The familiar stone at the wall loomed in the darkness, its windows dimly lit by the faint glow of emergency lights.
The sound of the rain poured heavily outside can be heard clearly.
Claire stopped abruptly and turned to me, her face pale and tense.
"Listen to me, Amber. What you're about to see might scare you, but you need to know the truth. This library... it's not just a library."
My breath hitched at her words.
"What are you talking about? What truth?"
She hesitated for a moment, as if trying to find the right words.
Finally, she said, "The library is... a gateway. A portal to another realm. And something has been trying to come through it for years."
I stared at her, my mind racing. This had to be a joke—a prank—but the urgency in her voice and the fear in her eyes told me otherwise.
"That's ridiculous," I said, though my voice wavered.
"You're telling me the library is haunted or something?"
"Not haunted," Claire said firmly.
"Guarded. There's a reason you were sent here, Amber. I think you're connected to all of this, whether you realize it or not."
"Connected? To what?"
Before she could answer, the door creaked open, seemingly on its own. A rush of cold air greeted us, carrying with it the faint smell of old books and something metallic—like blood.
"Come on," Claire urged, stepping inside.
I followed reluctantly, my heart pounding in my chest. The library looked different at night. Shadows stretched unnaturally long across the floor, and the towering bookshelves seemed taller and more menacing in the dim light.
Claire led me to the restricted section, an area I hadn't explored yet since starting my job. She pushed open a heavy wooden door that groaned loudly in protest. Beyond it was a spiral staircase descending into the dark.
"Wait," I said, pulling back.
"What's down there?"
"The source," Claire replied cryptically.
She started down the stairs, and after a moment of hesitation, I followed. Each step seemed to echo endlessly, the sound bouncing off the stone walls. The deeper we went, the colder it became, until I could see my breath in the air.
Finally, we reached the bottom, and I found myself in a cavernous room lined with ancient tomes and artifacts. In the center of the room was a circular stone platform, etched with glowing runes that pulsed faintly with an otherworldly light.
"This is it," Claire said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"The gateway."
I approached the platform cautiously, my eyes fixed on the runes. They seemed to shift and writhe like living things, and the air around it buzzed with energy.
"What is this place?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"It's a seal," Claire explained.
"It keeps whatever's on the other side from coming through. But the seal is weakening."
"Why?"
Claire looked at me, her expression grim.
"Because someone—or something—is trying to break it."
As if on cue, the room shuddered violently. Books toppled from shelves, and the glowing runes flared brightly before dimming again. A deep, guttural sound echoed from the platform, like a growl from some enormous creature.
"We don't have much time," Claire said, grabbing my arm.
"Amber, I need to know—have you noticed anything strange since you came to Springey? Anything out of the ordinary?"
I thought back to the past two weeks: the flickering lights, the feeling of being watched, the strange dreams that left me waking up drenched in sweat.
"Yes," I admitted.
"But I thought it was just... stress."
"It's not stress," Claire said firmly.
"It's the gateway. It's reacting to you."
"Me?" I asked, horrified. "Why me?"
Claire hesitated, then said,
"Because you're not just a librarian, Amber. You're a Guardian. You were sent here to protect this seal, whether you know it or not."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. A Guardian? Me? I opened my mouth to protest, but another violent shudder cut me off.
The runes on the platform began to glow brighter, and the growling sound grew louder. Something was coming.
"Amber," Claire said urgently, "You need to activate the seal. Only you can do it."
"I don't know how!" I cried, panic rising in my chest.
"You do," Claire insisted.
"It's in your blood. Trust yourself."
Before I could respond, the air above the platform began to ripple and distort, like a mirage. A dark, shadowy figure began to emerge, its glowing red eyes locking onto me.
"Amber!" Claire shouted. "Now!"
I didn't know what I was doing, but something deep inside me took over. I stepped forward, raised my hands, and spoke words I didn't recognize, yet somehow understood. The runes flared to life, and a blinding light engulfed the room.
The creature let out an ear-splitting roar as it was pulled back into the void. The light grew brighter and brighter until everything went white.
---
When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the floor, Claire kneeling beside me. The platform was dark and silent, the runes no longer glowing.
"You did it," she said softly, a mixture of relief and pride in her voice.
I sat up slowly, my head spinning.
"What... what just happened?"
"You sealed the gateway," Claire said. "For now."
"For now?" I echoed, dread settling in my stomach.
Claire nodded.
"The seal will hold for a while, but it's only a matter of time before it weakens again. And next time, it might not be so easy to stop whatever's on the other side."
I stared at her, realization dawning. My quiet, book-filled life was over.
Springey wasn't just a town. It was a battleground. And I was at the centre of it.