The Library

Based off of a prompt: "You find a book with a picture of yourself on the cover. You realize that it’s a strategy guide, specifically for your life."

The library was vast, with shelves that reached towering heights and staggering lengths. The librarians had done their best to keep it organized, but the shelves were in utter disarray and it was impossible for anyone to find the book they were looking for. Each of the millions of books had a picture of a face on it that shifted overtime resembling their living counterpart. Rumors abound about they contained, but the biggest one was said that it was a sort of survival guide for the owners life. Thousands of people from around the world milled about, searching for their face, occasionally crying out in frustration.
It was an impossible task, but here I stood, worrying that the expensive ticket was a waste of money and that maybe it was a myth and we were all chasing nothing, or maybe some doppelganger of mine had taken it by mistake. I glanced at my phone, staring at the time, and the picture of my family that was waiting for me back at the hotel. I had spent the entire week searching for my book, crammed in the old library with countless strangers, the faces on the books fading into one. I grabbed one last book, barely paying attention to it, and almost put it back with resigned disappointment before gasping at the cover. I saw myself, happily looking back with a small smile. I held back a yell of joy as I hurried outside.
As I sat in the back of the taxi, I flipped through the book, pausing on the first page, where my name was placed in a small but thick font that seemed disproportionately serious for the happy news this book was going to bring me. I closed the book, briefly holding the picture of my face against me as a smile broke across my face. Opening the book back up, I flipped through the pages carefully, making sure not to rip the pages, stopping after seeing the dedication page.
Under the words "Written for" and long list of names covered the entire page in a small font. I recognized many of the names in top half. Mary Collins, a friend from elementary that I had never seen again after accidentally breaking her leg with my bike. Richard Andrews, the boy I got into my first fight with at 15. Jonathan Springton, my ex girlfriend's brother that I got into a fist fight with after we broke up. I even saw my own name on the list. I flipped the page with growing trepidation, a knot of anxiety growing in my stomach and threatening to make me throw up; however, after seeing the chapter title, my blood ran cold and I felt frozen in place. The chapter title read "Introduction: Surviving Melody Woodrow Alive and Unscathed".

Author's Note

Sorry it's using a prompt and not super original. :) Please tell me what you think.

Reviews

[‘Thoughts In Time..]

Very interesting and what a wonderful book that would be reminding you of who you are where you’ve been and what you’ve done- sometimes good to be reminded- great write🌹

[NoNameWriter]

Thank you.