AUTHOR
Even if it was a normal school day, the laid back feel of the room and the noiseless sound of the door were still the same, except today, because there was actual silence, the library felt like a graveyard.
Elish was the first to get to the door. He gave it a gentle push; cold air blew at his face immediately. He made a light shiver. The air conditioner was in full blast and no one inside to produce heat so the place was like winter morning. The three kids stepped in and Leo gave the door a tender shutting. The librarian was on his desk, sleeping. As expected of anyone in such a serene atmosphere. Anamay hurried to him and gave the old man a light tap. He's snorted a little. Anamay covered her mouth to avoid laughing.
Elish laughed but he was not close to them. Leo was calm, moving towards the shelves immediately. Anamay gave him another tap, he woke up this time.
"What? What?" He looked around.
"Mr. Willowby." Anamay voice was coming from the left, he turned to that direction.
"Mhmm." He was still half asleep. "We want to read a little. I hope it's allowed?"
"Mhmm. Mhmm. Mhmm." He rested his head back on the table and he was in deep sleep again.
"Man your school hates books." Elish set it out loud.
"Shhhsh," Anamay shush him, moving away from the sleeping old man.
"What! That guy will never wake up even if Spider-Man broke in from the window and a giant dinosaur cracked the wall running after him. You have such a man for a librarian yet I find the books in the library the Same way they are every day." Anamay forced back the giggle but ended up letting it out softly-he was right. He was so right.
Leo was far into the library right now. Elish left Anamay, to his own exploration too. He went directly for the shelves where the sign up above showed history books -it was intentional. Anamay took a seat by one of the reading desks. She looked at the door.
'My lady is not here. I will have to try and get him and I to be closer. Maybe then she can see he is a friend and come around when He is around'.
She rose from her seat, she would go find Leo. Elish turned into another corner. He had not seen anything interesting to read. Everything Von Val Don Venice wrote about- the village, the second son Kadar, the one thousand teachings, the hammering – only references to the battle is what he saw in the history books.
He had gotten to the end of all the rows of history books on the first shelf and he was beginning to consider thoughts that Van's writings could actually have been fabricated like Atlantis and the leviathan.
'Wait… those ones were true- Ah!' he scratched his head. He would take another look.
Leo closed the book on behaviorism and gently slot it back into the shelf. He went for another one, pulling it out, Anamay's face appeared behind the show of. She's smiled, he looked away.
"So he is avoiding me now." She said it so he could hear it. Leo heaved.
'You are a mad woman. How can you be so calm after what happened just now'.
She popped up from behind the side of the shelf.
"I am sorry. I guess I was too hard on you. Not that I did not really want to prove that point but maybe I should have chosen another way." She stretched out her hand to him.
"Are we good now?'
Leo raised in eyebrow of -are you kidding me- written all over the gesture.
"Perhaps you want to get even." she a step closer. Leo almost backed up but stopped.
"No. I do not. I have learned my lesson. You taught me really well. "she smiled. "I'm glad you learned," she made a pouting expression.
"Look I am sorry. I just got upset. Boys are always thinking girls; A girl like me wants to be loved that way. That it is the definition of Love. Frankly, you are not the first naked man I have seen." Leo's eyes grow wider.
"Do not ask how – it is becoming worse by the day. Everyone is skipping the -get to know her session, know her family, her life, if she is happy or sad, treat her out, make her smile, the most beautiful first kiss, ask her to marry you then have the most exotic wedding night where you finally let go of all the passions you kept pent up because now, you are sure -she is the right person, you will be together forever."
She paused and sighed>
"My parents told me those things do not matter, that a marriage that will break, will break but I know, It is the faulty Foundation that made the house fall. They missed out on the basics -they skipped something important and that is why they did not see the red flag and know that it would not be before they got married." She stroked her hair.
"I do not want to be with anyone that thinks I can be bought by any form of sexuality."
"I told you that is not what I want you to do. I just thought perhaps maybe you will begin to consider me. Girls usually start thinking about something when it looks at them like that. I figured you would go home to think of me if you saw more of me and then you were like; I cannot finish what started. I did not want to lose my pride."
"You were looking at the girls that swoon over Elish, right?" Leo avoided her searching gaze.
"You were like that with Demetri."
Anamay scoffed. "He still thinks I had eyes for his brother."
"What?"
