Тёмная Башня. Dark Tower. Премия им. Э.Т.А. Гофмана / E.T.A. Hoffmann award (Билингва: Rus / Eng)

Although, there are a lot of stories here.»

…My Angel was sitting on a bench near the Customs, waiting for me. I thanked my red-haired guide, and she instantly disappeared. I went up to the Angel.

«Sorry, I accidentally stumbled and fell into the fog,» I apologized.

«Nothing happens by accident. Neither here, nor on Earth. You needed that for some reason, and it’s good for you. Here is your passport with the return visa, hold it. All necessary corrections and comments were made in the Tablets. Let’s go!»

The Angel got up from the bench and held out his hand to me.

«Listen,» I said, embarrassed, «I’ve been told there is the Library of the Universe somewhere around here.»

«Not here, in the Land of Light, yes,» the Angel smiled.

«Are we in the Land of Mists now?» I supposed.

«Quite right. You’re already pretty good at it!» the Angel smiled again.

«Well… They say the Library contains even something yet unavailable on Earth.»

«That’s true,» the Angel nodded. «There is absolutely everything there.

«Is it really possible to read what hasn’t been written yet?» I was surprised.

«You are reasoning from the earthly point of view. Everything has already been written, but not on Earth,» the Angel clarified. «So, of course, you can read it. Some souls have access to the Reading Hall even during their incarnation in the World of Illusions. They can go into the Library and find any book, newspaper, magazine – whatever is there.»

«That girl who helped me not to get lost…»

«Karina?»

«Yes, Karina, she said she would go there to read my books.

«Would you like to visit the Library?» the Angel scanned me.

«Yes, of course, I would! To be honest, I’m scared. What if there…»

«…there are no books of yours?» he finished my thought and smiled.

«Yes… You see, I write just as… Well, ugh… as notes in the margin… in a notebook. Perhaps it will remain in my notebook, in a drawer of my desk, and never see the light.

The Angel hugged me and led me in the opposite direction from the Customs.

«Nothing happens by accident, my dear soul! You stubbornly refuse to take my word for it. However, since we are still in the Timelessness, nothing prevents us from staying a little longer. Let’s fly!»

We disappeared into the fog, and when we got out of it, I found myself in the corridor of a giant Reading Hall with numerous shelves on both sides.