The Rooms of Antiquities, the pleasant female voice can be heard from the earbuds of the electronic tour guide, contain a number of peculiar objects, many of which are not, in fact, ancient. Several of them were in fact thought to be ancient until they were discovered to be forgeries, or merely more modern pieces confused for older ones.
That's not particularly helpful then. Is there any indication what the cards might be for?
He looks at the diagram on the card a bit more closely. What's it about?
It doesn’t seem to really be about anything. It’s this strange circle, except flattened, with a sun and a moon and a geometric star around them. All around very unhelpful.
Oh, that's curious. He's pretty sure he recognises these as either Chinese or Japanese cardinal directions, at least the characters in the left and bottom circles on the diagram (North and... probably West, if it's like a compass layout).
It really doesn't look like there's much information here about what the cards are, the warning only mentioned that nobody attempt to open it, and there's no one about. After a quick check for cameras, he decides to go pick up the top card and look at the second one.
The second card looks exactly like the first one—except for the fact that it turns out that the weird circle symbol thing was the back of the card. The previously hidden side of the card Theo took has something—different.
He compares the two cards' sides that were originally facing upwards, notices that they're identical, then turns over the first one to look at the other side. "The Windy," he reads aloud, laughing slightly—
It glows. A whirlwind forms around his body and the book, coming from the ground and reaching the ceiling. And the cards—all of the cards—are scattered by this mystical wind. Flying through the ceiling as if it wasn’t there, one by one they escape from the book, leaving it completely empty.
Another consequence of a mystical wind that scatters magic cards? It’s strong enough to topple the book stand, drop the book, and produce a reasonable amount of noise.
"Whoa, what the hell?" he shouts. Panicking a little, he tries to grab some cards as they fly away, and starts in alarm when the stand falls over.
Too little, too late, too magically slippery. The cards all escape, except for the one in his hand, ‘The Windy.’ Such a bizarre name seems to fit the general humour one can glean from the tour guide’s descriptions of Clow Reed, lending credence to the idea the book was made by him. And of course, the fact that the book was filled with magical cards might suggest Mr. Reed was even more eccentric than one would naively expect.
And of course, Theo can hear hurried steps quickly approaching.
Theo darts away from the display, trying to avoid anyone in his path. What the hell was that?
Oh crap, seriously?
He runs back the way he came, then heads off into a different room, hoping there's a crowd he can get lost in.
He moves quickly to a display near the school group that blocks him from view of the room's entrance, then takes off his jacket and starts looking at some of the other museum displays, trying to act like he's been there all along.
Phew.
Now that the action is over, he wonders why he was so intent on getting away. Surely they'd notice it wasn't his fault?
Not like he'd want to risk it, though.
Indeed he does, though by now he's put it in his backpack - a 12" by 4" card is pretty conspicuous.
Eventually the school trip ends and he goes home.
Theo's in his bedroom, earphones in, listening to music. He's sitting on his bed, back against the wall.
His room is rectangular, with his bed, a chest of drawers, and a window on one side, and a desk and bookshelf on the other side, with a door opposite a window in the middle of the long edges.
Nope. Still not loud enough for Theo to hear it.
Maybe the tapping should try the other window.
Oh, well, if it's that loud it might get a response out of Theo.
"Yeah, Dad, what? I'm busy!" he shouts, in the direction of the door.