The answer was there. It was just a matter of continuing to search. All the clues pointed to the library. But the library was very large.

How did he end up here? It had started as what he thought was a joke. He was at the computer just surfing the web, when all of a sudden, a question mark appeared on the screen. It seemed to be a link someone had sent him. The message with the link was, “for fun and financial rewards,” click here. He was in the house alone and bored, so he though why not? It would at least kill a little time.

He had clicked the link which led to what seemed to be blank page. Confusing. The cursor was the pointing finger so he knew there should be something there, but he saw nothing. He clicked randomly for a little, but nothing happened. As frustration grew he started to say “What the… ,” but as soon as the words came out of his mouth an image appeared on the screen. Another large black question mark. 

Whoa! he thought. This is strange. Then, a voice came from the computer asking, “ Do you have questions or answers”? He thought, freaky, but found himself saying “questions”. The question mark shimmered and disappeared. In its place was a layout of the house.

The house he was staying in was his late grandfathers. The old man had passed away four months ago and his parents had asked him to stay there while they determined what to do with the estate. He didn’t understand why they needed him. The house and estate were both very large and old. The house was well staffed and would function whether or not he was there. But, he had finished school and had nothing lined up so he said, ok.

He had liked the old man and they had gotten along well together. But the old man was a little strange. He really knew very little about him, in fact, he really knew nothing at all. The family only spoke of him in very general terms and always in a very vague sense. He didn’t know what he had been in his life or where the old man had gotten all his money. At least he thought the old man had money.

He looked at the computer and ask, “Why are you showing me this layout? The computer replied, “To answer your questions.” 

“How can the layout answer my questions?”

“By showing you where the answers are.”

Confused, he looked closer at the layout.

“How can it show me the answers?”

The computer replied, “Study the map.”

Okay he thought, why not play along. Looking closer at the layout he saw that it was a detailed map of the house. He studied it closely, remembering each part of the house from his days exploring it as a kid. As his eyes roamed the map, the answer came, the library. Of course the library has answers. 

But he then felt stumped. He had a place for the answers but what were the questions? He was ready to put this question to the computer when the map disappeared and the face of his grandfather appeared. The image smiled and he heard his grandfather say “Page 42.” The face shimmied and disappeared, and the computer turned off.

He realized how quiet the house was as he felt a cold shiver pass through his body. He looked around, a little embarrassed at the quiver of fear he felt. But, well, why not? His grandfather who had passed four months ago had just spoken to him from the computer.

Strange, but there was something there. He did have questions about the old man. Who was he? What had he done in his life? Why had he always seemed so mysterious? The answer must be in the library and had something to do with “Page 42,” but what?

In the library he sat on the sofa where he would read when visiting. There were so many books, so many pages and so many page 42’s. Where could he start. Then a memory washed over him. Once, when he was very small, his grandfather had read to him on this couch one night. It was the only time he ever did it. What was the book? If he could only remember the title. It finally came to him, ”The Treasure Hunt.”

It was a story about a young boy whose father had been a pirate. During a storm, he had been lost at sea while close to land. The boy vowed to find the wreak and his fathers body. At a young age he started taking the small boat his father had left him and sailing along the coast trying to find the wreck. He had a lot of adventures and finally found the boat, his fathers’ remains, and the treasure it held.

He started searching the books for “The Treasure Hunt.” After a couple of hours he found it. It was dusty and had probably not been opened since that night the old man had read it to him. He placed the book on a table with the spine against the table top. He took a deep breath as the book fell open. As it fell open he saw an envelop. Written in the old mans handwriting were the words, “Your answers are here.”

He looked at the bottom of the page and saw it was “Page 42.”