelves..bookcases!

"A library?" I asked to the woodsy air, "Wow!"

Books upon books of endless knowledge! Not just any knowledge..old knowledge..history, fiction, science..everything from the world before Mech. I dropped to the floor, placing the torch between my knees and swiping a book, flipping through the dusty pages. The smell..Oh God the smell..it was unlike anything. That centuries old tree smell I longed to smell for my whole life flooded my nose. Although this smell was of dead and processed trees, it was still the closest thing to standing in a forest I had ever smelled. I could practically feel the breeze through the forest. I looked at the page. There was a picture of a mountain, a breathtaking mountain. Snow topped peaks were covered partially by a creeping hand of thick mist that rolled over into the valley below. A hawk soared through the air above the hand and there was a beautiful fir tree in the foreground. I turned the page and there was an oak forest. Never ending trees stretched into the heavens and pierced the sky, the leaves covering their assault as the sunset dripped a bloody sunset behind the cracked trunks. There were all kinds of strange animals wandering the landscape, living amongst each other in universal harmony. I noticed I began to tear up and moved the book away so my tears wouldn't dampen the priceless pages. It was gorgeous. I yearned for that forest. The origin of these pages. I had to escape.

"Mrrrow."

Catt rubbed against my back and her little tail brushed across my ear. Suddenly, I heard a sound from behind me. The door downstairs opened again, I could hear the screech and the water flow inside. Someone else just joined the party. I replaced the book and snatched my bag, drawing my gun and creeping out the door of the library. Inching ever so silently towards the railing, I knelt down and moved until I could just barely see. Whoever it was had already begun to rummage through the same blueprints and various parts I had found when I entered. A face emerged and I realized who it was. Shoving the gun in the back of my cargo pants I stood and leaned over the railing.

"Esclave?" I called.

She whipped around, gun drawn and ready to attack, "Micah? How did you get in here?"

"Same way as you, through that door."

"Yeah, yeah, I got that smartass, but how did you find it?"