A Mystery to be Solved

“I am a mystery to be solved.” The words whispered through his mind, echoing down the empty corridors of his thoughts. His gaze returned to her again and again. She was a completely average looking student with mousy brown hair that would never garner a second glance from most. In fact, he wasn’t sure he had seen anyone take notice of her these last few weeks. She was always reading a book, sitting in the same spot, dressed in the same style of vintage clothing that seemed all the rage in thrift stores these days. Why was she here all the time? 

He ripped his eyes away from her, forcing himself to re-read the same passage again for the tenth time. At the end, he found he still hadn’t managed to absorb any of it. He growled without realizing it, only to be shushed by a passing student for being noisy. His thoughts raced in circles, knowing he would fail this test unless he could get back on task. Without conscious thought, his attention drifted to her once again.

He saw her look up and lock eyes with him as if she had sensed him staring. It was an unsettling electric connection that neither seemed willing or able to break. Her eyes held a challenge in them, as if to say “Can you solve me?” As the tension grew, she finally closed her book and stood up. Without breaking eye contact he watched her back up into the aisle between the stacks and stretched out a hand crooking her finger, making it clear that she wished him to follow. The shadows seemed to envelop her as she continued to drift backwards. The last thing to disappear was her beckoning hand and then she was gone.

He closed his book abruptly at this further distraction from his vitally important studying. He knew it would be impossible to concentrate with that beckoning image in his mind. He quickly decided that he should follow and get his answers so that he could put his mind at rest and regain his ability to focus.

He stood and swiftly moved into the shadows that had consumed her image. As his eyes adjusted he saw a flap of her checkered skirt disappearing around the distant corner. He rushed to follow, trying to keep his footsteps quiet within the hushed atmosphere. As he reached the end and looked towards where she had gone he saw her shoe slip from view. The thrill of the chase was quickly replaced by a sense of victory as he knew she had gone down a dead end towards the windows of the library. He knew that the only thing down there was a small nook for displaying holiday decorations. He had her at last. This game of cat and mouse would end and her mystery would be answered.

He wore a smirk on his face when he looked down the corridor and she wasn't there. The little minx was leading him on a game of hide and seek and she must have tucked herself away in the display area just out of sight.

He popped his head around the corner saying “Gotcha!” and his confusion was palpable when he found it was empty. He looked behind him knowing there was no other way out. Perhaps, this was the mystery to be solved. He began searching the small nook for any clues that might explain her disappearance. He found worn scratches, faded with age along the back wall, which could indicate that it might slide. It took him several tries to find a section with enough grip on the surface to allow him to move the thin wall sideways. There seemed to be a hidden force attempting to push back and keep the wall from sliding open. Once he got his fingers in it was easier to push it open, but the force remained and he had to hold it there to see what secrets were revealed. 

It was a thrilling discovery, a dark opening that seemed to beckon him forward with an irresistible invitation to his curious mind. With his studies forgotten, he once again lost himself to the thrill of the chase. He pulled out his cell phone and activated the flashlight, shining its pale glow into the yawning pit of the unknown before him. He shifted himself sideways through the narrow opening which seemed to hardly get much use and the panel slid quickly shut as soon as he released his hold upon it. The dust on the floor was thick and undisturbed, but elsewhere the air currents from his movement caused a swirling cloud to arise, assaulting his nose and reflecting the light from his phone.

His quarry was still nowhere to be seen. She continued to elude him but he knew it wouldn't be for much longer. He would soon solve this mystery and his mind would be free of these obsessive thoughts once again.

The space seemed to be a small storage area, forgotten by time and unused for decades. There was no point in looking at the shelves or the small boxes. He limited his searching to places that could fit the mystery girl. He looked behind a stack of boxes and on the far side of a cabinet. He even checked inside the cabinet in case it was empty enough for her to hide in. He found nothing. There was only one place left to check. An old steamer trunk with a rounded lid that looked like a pirate's chest stood before him. He could only imagine that it must have been used for a prop in some school musical.

His heart was pounding as he reached for the lid with a shaky hand. He felt sure that this would be an appropriate moment for a jump scare. He steeled his nerves with the expectation that she would throw the lid open with a scream, lunging toward him in this darkened and dusty space, attempting to give him a heart attack. He licked his dry lips, leaning away from the chest as he reached to open it.

He nearly felt disappointed when nothing happened. The lid opened on decaying leather straps, falling backwards with a bang. Inside was a dirty looking bag, riddled with moth holes. Could she be in there? It seemed unlikely, but he decided to take one step further and open the bag to look.

The sight that greeted him filled him with nausea and a growing sense of horror. He stumbled backwards as if to put distance between himself and the contents of the bag. Inside, the off-white color of bone could be seen along with vintage clothing and a clump of mousy brown hair. How did she end up here? Who killed her? Why leave her in this place? One mystery has been solved, but new ones have blossomed in its place.