Rattus' eyes were growing larger in surprise, in shock really. In fact, everyone in this small band of traveling companions were beginning to realize that something truly amazing had just happened and something even more amazing was about to happen to them all.

Rattus thought: "Here we are in the land of Nowhere, and a book falls from the sky out of nowhere and happens to land on my head with the title 'Guide to Knowhere.'"

Without realizing it, Rattus had not been thinking to himself, but speaking out loud. His head snapped up in surprise when Tea Rat responded as if he had been reading his mind.

Tea Rat: "My dear fellow, I think Gretta is on to something. When I was a younger rat, doing research for my Doctorate in Teaology, I came across a fragment of an obscure ancient text. It mentioned that there existed the most wondrous book in the world. A book written by a great teacher known only as 'The Guide.' A book that promised to answer the greatest questions anyone could ever ask. Until now, I had always assumed that the whole thing was just a fairy tale or a myth."

Mozes: "I've never heard any stories about a magical book of wisdom, but there has got to be something magical about a book from the sky. But Tea's tale makes sense. Look at the title of this book. Tea said there was another ancient book written by a mysterious master teacher named 'The Guide,' answering the most profound questions about the journey of life we are all on. Could this be the same book?"

"Yes, yes. And look at the spelling. Look at the spelling," said Gretta, whose excitement caused her spines to swell outward.

Mozes: "Careful there Greta. Those things hurt. The 'K' in the title 'Guide to Knowhere' cannot be a spelling blunder. Put it together, my friends. It is the master teacher, The Guide's invitation to the greatest journey of all."

Rattus: "This does make some sense, by Tane." (Tane, for those who don't know, was a great noble ancestor of rat-kind. But that is another tale.) "But aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves? Shouldn't we actually open the book to see what it says?"

The book in Rattus' hands was not beautiful. In fact it looked like it was hastily constructed with only enough stitching in the scuffed and faded leather binding and delicate yellowed pages to barely hold it together.

Slowly, everyone now gathered around Rattus with an awe that seemed to hush even the crickets and frogs that normally create a din in the gathering dusk of the day. Rattus placed one chubby paw on the book cover, looked into everyone eyes, widened with anticipation, and slowly opened the book to the first page.

It seemed everyone had even stopped breathing while Rattus opened to the first page, and found....

"Nothing," Gretta shrieked. "Absolutely nothing." A few of her spines accidentally shot outward.

"Oww! I told you to be careful," whimpered Mozes, picking out spines from his right shoulder.

Meanwhile, Rattus pawed furiously through the book to find page after page of....

"Nothing. I can't believe it!" bellowed Rattus. "Not a single letter written in the entire text."



Rattus Scribus© 16 October 2009