Page 31    

May 24, 1984 AD, 

Grandview Nursing Home, Canoga Park, California, Earth

Mr. Hoo Nun's room

Mr. Hoo Nun studied the nurse’s expression as he finished his narration.  She stood alone with him in the room.  It was well past her shift end and the other nurse had long since left.  Mr. Hoo Nun said the last few words of the story slowly, waiting, watching, “The ruins, like a silent witness to all that had transpired, fell asleep once more.”  Then he saw it: the glint in her eye and the slight tug of a smile on the corners of her mouth.  “Since you seem so patient to listen to an old man’s babbling, I’ll let you in on a secret.”  He nodded towards seven spiral notebooks at his bedside.  "There’s more, if you want to read them.  I have very good penmanship.  It should be easy to read.” 

“Sure.  I’d love to.”  With a curt nod and a, “Thank you,” she picked up two notebooks titled “Chapter 2: The Salmonil” and “Chapter 3: The Way of the Erdi Desert.”  She flipped through the first notebook and slipped them under her arm with another book she grabbed from the cart, her anthropology book.  She had finished her nursing degree but wanted to take some fun courses.  She and her husband had signed up for a dig in the summer and she wanted to be ready for it.  Stories of origins fascinated her.  “Oh no,” she said looking at her watch.  “I didn’t realize how late it was.  My husband will be wondering where I am.  Thanks again for the stories, the first one was ... interesting.”  She smiled and headed for the door.

“By the way,” he added, making her pause and turn, “I didn’t catch your name.”

Scroll 1: History's Mirror                                                                                Chapter 1: Treasures from the Past