Prologue

 Every day of the year, that is until the local Emporium opens at the darkest hour of midnight, Ayan goes on with his daily routine. He questions why The Emporium is still open. He wonders. He’s confused. He considers taking a risk. He takes a chance. Ayan intervenes and steps in. But then. Something happens …. 

Chapter 1

When Ayan noticed The Emporium was open one evening as he was leaving the mosque,  he was perplexed because it was after dark and the door was open, because the door was not normally open. Ayan decided to take a chance and enter the Emporium. 

Ayans walked right in and beheld a room filled with marvels. Teddy bears hung overhead and prizes were hung from the walls. Ayan couldn’t wait to acquire some fresh, salty chips. But toys stood like toy soldiers, gold fish swam in the hook, and a duck reward section was waiting to be claimed. It was like a dream come true. However, what drew his eye was a huge leather book with golden pages that was lying calmly on a desk. A hunched shape suddenly emerged from the darkness and grabbed Ayan’s arm as he approached it.

“I see you’ve discovered my book of wonders,” the old man growled. The owner was here. He had what appeared to be an enormous parrot on his shoulder, and next to him was a blue iguana on a leash, both of which gave Ayan the creeps. Ayan was in shock at what he had stumbled into and was afraid. The Macaw picked at its wings as the iguana licked  its scaly lips.