Epilogue

You snap to alertness, shaking the cobwebs from your mind. You scan your dark surroundings. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust, but you realize you’re back in Uncle Barry’s dimly lit attic, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes still clutched in your hands.

Was it all just a dream? It doesn’t seem like it. Your mind feels awakened like never before; you are strangely aware of yourself and your environment. You feel oddly excited to get back to your study room. That math homework—those word problems—are no longer chores that have been forced upon you. Instead, you see them as mysteries waiting to be solved.

You step carefully back to the opening in the attic floor. You slide slowly downward until your feet make contact with the bathroom sink. You climb out of the attic, pop the wooden panel back into place, and hop to the floor.

You confidently hurry back to your study room and sit at your desk. You read the problem that has been troubling you, and you smile. The answer doesn’t come directly to you, but you now see the clues—and you know how to put them together. You grab your pencil, and you begin to write.

You take comfort in knowing that life is a series of mysteries. You cannot wait to get started, gathering clues and looking for answers. It may not always be easy, but it’s sure to be a lot of fun.