2048

The lilac purple wooden shelves were filled with hundreds of stories that needed to be told. The library was a maze of shelves that seemed to go on forever. Except for one different from all the rest, a navy blue bookshelf filled with books with only a year as the title. Alex, perplexed picked up a book titled 2048 and opened the book. The book was filled with strange pictures with the most vivid colors she had ever seen, the pictures almost appeared to be moving. Alex never to have seen this book walked through the maze of shelves to the librarians desk. The librarian has never seen the book and with no barcode on the book it did not appear to be library property. Alex was free to take the book and make it hers if she wanted. Alex with satisfaction  walked out of the library with a grin on her pale face, from getting a new book. Alex put the book carefully in her basket hops on her dark grey sand speeder and rode the short bike ride over the train tracks and through the woods home. 

Alex hopped off her bike and walked the path to her front door and went to her reading nook to start and finish the new book. Alex read for hours taking every single page, each page brought in new ideas of no sickness, talking animals, and teleportation. After finishing the pages Alex layed  down on her blue tye dye blanket and fell asleep instantly. Alex’s dreams were filled with the picture from the book and what she thought that year would be. 

Alex awakened, rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath, the best dream she had ever had was that night. Alex soon realized she was not in her bed but in fact in a park in the middle of a city. The park was completely empty except for some squirrels. A park like nothing she had ever seen not her small town at all. Flying cars whizzing above her and people talking in a language she had never heard before. 

A squirrel scurried over to Alex and starts talking. Alex terrified backs away, animals don’t talk not in her world. The squirrel continues to try to talk to Alex but Alex is hesitant. After warming up to the squirrel she lets it speak. The squirrel says, “My name is Maxwell and I don’t think your from here. Well this year at least.” 

“I’m Alex and I'm from 1992, i’m guessing it’s not 1992,” she replies

“It’s 2048, the future for you.”

Alex begins to follow the squirrel as he walked around the small park. She soon finds her copy of 2048 and starts to put two and two together. Maxwell sees the books and lets out an “Ahhhhh. You were reading it weren't you, before you woke up here.” 

“Yeah, why?” she replies.

“That is no ordinary book, that is a very special book. It is basically a book that can time travel.”

“A book that can time travel?” she questions. 

“A young author, Lillian Rose, about 10 years ago came up with the concept, you write about the events of a certain year and in theory the book would take you to that year. She eventually executed the plan and that's how you are here. For you to get home we would have to track the 1992 book and have you travel back home.” 

Alex listens with all of her attention while the squirrel goes on.

“I only know of one copy of the 1992 book, with Ms. Lillian herself.”

Alex wanting to do anything to get home asked “Well how do we get to Lillan’s then?”

Maxwell then started to explain how they would need to teleport through time and space to get to Lillian’s home. “You will step on the disk and cleary say ROSE RED. the teleportation device will take us to Lillian’s home so we can borrow the book.” Maxwell goes and grabs the device from a hollow tree and sets it on the ground. 

Alex picks up Maxwell and steps onto the device. She says as Maxwell said and says “ROSE RED.” The two are whizzed through time and space. Alex and Maxwell are spit out on the lawn of Rose Red. 

Alex stands up and brushes the fresh grass shavings off of her jeans. Maxwell scurries over to the gate where what seems to be an army of woodland creatures guarding it. Maxwell tells the guards about how Alex was transported here from 1992 because of one of Lillian’s books and needs to get home. The guards without any hesitation let them go through the gate. A bunny brings the two through the long halls of ROSE RED to Lillian's study. “Knock on the door softley and wait for Lillan to open up the door, and explain your situation,” the bunny said. 

Alex does as he says and knocks on the door softly. The door opens quickly. Lillian is standing at the door with a kind smile on her face. Lillian asks, “What do you need sweety?” 

“I need to get home, to 1992,” Alex responds. “Back in 1992 I found a copy of the 2048 book and it took me here.” 

“I see, so you need my copy of the 1992 book?”

“Yes.”

“Come on in, I’ll find my copy and then you can be on your way.”

Alex and Maxwell walk into Lillian’s study and begin to look through the  bookshelves full of the year books. After looking through hundreds of books Alex finally stumbled across the 1992 book. Alex was overcome with joy, she could actually go home. She could see her friends and dog again. The library is the one she wanted back the most, her second home. Alex yells across the room “I found it.” Alex walkes to the main part of the study to find Lillian and Maxwell. Lillian gives instructions o n how to get home. “First read the book. Second have the desire to go to 1992. Third open your book and put your head to it. That is what will get you home.” 

Lillian directs Alex to a reading corner in the back of the library. Alex soakes in the information in the book, excited for things that haven't happened yet. Alex finishes the book and puts her head to the book and as she had in the beginning, the desire to go home. The book pulls her in and takes her back to 1992. She wakes up curled up with her dog and the 1992 and 2048 books next to her.