the room

Nora Molina and Fern parker are best of friends. They are the same but completely different. Fern is more outgoing than Nora, sportier to. Nora would not be surprised that she would find Fern doing something with exercise. Fern on the other hand would not be surprised to find Nora doing something with books. They are both respected captains of the debate and soccer.

Nora was in the library to study. She had a test coming up when she saw an email come in.

“Hello Nora

My name is professor Lilien Frye. I am writing to inform you that we are giving out TWO scholarships to Blackman university from your school, you are in the running for one of them. To get it I need you to send me a research paper on a topic of your choice. Your deadline is the end of winter.

You can ask any question you need to. Just email them to me and I will answer the best I can.

With what I have hear from your teachers, I expect a brilliant paper.

Kind regards

Lilien Frye

Professor at Blackman collage.”

Nora sat there for a while reading and re-reading the email. By the time she moved Fern was standing there with her phone out.

“Ok 1) I was just packing to find you and 2) put your phone away before the librarian finds it.” Nora said.

“Did you see it?” asks Fern as she stuffed her phone in her pocket.

“Did I see what?” Nora asks eyeing the librarian.

“The email to Blackman university?” Fern said as she helps Nora with her books. “I am sure you are in the running for academics.”

“Is this you are confirming a sporting scholarship to Blackman college?” Nora asks in a teasing tone walking out of the library.

“Not yet” Fern confirms. “I am going up against like three people from here. I know who too.”

“Did they tell you that?” Nora asks.

“No but I figured it out though.” Fern said. “What about you? Do you know anything?”

“no” Nora simply stated. “I only know that I am in the running for one.”

The two friends walked in silence to Noras locker.

“What are you up against?” Fern asks.

“What do you mean?” Nora asks confused.

“I said that wrong I mean what do you need to do to get the scholarship?” Fern more so confirmed.

“a research paper.”

“of course, how did I not know. Fern said sarcastically. “Do you know what you want to write?”

“Now I don’t” Nora said. “I want to ask to see old research papers and maybe do something along those lines.”

“Well remember I’m coming to yours to study seeing we came to mine last time.” Fern said, “maybe we should email back to ask if you could use their library seeing how they have a wider range of books.”

“Well will they be expecting that” Nora said doubting a bit.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out isn’t there” fern reassured.

Nora sat quietly eating dinner with her parents and Fern. She hears them talking about the possibility of the two of them going to Blackman college. Fern excitedly explained what was going on to Nora’s parents about the scholarships.

“Nors here is the most likely going to get one.” Fern said confidently.

“Not if I don’t know what to write about” Nora retorted. “If I don’t find something quick than you will be the only one going in sports.”

“Well seeing we have finished dinner lets go and figure this out.” Fern said “maybe while you help me with my ideas for my speech you can get something from there. “

“Right let’s go then” Nora said getting up and going hearing Ferns loud footprints behind her.

As they are working Nora was thinking about the research paper.

“Hey fern do you think you could help me with an email back to Professor Frye?” There was a pause “about using the college library for research.”

“Oh yes totally. Just one quick question” Fern replied. Nora leaned over as Fern kept going. “I want to put these ideas in, but I do not know where. Do you have any ideas?”

“Hang on let me read it really quick” Nora said getting ferns computer onto her lap. “So, these are the ideas, right?” Nora asks while reading the dot points.

“Yes.” Fern confirms. “I basically finished but need something more.”

“So, the witch trials, documentation and the impact.” Nora mumbled “no you don’t need the ideas.” Nora hand fern back her computer

“Right, what do you need help with?” fern askes.

“So, I have a list of ideas for my research paper and now I just need to ask for library access.”

“So, start it with hi professor and thank you and ask.”

“Hi professor Frye

I just want to first say thank you for considering me for a scholarship to Blackman university. I have a list of topics I want to write about and was wondering if there are any books in your library that would help me decide? And hopefully continue using your library when I do find a topic?

I understand if I cannot use the library.

Kind regards

Nora Molina”

“And send” Nora said.

Nora was running to get to Fern.

“Fern!” she called “FERN!”

“she’s on the field.” Called another student.

“Thank you” as Nora started to the field.

5 minutes later Nora got to the field, spotted Fern, and ran up to her.

“Fern! Fern, I get to go to the library” Nora excitedly says.

“Ok that was fast. Say that again please Nors” Fern replied. “And slowly”

“I get to go to Blackman library” Nora said again.

