Only One May Enter

Ren stood before the door at the back of the hall. ONLY ONE MAY ENTER. The sentence looked simple. After his mistake in the first room, however, simple words no longer felt safe.

“It says that only one may enter,” Ren told Mira. She looked at the door, then at the dark passage behind them. “One person?” she asked. Ren almost said yes. Instead, he answered, “Probably. But it only says one.”

Mira placed a small metal beetle on the floor. It was a simple machine used to look inside dangerous rooms. She sent it toward the door. The door opened, and the beetle rolled through. No alarm sounded.

“Maybe machines do not count,” Mira said. Ren stepped forward. The door stayed open, and he entered after the beetle. Still no alarm. Mira remained outside with one hand on her sword.

The room was small and white. There was a chair, a table, and a black screen. Words appeared on the screen: STATE YOUR PURPOSE. Ren read them aloud without thinking. “It wants me to say why I am here.”

From the hall, Mira called, “Tell it we need to understand the thirty days!” At once, the door closed between them. A red circle appeared on the screen: TWO VOICES DETECTED. ACCESS DENIED.

Ren's heart beat faster. The room had allowed one body to enter, but it was also listening to voices. “Only one may enter,” he said quietly. “Maybe enter means more than walking through a door. Only one person may enter the conversation.”

The screen showed another line: SECOND VOICE MUST REMAIN SILENT. Ren touched the wall and felt the words become clear. He called to Mira, “Don't speak. I will answer alone.” There was no reply. This time, her silence meant that she trusted him.

Ren faced the screen. “I want to protect the town,” he said. The red circle disappeared. A map opened across the wall. Under every house was a small blue point. Thousands of points moved like sleeping stars.

A new message appeared: MEMORY CYCLE ENDS IN 30 DAYS. PREPARE ALL RESIDENTS. Ren knew the words, but he did not understand the whole meaning. What was a memory cycle? What were the people being prepared for?

The door opened again. Mira entered but did not speak until the screen became dark. Then she asked, “Are you sure about what you read?” Ren looked at the map. “No,” he said. “But I am sure we need to learn more before the thirty days end.”

Far below the town, something heard his answer. In a room that had been dark for ten thousand years, another screen turned on. It showed one short message: THE READER HAS RETURNED.