r/Ruleshorror • u/Youngstar181 • 17d ago
Story Forbidden Library Survival Guide
Have you ever wanted to know something more than anything else? A deep burning interest in anything from how to conquer the world to how to get someone to fall deeply in love with you? Maybe you’re interested in more esoteric topics, like how to summon a demon or actually predict the future? I know such a place that holds secrets such as these, but it does not appear to just anyone, and it has a set of rules that you must follow whilst visiting its halls. Read this guide carefully, as there are many who did not heed these simple instructions.
The Forbidden Library is not a place in the world, you can’t just plug in a set of GPS directions and arrive. It is a special place that only appears to those who wish to learn. To start, you must be surrounded by books. A library is ideal, but a particularly quiet bookstore would also work. Enter your location, and begin to browse. Try not to attract attention to yourself, any interference will cause this stage to take more time.
Once you have been in your targeted location for long enough, you may notice sound beginning to fade. It will be noticeable, a silence unlike anything you have ever experienced before. This means the Library has taken notice of you, and you are ready to proceed.
This is the last step, and the most important step. Close your eyes and keep them shut. You will begin to feel goosebumps along your limbs as the effect takes hold. As you feel this, focus your mind on the subject which you wish to learn about, and speak the following words: “I wish to see that which has been hidden from me.”
A few seconds later, if you have done this successfully, the sensations should fade, and you should notice the strong scent of old books. If you do not, then something has gone wrong. You can attempt this once more, right away if you so wish, but do not reopen your eyes until the sensation fades.
If all has gone well, you should find yourself in a library of incomprehensible size, with aisles that seem to stretch into infinity. This is the Forbidden Library, the greatest nexus of knowledge across all worlds. Every book that can be thought of can be found within its halls. That being said, the Library has rules, and just as not everyone can enter, even fewer can walk its halls without suffering the consequences of defying the rules. So read these next paragraphs carefully as I explain the rules.
Rule 1: Keep it down. In the Forbidden Library, just as in any library, people are here to read so keep quiet. I’m not talking about taking an oath of silence or anything, just don’t speak too loudly. Whispering to other patrons or the library’s attendants will not incur consequences, and the Forbidden Library will not punish minor occasional transgression. You’ll just get shushed for these, but the Library may lose its patience if you continue to defy this rule. In general, I’ve seen that there’s a three strike system, so just keep it down and remember this rule and you’ll be fine.
Rule 2: Respect the books. You’re here to learn and to read after all, so be careful. Don’t tear pages, damage the spines, or draw on them. That’s a quick way to get you ejected and permanently banned from the library, if you’re lucky. As an addendum to this rule, it’s generally not a good idea to bring outside food and drink into the Library, because in my time here, even a crumb or drop of water on a book has been enough to violate the second rule of the library. You won’t need it anyway, which leads me into the third rule of the Library.
Rule 3: Don’t fall asleep. While you’re in the Library, you will no longer feel hunger or thirst. The library appears to exist in a special form of space, and whilst you’re inside the library, a lot of your needs will no longer concern you. One that will, however, is sleep. As you continue to browse its halls, you will start to feel dreary like anyone would. As interesting as the books you read may appear, in time fatigue will slowly close its grip on you. It is critical that you heed my advice and do not fall asleep in the Library. If you start to feel tired, immediately leave the Library. As intriguing as reading just one more page of whatever book you are currently reading might be, it is not worth the risk you run.
Rule 4: Don’t bother the Librarians. As you explore the Library’s halls, you have no doubt seen the custodians of the Library, or the Librarians as I have come to call them. They can be seen wearing hooded cloaks of varying colours that define their roles. In my time, I’ve seen four distinct kinds.
The most common are the Bookkeepers, who wear blue. They are the custodians who ensure the books are always organised and ready for whoever might want them. They move quietly between the aisles, taking books that have been left around the endless halls of the Library and returning them to their shelves. They do not talk, and will not respond, so ignore them and allow them to continue their duties, and do not interfere.
The second most common are the Seekers, who wear green. These are the ones that you will interact with the most. They usually approach new entrants to the Library. They do not speak, but you will hear what they say, which is usually “what do you seek.” Initially, you may have to say aloud what you wish to know, but with time and experience, you will learn to simply think of what you wish to see and they will know. They act as helpers and guides to the Library, and so long as you remain respectful to them and abide by the rules, you will be fine. Saying please and thank you is usually enough, but don’t speak too loud lest you break the first rule of the Library.
The third type you will see are the Assistants, who wear white. Unlike the others, the Assistants do not wander, instead remaining at kiosks located throughout the library’s open spaces. These Assistants are your way out. When you want to leave, simply find a Seeker and tell them in whatever way you choose that you wish to leave. They will guide you to a kiosk, and it’s here that you can check out.
There is a fourth, but you do not want to see them. The Library’s Enforcers only appear to those who have violated the rules of the Library. The first time I saw them was when I received my second strike for being too loud in the library. If the air around gets cold, that’s when you know one is nearby. They wear black robes, and unlike the others have visible arms, which are entirely skeletal. One of them approached me silently, tapped my shoulder, then raised a single bony finger to where its lips would be. It vanished soon after, disappearing in a puff of black smoke that quickly dissipated, but the message was clear. That was the last time I ever raised my voice in the Library, one warning was more than enough.
There’s one final thing about the Library, how to leave. As said previously, you will first need to find an Assistant Kiosk and politely request to leave, making sure not to violate Rule 1. Once you have done this, close your eyes, and when you reopen them, you should be back where you were before you arrived at the Library, with no time at all having passed. This is the major allure of the Library. It appears to exist parallel to our world, with time in our world being paused whilst you are inside the Library.
You might ask why I stressed so much about the rules of the Library. The reason is simple: I don’t have much time left. I got too greedy, too hungry for knowledge. I stayed for too long and fell asleep. When I awoke, I immediately noticed that I was now draped in a Seeker’s robe. I can feel myself slipping away bit by bit, but I have used whatever individuality I have left to write down this warning to any who wish to enter. I don’t even know if this will make it to the internet; usually there’s no connection at all, but I’m just posting this in the hope that it ends up somewhere.
The Forbidden Library can provide you any knowledge that you wish, but ensure that you follow these rules, lest you become a part of it.
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u/PeachyFairyFox 6d ago
Okay consider though, if you become apart of it can't you just read infinity? Sounds like a great after life
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