“When?”

“This afternoon”

Fern screamed.

Nora was frightened but joined in shortly afterwards.

That afternoon Nora trekked to Backman. It took 30 minutes and when she got there, she went up to went to the reception.

“Hi, my name is Nora Molina- “

“Ah yes hang on a second let me get her for you>” the reception butted in picking up the phone and dialling a number “hi yes your gest is here.” A pause “yep will do” after that the receptionist put down the phone “Professor Frye will be here soon to take you please sit down.”

Nora sat and looked around the lobby. The architect was amazing in the old building. She, lost in her thoughts, looking at her surroundings, she did not notice anyone approaching her.

“The architect is amazing isn’t it miss Molina?” Nora looked to where the voice came from and notice a woman standing there.

“Uh yes, it is” Nora said hesitantly.

“I’m professor Frye and I am here to take you to our library.” the Professor said.

“Uh thank you” Nora said and stood up.

“Well let’s go I have some grading to do.” Professor Frye said.

They were silent for a minute.

“What- “

“I am- “

They started at the same time.

“You go first miss Molina.” Professor Frye said.

“What made you think of me?” Nora asks.

“Well, I saw your application and decided to look into you – this way – and saw you are the debate captain and then I reached out to – this way – uh.”

“You were reaching out to someone” Nora prompted her.

“Ah yes I reached out to you teachers and from what I learnt I convinced them to give you a chance to come.” Professor Frye finished speaking in front of the library. “Well, here we are.”

“Thank you, professor.”

“All I say is good luck for your paper.” Said the professor said.

Nora nods and heads in right time to find something.

Within an hour and a half, she was there, Nora found herself at the back looking for a book and she saw an interesting one and picked it up. and yet she could not, and she started to leave and noticed a crack and pushed it open and found a room. She quickly closed it and sat at where she has been studying stunned. She sat there for 30 minutes, and she could not focus. So, she packed up and left.

At lunch, the next day Nora was quiet. She sat at a table playing with her food.

“What’s wrong?” asks Fern.

“nothing’s wrong” replied Nora.

“Your quiet” Fern pointed out. “And you’re playing with your delicious food that you bring everyday” as she picks up a forkful of last night’s dinner “is that lamb curry?”

“I’m always quiet” Nora shot back. “Yes, it is lamb curry.” She added quietly.

“No, you’re not.” Fern argued back “Where is the loud Nora I became friends with? I just made a perfectly funny joke, and you did not laugh.”

Nora hesitated. She had doubts about the room. She looks up from her food and looked at Fern. She decided to tell her.

“Okay listen,” as she puts her leg down. Fern notices the seriousness in her eye and focuses. “I found a room in the library at Blackburn. I -uh – I – uh”

“What did you find?” Fern asks.

“I didn’t stay to look.” Nora replied. “Well, I mean I stayed for a while afterwards, but I couldn’t believe what I had found so I left” she paused “I just saw books and a table.”

“So, what are you going to do?” asks Fern “seeing you are so shaken up about it.”

“I’m going to take a proper look next time I go.”

“When will that be?”

“tonight”

“I’m coming” Fern said giving Nora the look that there will no argument to be had. Nora accepted it and started eating.

That afternoon Fern and Nora went to Blackburn college.

“Hi, we are to sign in to go to the library please?” Nora said.

“Who are you and why is she here?” said the receptionist.

“My name is Nora Molina, and I am studying for the scholarship, and this is Fern Parker she is helping me?” Nora replied.

“Welcome back miss Molina and welcome to Blackburn miss Parker.” Said the receptionist. “Just sign in here and you can go to the library.”

“Thank you” Nora said as she signed them in. “this way Fern, I signed you in.”

They walk to the library in silence. When they get their fern whispered in Noras ear “now where’s the room.”

“This way” Nora whispered back as they made their way to where Nora found the book “now its here somewhere.” As she started picking up the books. Something clicked. Nora had a triumphant smirk. “Found it”

“Let me in” Fern pushing pass and looking around the room ‘wow.’

“let’s start looking around to see what we can find” Nora said.

“So, what are you going to write about?” Fern asks picking up a book. Nora shoots her a look “what? I am simply curious.” She defended.

“Blackburn is hiding these books for a reason. They may be true.”  Nora said, fern looks at her like she’s crazy “What I want to do is present these as theories and get the scholarship.”

Fern picked up a book and opened it. everything went white.