I arrived in front of a large square shaped brick building. The library was five stories high and sat on three acres of land, most of it taken up by a beautiful garden. Several silver maples lined the pathway to the library, a three-foot hedge bordered the lawn along the side facing the street.
Walking up the stone pathway, I climbed the stairs leading to the double wooden doors, pushing open one of the doors I walked into the grand old library. Row after row of neatly lined up books with their spines facing outward lined the shelves and in one corner there were about a dozen comfortable leather armchairs and in the opposite corner was multiple tables for quiet study.
Just in front of the door sat a librarian at the help desk, the hushed atmosphere punctured by the occasional odd whisper. I strolled up to the librarian sitting at the help desk.
"Morning Dnise," I said smiling cheerfully.
Dnise looked up, recognizing me, she looked slightly surprised "Oh Brae, you back."
"Is he in?" I asked her.
"Mr. Jaycobe? No, he has committee meeting today, then he's off to the Book Summit on Cerulea, so he won't be in until the end of next week."
"Really" I tried to look disappointed "Would it be okay if I returned to my duties?" I asked Dnise.
Seeing Dnise looking a bit uncertain, I quickly added: "I am still employed here right?"
Dnise reached under the desk, and opened the staff book, looking up my name, she noticed that according to the staff records, it still stated that I was employed by the library.
"Ah right, then it should be okay," she said, looking relieved. Dnise was one of those soft characters, she hated any sort of confrontation, it was lucky for me that she had been manning the desk, most of the other librarians would have given me a hard time. I had really scored this time, as with Dnise at the desk I could return to my duties, and I avoided having to speak to that sleazeball, begging for my job back. At least by the time he got back, it would be a done deal, and if he did say anything I would act all innocent.
Walking to the staff room, I opened up my staff locker, taking out my cleaning uniform, I changed into it, then taking my timecard I inserted it into the time clocking machine and began my shift.
Walking to the cleaning closet I took out the cleaning trolley and began to clean up the library. It wasn't a glamorous job, most of the people in the library ignored me, there were a few that threw me a disdainful look, but I was so used to it now, that I just ignored them.
At the end of the day, I clocked out and walked back home. I was in a pretty good mood, as all in all it had been a really good day, most of the librarians had left me alone, and with Jaycobe not being there it had actually been a pleasant experience.
When I arrived home, I noticed that Jax wasn't in the apartment, which wasn't that unusual, when I was busy at the library he normally went out and hung out with some of his buddies at the local pub.
Going to the small laundry room in the basement of the apartment building, I washed my two good sets of clothing, then hanging them up to dry. I returned to the apartment, with nothing else to do, I took out a small book that I had managed to "borrow" from the library, without Jaycobe watching over me like a hawk, I had managed to sneak this into my cleaning trolley. It was a broken book that had been in a pile of books meant to be thrown out, so no one would miss it.
It was a book on metalsmithing which is why I couldn't resist the risk of "borrowing" it. I opened the old book. It smelled warm and musty. The fragile old pages were delicate, so I had to handle the pages with utmost care. Most people would have left this book without so much as a backward glance, but I was enthralled. I appreciated the treasure of this old book.
Just having the small chance to gain some knowledge was an absolute gift to me. It was a privilege that most souls on Purgatory took for granted, such a small thing and it was denied to me, I was going to take this chance of sleazeball being away to acquire as many books as I could. I was already thinking of ways I could either "borrow" more books, and the ones that I couldn't I would find a way to read them.
Knowledge was power, and I was determined that I would take whatever opportunity that came my way to learn whatever I could. I was starved for knowledge. I devoured that metalsmithing book, I spent the whole night reading and memorizing everything.
I don't know if it was because it was because I was denied the opportunity to learn, but I always remembered everything that I read, even when I was in the mortal realm, on the few occasions during one my lives when I had been given the chance to read, I had remembered every word I read.
It was only the next day when I returned from collecting the dry clothes that I had left in the basement that I realized Jax hadn't returned yet. I was slightly worried since it wasn't like Jax to disappear for the whole night, but I figured that he most likely got caught up in some game. Shaking my head thinking of that irresponsible guy, really he and his gambling are going to be the death of me one day, I thought to myself.
I was really excited to get to the library to see what other treasures were waiting for me. Scribbling a note to Jax that I would see him tonight — I dashed out of the apartment and rushed to the library.