The world is bustling as streets are filled night and day with men and women walking to and fro from work, hobbies and school. As the moon stands behind clouded skies and gentle rain, the night dwellers come out to do what they are needed to do while the day dwellers quickly hide behind close doors. The streets are booming with the sound of hooves and many carriages delivering passengers to their next destination. Others, tired of the bustling of civil life, retreat from their day into small neighboring cafe's for their important pass time of tea. They chat and talk among their friends and family with some opting to enjoy themselves with a fresh new brand of newspaper. Men with their long top hats and ruffled long sleeve blouses, indulge themselves in politics, happenings, and to a lesser degree, a good drink.
Women with their long, poofy dresses and parasols, indulge themselves in gossip, the latest trend and the recent of fashions. While the rain does nothing to deter the life that goes on in and outside of the industrialized city, one man seeks shelter from the rain inside. Dressed in a white long sleeved ruffled shirt and plain black pants, he goes through book by book as he sits alone next to a lamp. His brown hair and light mustache blended in with his light brown skin. He throws to the side another and another as he goes through his stack. Looking at each one lazily and tiring as he flips through the pages. The clock ticks away silently in the place as ten noon hits.
As if something is suppose to happen, the young man looks at the clock with a small glint of anticipation but its clear that nothing will happen other than the movement of its arms. He goes back to lazily flipping through the books until he gets to his last one that he closes and pushes to the side. Taking a deep sigh, he rests his head on his arm disappointed.
Surrounded by a league of great books and an overwhelming amount of knowledge put into physical manifestation, the grandest library stood as the center point of all who wanted to learn. Solomon's Library was a spectacular place to behold. Beautiful ebony wood was the foundation of the building's design. Wonderful frescoes decorated the ceiling and the ebony furnishings and elegant furniture of the place was topped with gold detailing. The walls were aligned with many great professors, inventors and explorers of the kind like Benjamin Franklin, Einstein, and the all too well marine biologist Melville whose story of the legendary whale has been told more times than infinity.
The young man looked up at the pictures and have long realized that while the library was the cornerstone of knowledge and intellectual property, it was also lacking. Lacking in some of the most obvious of things. The encyclopedia's, the cultural books told of little to nothing about the world he lived in.
The young man had no desired to learn about how the human body worked or how the candle came to be. He desired to leave the prison that was his home. The prison that was known as Bumbark. He wanted to leave behind what he had always known and grasp hold of the unknown. It was a burning passion and he was determined to have it blown out.
"Why looky here, if it isn't our close friend Lewis."
Two men, whom Lewis had not known had entered, came approaching with smiles on their faces. Columbus, per the man's name was dressed in an ornate tan and golden vest and pants. His hair a golden brown that was slicked back neatly. Clark, slightly shorter in stature, was dressed in a deep dark green vest and black pants.
"Columbus. Clark.What are you both doing here?"
Clark and Columbus grabbed a seat in front of the young man and sat down. "We Went to your house to see if you were there but you weren't so their were only two other places that we could look. The university where you worked at or the library where you obsess over books." Columbus stated.
"Haha very funny."
"Have you heard? King George and parliament aren't exactly happy with the way things are being ran in the Central Colonial Region in the Great Northern Continent."
"Seriously? Why can't he just let it go? Their half way on the other side of the world for crying out loud!"
"Of course he isn't going to let it go Lewis." said Clark. "He already isn't happy that their degrading his name as some tyrant and of course, taxes are of dire importance to him and parliament. People leaving his country to found a new one isn't exactly high on his order."
"Do tell."
"Also." Columbus butted in. "The king is threatening war with the colonists. The colonists weren't too happy with parliaments passing of various taxes upon them. Especially the tea tax. 'Taxation without representation' as they call it."
"Please. They don't like him enough to make him be a representative."
"Got that right."
Clark looked up and down at the pile of books that stood next to him that were stacked one on top of the other. "Whats with all the books Lewis?"
"Reading...or at least trying to find something worth reading."
"All of these books and you of all people, can't find something to read? Really now, what is it that your exactly looking for?"
"Culture, history, the different wonders that are out there..."
"Oh boy." Clark and Columbus groaned in unison. "This again."
"Just listen. Like you said, all of these books and me of all people cannot find a single one to fulfill the need to know the world. I don't wanna know how fish swim or whats inside my body. I've read that stuff. I wanna know about weather or not angels exist, have any one seen them before, if our world is one of many, how other races live their lives."
"Lewis, there are books on that."
"Your right, there is but nearly none. How many books me and you Columbus came across were the story was cut short or provided little detail on but one or two things?" Lewis's eyes widened as though the fire inside of him burnt up once more. "The wide oceans that we know next to nothing about. The great sky were the supernatural waits beyond. Or how about the vast expanse of land whose lands still lay remote and untouched? How about those?"
"Lewis..." Clark spoke. "Those 'journeys' ended the way they did due to the fact that much of the world is difficult to explore. Many famous explorers died on those treks. Others spent their time focusing on one thing. Besides, we all know what happened to famous explorers who tried to 'explore' the world. Think Melville who was nearly butchered by a well or various other sailors who fell victim to pirates? Or those who wandered into the wrong forests to be mauled by bears or worse eaten by cannibals."
"But those people didn't have the opportunities that we have now to better explore the world. Think about it. We can cross the Pacific Expanse in under fifteen days Columbus! Fifteen days! We have stronger ships and powerful animals once thought couldn't be domesticated."
"Than what about Captain Nemo? twenty years ago, with one of the advanced submarines in the world went missing. Ship never found. Was he still safe?"
"That was merely an unfortunate accident."
"Lewis..."