She said it like a whisper but he still wanted to know, he wanted to hear it clearly. Maybe he misheard. It was really sounding like a misheard right now.
"Find your book Leo and know, girls like commitment. No matter how much they like something, they leave it when they find something else committed or they will force it to show some commitment." Anamay turned color walking away. Leo sucking air, the time was right now. He was going to say it.
"Anamay…"
She looked back.
"I li…"
"Leo come over here and give me a hand." Leo's words stuck in his mouth.
Anamay gave him the 'go help him' sign. Leo moved taking a left turn, thirsty for Elish's blood. He went straight, turning to his right and then to his left again and finally took a last right turn to find who he was out to kill, sitting on the stairs used to climb the shelves and pick up books.
"You going to die, Elish," Leo said learning now that the boy had no emergency.
"It was a false alarm you were supposed to disregarded."
Leo randomly pulled out a book in the shelf and threw it at him, Elish caught it in midair, laughing. Leo put out another one.
"Guys I will head back outside."
They both heard her voice, they pause the throws and the laughing. Leo gave Elish "Pissed off" look and rush towards her.
"Let me see you out." Leo said coming closer.
"Okay." The two of them left the Library.
ELISH
I scoffed, trying to stone me with literature, so Socratic era kind of shit. I sat up from the ladder and circumnavigated the shelf, looking for a space missing a book.
"Ah, this is where he took out this bad boy."
I was gentle, slipping the book back slowly into the perfectly kept space in the rack for it.
The book flew out of my hand. It was so fast. The object locking in place on the shelf like a key.
No… it was a key. The shelf in front me, lying on the wall began to shake. I looked up immediately. The wooden rack was turning, like a flipping book, another shelf resurfacing to clasped right to the wall on the other side of the first shelf.
My eyes froze, a whole new stack of books was right in front of me. Not dirty not old. Well taken care of and more beautiful than the books in the whole of this library. With golden symbols over them and crash side never seen before, I was bloody tempted to touch but I was not doing anything I would regret.
'Do you recognize them, De El?"
*No, I have never seen anything like that before and I don't feel like it's something from the past*.
'Shit. But we have to check it out right?'
*go ahead it's not magical that I am sure."
'Alright?' I pulled closer. My eyes rolled around.
'So many books, where do I start? Maybe…'
I looked for the one that started with 'E'. The first letter of my name should mean good luck. I checked the lettering and found a book, not just starting with an 'E" but an 'ELI'. The rest…
'Was wiped?'
I pulled out the book. Breathing slowly.
'No it was not wiped'.
Someone had taken something sharp and scratched on the name but the book was as thick as wood that even though the name was scratched to be impossible to recognize, the surface of the book remained intact. The culprit even did it in the front. Now I really needed to know what was inside this book.
I leaned back on the shelf behind me, giving the book of flip.
'The first page is empty'.
I slipped to the second page.
'Empty'.
The third page, the fourth page… the whole book was empty.
'Shit'. I wanted to throw it to the ground but somehow De El's frustration started leaving me. He certainly wanted to approach things calmly. This was no joke. He too had sent it, something was definitely wrong somewhere. I put the book back and picked up another one… empty too.
I went to the 'C' roll. All books- empty. I ran my hands down to 'L'.
'La… Ld… Le…' My hands went down to the last book on the shelf.
Slowly, I scanned through.
'Blank as well… Great. Just great'. I put it the back to the shelf.
'Tell me you have an idea'
*When you are too dumb to find one, how can I?*
'Me, dumb? Are we not sharing the same brains'?
*Dummy we are*
I got more furious.
'Shut you are asshole, if you have got nothing reasonable to tell me'
*And yet you are the one who is freaking out in a situation where calmness is needful. Tired already, boy?*
The last line, he's stressed it in the very belittling way. I burst like a bubble
"De El!" I called his name out loud.
One of the books in the shelf flew out and fell on the ground, flipping pages by itself. My eyes shot at intermediately. Paper fluttering so fast then… it stopped at the center. There was a picture, incomplete. I could only see half of a waterfall but I know that panting anywhere except… I leaned closer, bending over the book;
'Yep, it was different from the dream and the image in von Val Don Venice's book- Von's voyages'.
I saw no sign of mermaids too, what was there instead was a beastly figure but I was not so certain because the picture draw on the first page, was incomplete.
'De El, what just happened?"
