Gabriel’s Map

“The books…  they’re all gone, turned to ash…” Gabriel’s voice trembled. “In my village, when a child turns sixteen it is tradition for them leave and journey to our sacred library temple and read our sacred texts called the Tomes of Z. When I got to the temple where the books were being kept it was burnt to the ground! I dug through the ashes to see if anything was left but nothing remained. Without those books I won’t be allowed to return home to my village. I won’t be considered a real adult. I won’t be allowed to inherit or own land and I won’t be permitted to marry! I don’t understand why anyone would do such a thing. Also, my brother Michael who left our village two years ago, when he turned 16, promised to meet me at the temple when it was my time. I couldn’t find him anywhere. I didn’t find any human remains when I searched the ashes but I still fear the worst. My father said to ‘follow the map, don’t stray from the path, no matter what,’ Your house was marked along the path so I came here.”