The Hidden Library

Inwardly, I groan. The Library’s records show the book I need, but it was never returned some years ago. Sighing, I click out of the catalog, stooping to pick up a fallen pencil. Deciding to check the shelf, just in case, I shoulder my bag and surf through the abundant shelves under what should be the correct letters. Anxiety wells up when I don’t find the book, however something else catches my attention. Tucked in the very corner of the shelf is the brightest shade of Marine Blue I have ever seen. The spine and cover exhibit a Banishing Sigil. An electric shock, or maybe just curiosity, spikes through me as I take the book from the shelf. I’m checking it out, how can I not, but when I take it to the front desk, the librarian looks at me strangely.

“Sorry hon, that book never leaves the library.” She smiles at me, but it seems strained. 

“That’s okay.” I smile back, slightly disappointed. 

I reshelf the book, and head back to my dormitory. I have tons of research I need to do and I need to find a replacement book to use since the other one was not available. Even though my mind should be on my latest project, Metaphysics, I find my thoughts turning to the possible context of the Banishing Sigil book.

Shaking my head as if to shake these thoughts away, I climb the flight of stairs leading to my room. I open the door to find my eccentric roommate gone from our shared rooms. Dumping my load onto my desk, I collapse onto the bed, releasing a cloud of feathers into the air. 

Rui, our snow white cat, must have been exposed to the pillows on my bed because they were in shreds. I sweep off the feathers and pull the laptop up from its charging position on the floor. Clicking out of the hours of research trying to find the book we didn’t have, I opened a new tab. Though, after only being a few minutes in, my back was hurting from being hunched over. I moved to my desk, but not before Rui shot out from underneath my bed, swiping painfully at my ankles, and streaking away. Clutching my ankle, I sit on the floor, steeling myself before taking a look. The scratches are deeper and my hand comes away red, just a tiny bit of blood on my fingers, but blood none-the-less. My eyes rolled back as I faint, vaguely feeling the outline of something sharp dig into my back.

— 

When I come around, I find myself lying on my bed. My ankle is lightly wrapped in a bandaid or two, courtesy of my thoughtful roommate. Carefully, I looked at my hands, they had been cleaned of blood and smelled freshly of soap. By the sound of it, my roommate and his boyfriend were in the living room. Sliding off the bed, I dramatically hobble into the living room where the two are playing some card game. 

“Hey Cam, nice of you to join. Want us to deal you in or are you going to dramatically drape yourself across the nearest piece of furniture, disney style?” Gary, short for Garett, jabs. 

To demonstrate my ability, I dramatically drape myself across the couch and into their laps. Gary shoves me off, and I gracelessly thud on the ground. Chan snickers into his hands, but politely offers me a hand up. 

“Just because you're my roommate, Gary,” I give him a dirty look, pretending to brush dirt from my clothes, “does not mean you can act ungentlemanly, unlike Chan over here.” I gesture to Chan, who mocks heartfelt happiness, clutching at his chest. 

Wiping fake tears Chan asks, “How's the ankle?” 

I look down at my bandaged ankle, and shrug, snagging a piece of pizza on the coffee table. “Could be better, but thanks to this nat, ‘m good.” I reply, flapping the pizza in Gary’s direction. 

“I’m going back to the library, since no one can get some peace and quiet around here.” I smile playfully as I collect my things, nudging doors open with my hip while trying to finish my pizza. 

I hear giggling as I hurry down the hall, adjusting the straps as I go. When I arrive at the school's library, I have to take a second, taking in the sheer magnificence that had been ignored later that day. Although my first thought should have been on my project, my thoughts drifted to the mysterious book I had found. As I passed the counter, heading further into the library, I heard whispers to my left. The librarians had their heads together, but eyes widened and they quickly dispersed when I nodded in their direction. I hurried to the shelf where I had last seen the book, finding a blank space. Disappointment flooded through me as I brushed my hand over the empty slot. Something sharp pricked my finger and I quickly retracted my hand, expecting to find blood. Instead I found a gold circle which trailed down my finger into my palm spreading out to my other fingers, until I had lines throughout my fingers, like liquid gold veins. As I continued to watch the gold shimmer in my skin, it suddenly contracted into a ball at the center of my palm, sinking into my wrist. Throughout all this, I felt nothing, but when the ball of gold settled in my wrist, taking the form of the banishing sigil, I felt ice freeze over my body. Seeming to freeze the blood in their veins, my breaths in their lungs, and my heart from pumping. 

Time seemed to slow and speed up as I stood there, frozen. Finally, some other blessed student came to my rescue. Lightly touching my shoulder, they asked, “Sorry, but could you move a second, I want to get to that shelf?” Now unfrozen, I dazedly nodded my head, shifting places with my blessed rescuer. I hurried back to the front of the library, to the tables, where I could work under supervision and hopefully not freeze again. 

—

Some hours later, Gary comes strolling in, his usual lopping pace, a comforting normality to the weird gold and ice. Stealing a glance at my wrist, the gold sigil, now a dulled brass color, was still there, sending icey daggers up my arm as if to remind me it's still there. 

“How's it going?” He asks, stage whispering as he plops down in the chair next to me. 

I sigh, “It’s going. I got the other half of my notes done and wrote the rough draft for the first part.” 

“Wow, you must be pretty tired. Here I’ll carry your things for you.” He says, already beginning to gather my books and papers.

I give a smirk, “Trying to make up for pushing me off the couch earlier, aren’t you, or maybe letting Rui onto my bed.”

He winces, dropping a pencil. “Found out, did you?”

“How could I not? There’s feathers everywhere! You own me new pillows.” I point, accusingly at him and he raises his hands in defeat. 

Scooping up the last of my things, he unceremoniously dumps it all into my bag which I end up carrying back to the dorm room. Collapsing onto my bed, I fall asleep, exhausted from hard work and shock.

—

A bright, pulsing light wakes me up, what seems to be minutes after I fell asleep. Groaning, I sit up, rubbing my eyes, groggily trying to find the source of my disturbance, only to realize it's coming from my arm. More importantly it's coming from my wrist, right where the dull brass sigil was, which is now burning and shining a bright gold light. 

Spots dance in my vision as I watch the light float off my wrist, taking the form of an arrow. Unable to tear my gaze away, I follow the arrow into my living room, checking the clock as habit happens, telling me it's around one-thirty in the morning. My eyes naturally find the arrow again and I take a few steps in its direction. The only thing breaking my trance is the concerned meow I get from Rui, who appears on top of his cat tower. 

He hops down, rubbing his head on my ankles. 

“Sorry Rui,” I say, giving him an apologetic scratch between the ears, “I don’t have time for more love.”

I follow after the arrow, which has gone through the door and continues to lead me down the hall. The momentary pause in my excursion, to push open the great double doors opening into the library, allows me to bring my thoughts together. As I step through the doors, feelings of anticipation, followed by fear, course through me, leaving me momentarily breathless. 

Catching my breath, the arrow continues to lead me to a large painting on the wall. Under close examination, I push two of the protruding points back in. This causes a panel in the wall next to the painting to spring out. I slide open the sprung out wall and stare down a surprisingly well light corridor. Expecting a dank, dark, and cobweb ridden passageway does wonders for excitement when you're met with warm lights and clean floors instead. 

I run my hand along the wall, marveling at the prospect of velvet covered sound proof panels. My awe soon gives way to shock when I arrive in a circular room that expands downward into a ginormous hidden library, with multiple other passageways leading  into it, much like my own. I feel a prick of ice as the arrow merges with the sigil on my wrist. 

‘This is going to be fun’ I think as I take off into the never ending shelves.