*I have no idea. It's just a trick I tried*
'Keep talking'
*Look back at the shelves. The names are arranged vertically. There is a 'DE' and then there is an 'EL' which is the book on the floor*
I looked back at the shelf, rising from the floor I went back to study the book above 'EL'. The word 'DE' was really written on it but just 'DE', no other word. But the 'El' had words that were missing.
'Perhaps… just maybe, if we completed those words could it work.
*Probably*
I didn't need to say it for him to answer. De El agreed with me. The problem now was, what was the missing word?
*Check the other shelves perhaps there is somewhere it was written again*
I checked, searching carefully. I found nothing tired I took a rest brainstorming.
'Wait'.
'How many letter words are we looking for?'
I went back to the book, my finger in the middle, I gave it to turn around so I could see the back.
'There was…' I counted. 'Seven letters. We found four which means…'
I rose my head in realization. 'The rest can spell my name. De El actually means De Elish'.
My attention returned to the book. I said slowly "De Elish".
The painting began to simmer, spilling into the second page and creating a full picture. I leaned over, knelt on one foot, staring at the image.
I was right about the beast. It looked like a wolf but had human arms and legs. They were rough sketches of other creatures; some look like wolves, some I could not recognize; all kneeling for him. I searched his face. It was full for scars I could not tell what his face looked but it felt like I had seen it before.
*He looks like us*
'He what?'
I looked again- I didn't see the resemblance at first. I mean I know I make expressions like that but it did not mean it was me.
I gave it a closer look… Although he was in the form of a human beast and there was hair all over his face, somehow, I realized; he is me. It really was me.
I rose from the floor, I had to check on the other places. I need to know more about this.
I followed the vertical alignment. Unconsciously, I took out my phone and pressed the switch on button, faintly glancing at digital clock's hour.
'Shit. I had to get out of here soon. More importantly, no one has to find this'.
I unlocked my screen and took a picture of that page, I shut the book and put it back in place. I have to go to the key. Quickly, I pocketed my phone and went to the shelf but I, as odd as it seemed, could not remember where Leo kept it.
I breathed. there was this compulsion my heart, I felt so much like I have forgotten something, something very important. My eyes went to the shelf again. I have to find what I am looking for. My feet dragged back to the wood, eyes rolling over the papers maybe, it needed to make sense for it to be able to conjure a book.
Maybe he had to be a name I know. I know, it sounded ridiculous but I had in my pocket, a picture of me in the form of a half man, half wolf, standing over a bloodied waterfall so everything was sensible right now.
I looked for Queen.
'Nothing'.
I looked for Parker.
'Nothing'.
I look for Demetri.
'Leo?' I exasperated. It seemed pretty ridiculous for what the hell.
I traced the 'L' the words above. There was 'L' and the second book was 'E' and the third book 'RO'.
'Not Leo but Lero'.
It was close, maybe I should say it anyways. I exhaled and slowly uttered the words.
"LERO."
The book with the 'L' symbol slipped out and fell before my very face, the page is flipping itself. Then it stopped. I peered at it.
'Wait, what the..'
My eyes gaped and I almost jaw dropped. I fell to my knees. It made no sense cause.
'WHAT THE HELL?'
It was Leo, except; taller, bigger. An angel beneath his boots, the head of a wolf on his Pike held up for all to see. The man in the picture was looking forward, looking directly at me. His eyes had the hazel color like Leo's but, Leo never had such murderous look, ever.
I took out my phone and captured the clip too. Okay, I have to leave now. I shot the books, put it back in its place and returned to my search for the key. Funny enough, I found the key immediately. I watched the shelf turn until I will sure it was over. I picked my bag and run out immediately, giving the library door a gentle shut. I turned to the hallway.
"You get it now?"
I spurned sharply. The woman from the empty of offices that day, it was her.
"Are you talking to me?"
"I wonder how you presume that you can keep what is not of this place, that bears different roots; an object that was birthed elsewhere, in this realm."
"Mhmm." Ok, I was very confused now.
"I am sorry but I do not understand anything you speak of."
"Elish, make sure you stay alive, no matter what it takes. No matter who will die because you are what is more important."
She started moving, towards the library, I kept my eyes on her. She pushed the handle and door opened. I watched her walk in and shut it.
*Follow Her*
De El moved my feet, I responded in uniform, hand stretched out. I yanked the door open, peering into the room.
'She was gone. How the hell?'
I exhaled. 'Damn it. What was she talking about?'.