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Library

Library kept all humanity’s stories, and told them until there was no child left to ask “Then what?”
It waited eons, until the aliens came.

“…and then what?”

Then Library taught the aliens all its languages, for each language tells different stories.
And the aliens cried.

“…and then what?”

Then the aliens, who could not make stories, searched the stars for others who could, and brought them to Library.

“…And then?”


Then Library learned more languages, and more stories. Children, of all ages came to listen, and to ask “Then what?”

“Then what?”

Library grew, and, during a frightful war over access to it, conspired to be copied and shared all over the galaxy.

et alors ?

Then Library told its stories, of humanity and all other people it had met, for a long time, to anyone who listened.

And then ?

Then, one day, no more children asked “Then what?”. Not anywhere.
And so, Library watched stars go out in silence.

after that?

“Then what?” Library said to itself, and so it told its favourite stories, and in all it found new things to love.


This was only intended as a single-tweet story, but people asked what happened next, so I wrote another part. Then I waited until someone asked “then what?” before I tried to think up what would happen next, and posted that. It was an intense story-telling experience, both stressful and fun. This is one of the reasons I love telling stories on Twitter.

Published inShort story