"We don't know what happened exactly but what I do know is that the journey has long been started. All we have to do is complete it."
"What do you mean by we?"
"Come on, the world out there is begging to be explored! Me, you and Columbus even."
Columbus and Clark looked at each other with eyebrows raised.
"Are you serious?" Clark looked to Columbus who seemed lost in thought. "Columbus."
"Hm?"
"You hear this Madness? It seems that our friend has jumped the rabbit hole!"
"Actually..."
"Columbus no..."
"I don't think it's a bad idea."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Oh come on Clark. Remember how you use to be when you were younger? You were exactly the same. Your father was as much as an explorer as well."
"Yes and that's exactly how I lost him!"
As Columbus and Clark engaged conversation with each other, Lewis grabbed some books from off of the table and walked towards the tall bookshelves that laid beside the table that he sat at. He placed the books back on the shelves that correlated to their abbreviated author and title initials.
"And? Not to be insensitive but you wanted, even after his death to complete what he himself had failed to finish. Now here's your chance. Lewis's ambition is nothing short of your own. The wanton desire to go beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone. To see the vast expanse of unknown and make it known. Was your's not the same? "
"It was but now it is not. I have no desire on going through with such a thing since I've reflected back on it. I am more than comfortable sticking right here where I belong." Clark gave a look to Lewis who stood upon a short ladder to reach a shelf. "...and do wish that Lewis not go out and do such a thing."
"But Lewis buddy there is more than happy to do so." Columbus smiled. "The real question is weather or not you are ready."
"No and I've made myself quite clear. Lewis are you even serious about all of this?"
"Of course I am Clark." Lewis answered as he placed a book on a shelf. Eventually stepping down the ladder once he did. "I've been thinking over it for over two years now. As a professor, I find it extremely disheartening that despite even Bumbark's advancements and the creation of various train line running through countries we still don't know much about the world. We can travel the ocean in under fifteen to twenty days compare to sixty before. That is why I want to travel and explore the world. You only get one life and it dies young. Best to use it to the fullest with the time you have. And the way I want to live it to the fullest is to go out and learn for myself what the world is."
Clark stood still with his arms folded across his chest as the words of Lewis flooded through his ears. His dearest friend, as he was the same, remained steadfast in his decision and was unmoved in his undying ambition. The flame that Clark had tried to extinguish had done nothing but ignited a small spark inside of himself. Clark took a deep breath and bit his lip, eyes wandering to the side as he tried to contemplate what he should say or do. Perhaps his own fears clouded him about the dangers the world presents but a part himself had forgot the wonders it could show as well.
He took in consideration Lewis's words and gave a sigh. "I don't know Lewis but I'll think it over."
As if a bundle of joy had been released, Columbus smiled and wrapped his arm around Clark's shoulder as he gave him a pat with the other and a happy shake.
Clark gave a look of disapproval. "I said I'll think about it! Don't get all excited now!"
Lewis chuckled. "That means 'yes' in Columbus's book."
"Hmph." Clark patted off his arms. Ridding himself of any residue Columbus may have left behind. "Anyway Lewis, how do you plan to do all of this?"
"I plan on receiving a small bit of help from the king."
"What do you mean by a 'small bit' of help?"
"Well, you know...a small loan of supplies and the like..."
"And how do you plan on obtaining these loans out of him?"
"Lewis..." Columbus butted in. "Your one of the kings missionaries right?"
"Yes, I am in fact."
"Than it shouldn't be a problem to get him to help fund your little trip. Or at least start off."
"How in the world are you going to manage to get the king to fund your little adventure?"
"If Lewis here can convince him of course." Columbus stated. That ever present grin on his face.
"Perhaps, but Lewis has been a professor at Cambridge University for some time and been absent from the missionary scene for over four years now. You sure you can even use that?"
"Wouldn't hurt to try. I'll come up with something. Just give me some time. I'll have it all figured out soon. I will inform you of anything the king has said once I speak to him."
"If you say so." Clark mumbled.
"Anyway, I must get these books back on the shelves lest I hear the mouth of the Librarian again."
"That old hag?"
"Columbus!" Clark cried.
"I thought she retired?"
"No, she has not and do carry some respect for her. She has been working here longer than anybody before her."
"She is near her seventies! Even worse she's always trying to put me out."
"That's probably because you always get drunk and wander into the library in a futile attempt to seduce the young ladies that come here. even worse you sometimes bring your own. Why don't you stay away from those humble play houses you like to visit?"
"Aw a little fun won't hurt! Besides, remember what Lewis said, you get one life and it dies young. Might as well live it to the fullest!"
"Seems to me your the fullest in being a whore."
"Don't be so mean Clark."
"I don't have time for this." Clark got up from his seat and and pushed it in. "Anyhow I must be off." He shook Lewis's hand. "I have work that needs to be done back at home. Here I am in a library and I have yet to finish going through my own. I will see you later Lewis."
"Alright then. Don't you think its kind of late to be going through boxes of books? It is going on eleven thirty."
"I know. I'll probably finish tomorrow. Well then, I'll see you then."
"You too Clark."
"Aren't you going to bid me goodbye?" Columbus asked.
Clark paid no mind as he made his way to the large library doors as Lewis and Columbus looked on as they closed behind him.
"He seems lively huh?" Lewis commented.
"Yeah. By that you mean sarcastic and mean like always."
"I guess his fathers death still bothers him."
"Nah, he's long gotten over that. However perhaps it is because of that it holds him back from pursuing his dream. He's probably scared that he'll meet a fate or something similar to his father but who knows for sure."
"He can't live in fear all the time. Eventually, somewhere in time, fate will take us out of it."
"Words spoken from a true man."
