I walked out of Springey Hotel and went straight to the nearest coffee shop - Jill's Cafe. It has been two weeks, but up until now I am still wondering why l got transferred here - a small populaton town called Springey, but I would say the town got its own style of beautiful old buildings. Though it looks quite spooky once the sun goes down.
My name is Amber and I work at a library as a librarian - quite a boring job for some, but luckily I love books and reading has been my passion since I was young. At the moment I'm still living at the hotel and next week I'm going to move to a rented house.
With so many things going on in my mind, I took a sip of coffee slowly.
"Hi..mind if I sit here,I really need a cup of coffee right now."
I looked up and saw a blonde long haired girl. A beautiful lady with a double size of mine. Then I took a look around, inside the cafe - full and packed. Maybe because of the weather - drizzling rain since half an hour ago.
"Sure," I replied, gesturing to the empty seat across from me.
She smiled warmly and sat down, setting her umbrella by the chair.
"Thanks," she said as she placed her bag on her lap.
"I'm Claire, by the way."
"Amber," I introduced myself briefly, unsure of how much I wanted to socialize with a stranger right now.
Claire ordered her coffee, and for a moment, we sat in companionable silence, listening to the soft hum of conversation around us and the rain tapping against the windows. She didn't seem like the chatty type, which I appreciated. But just as I was about to return to my thoughts, Claire leaned forward slightly.
"So, you're new to Springey, aren't you?"
I blinked, surprised.
"How did you know?"
"It's a small town," she replied with a knowing smile.
"We notice when someone new comes in. Plus, I saw you at the library the other day."
That caught my attention.
"You did?"
She nodded.
"I'm a regular there. The books, the quiet-it's a good escape from... everything else."
I felt an odd sense of connection.
"I work there. Just got transferred two weeks ago."
Claire tilted her head, studying me for a moment.
"How are you liking it so far?"
"It's... different," I admitted.
"Peaceful, but a bit eerie at night."
Her smile faltered slightly, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a shadow of concern cross her face.
"Eerie, huh? Yeah... Springey can be like that."
Before I could ask her to elaborate, the lights in the café flickered. A collective murmur of unease rippled through the patrons. The power stabilized after a moment, but the air felt heavier, charged with something I couldn't quite name.
Claire's fingers tightened around her coffee cup.
"You should be careful, Amber," she said softly.
I frowned. "Careful? About what?"
She hesitated, as if weighing her words.
"This town has its... secrets. Some things are better left alone."
Her cryptic statement sent a chill down my spine, but before I could press her further, she stood abruptly.
"I have to go. Nice meeting you, Amber. Stay safe."
With that, she grabbed her umbrella and walked out into the rain, leaving me alone with more questions than answers.
---
Later that evening, back at the hotel, I couldn't stop thinking about Claire and her strange warning. My curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to do some digging.
I grabbed my laptop, went to the library and started researching the town of Springey - with the help of the internet and stacks of old books, of course.
Hours wasted. Most of what I found was mundane-historical landmarks, population statistics, local businesses. But then I stumbled upon an old forum thread about strange occurrences in Springey. Flickering lights, unexplainable noises, people going missing.
My heart raced as I read on. One post, dated ten years ago, mentioned something about the library being a hotspot for supernatural activity.
A sudden knock at the door made me jump. I stared at it, my pulse quickening. It was almost midnight, I did not realized. I should be sleeping on my bed by now.
"The library's closed by the way, who's knocking?" I whispered to myself.
"Amber?" a familiar voice called out.
It was Claire.
I opened the door, and there she was, soaking wet and looking panicked.
"Can I come in?" she said urgently. "Now."
"Why? What's going on?"
"There's no time to explain. Just trust me."
Against my better judgment, I let her in.
Claire led me down a narrow path inside the huge library hall, her movements quick and deliberate.
"Where are we going?" I asked, struggling to keep up.
"There's something you need to see."
My blood ran cold. Whatever was happening, I had the sinking feeling my life in Springey was about to take a very dark turn.