THE ROOM

 THE ROOM

Ky walked into the University Library, past the main desk, and took a seat where he could have a good view of all the people entering the library. He picked up a magazine off the low table in front of the chair and flipped it open. Every now and then he flipped a page.  But his main focus remained on the glass doors. He had been waiting for a good thirty minutes and had varied his glance between the big round clock behind the front desk, the magazine, and the front door. Finally, his diligence paid off.

She walked into the library as if she were walking into the Ritz, whatever that was. Her walk was sure and confident like she knew where she was headed in life and was on a mission to get there. She was followed by an older lady, slim and well-kept. They both approached the front desk and spent a few moments speaking with the librarian behind the desk. The librarian handed over a book to the lady and she headed to the quiet reading room to the left of the entrance where she settled into a brown leather comfy chair and opened her book. The girl gave her a casual wave and headed towards the stacks on the opposite side of the library. There was that signature walk again, her hips swinging, a bounce in her walk like she was on a catwalk, her long hair swinging with every step. She glanced at Ky as she walked past the group of chairs where he was sitting and gave a quick smile and a wink.

Ky waited five long minutes, then followed her into the last row of books. She was checking out the art history books and by the look of her bulging bookbag had found several that she was interested in and had added them to her book bag. Since art history was their major and their major paper was due in two weeks' time, he was not at all surprised. She rushed over and fell into his arms.

“Oh, I thought we would never get here, first Mum had to drop something at the Post Office then she ran into an old friend and had to tell her everything that has happened to everyone in the past two years since they last met.”

She pulled back and looked Ky in the eye and carried on dramatically

“Then Mrs. Nye had to tell us all about her family and she has five, yes, five children. She went into nauseating detail about what each one of her little darlings has been doing. It took forever. But at least now we have some time together, the book Mum has been waiting for finally came in so she will be in the reading room for hours.”

“Well you are here now Claire, and that's all that matters and the whole campus knows that your mother, the esteemed Professor Clarkson waxes poetic and profoundly, profusely, and prolifically. She can not cross the campus from one building to one of her classes to another without it taking less than an hour, there is always someone she needs to  confer with.”

 Claire stuck out her tongue at Ky. “Are you saying my mother is too chatty and has the gift of the gab?”

“If the shoe fits,” was his response.

“It does,” she sighed. 

Claire hugged him again and then tightened her hold even further.”I’ve missed you so much, it seems like forever since we saw each other.”

Ky looked at his watch. “Actually it's been fifteen hours since we last saw each other. Eternity”

“Ky you are such a sarcastic jerk.” Claire punched him playfully in the arm. “Just goes to show you that I love you more.”

“Oh Baby, that's not even possible.”

 A  tall dark-haired student dragged a petite redhead into the last row and started devouring her lips.  They were totally unaware that a previous couple, Ky and Claire, were also bent on a little privacy and using the last row of the stacks as a rendezvous. Privacy did not seem to be the other couple's priority.

“It's getting a little crowded here,” murmured Ky, "let's take this upstairs to the stacks where the university stores all those old thesis of bygone alumni.”

“Good idea.” 

They took a narrow back staircase up to the third floor of the library, ducking under the plush velvet rope that was supposed to be a deterrent for students. The upper floor seemed deserted. The dust was thick on the books back here. This part of the university library was seldom used except by the most dedicated of scholars and the most ardent of lovers. The stacks were ancient, at least over a hundred years old. The volumes and Tommes of books were leather covered and were not for circulation, They were rare books, research books, and years of thesis papers that had been deemed worthy of saving for posterity by the head librarians, professors, and deans of the university. The smell of mold and mildew was strong as was the atmosphere of dust that floated unhampered.

Ky headed for the back row, checking each row as he went along, for other couples bent on finding a cozy little love nook. It appeared to be all clear.

They had just divested themselves of backpacks and jackets, scarves, and hats when they were startled by a loud squeaking noise. A portion of the built-in bookcases on the back wall suddenly slowly swung open and an old man stepped out carrying a large portfolio case. He gently closed the bookcase and moved down the end aisle towards the staircase, not even glancing towards the stunted couple. He was bundled in his winter parka and an old-fashioned deer hunter hat, his face mostly obscured by a woolen muffler scarf.

“Where did he come from?” said Claire.

“He just came out of the wall.”

 “This isn’t Hogwarts, there aren't any magical rooms,”

“No, but perhaps there are some secret rooms.”

“My mother has worked at this university all her life and has never said anything about a secret room.”

“Maybe she doesn't know. Maybe that's why it is a secret room.”

“Let's check it out.”

“OK, but wait a minute. I want to make sure he's really gone.” Ky went to the small dirty window and looked out. Claire watched him as he used his cuff to try to clean the window of its grime. He only succeeded in spreading the crud around but apparently, he could see well enough. A few minutes later he stepped away from the window. “He's gone. He got into an ancient Cadillac, the size of a boat and drove away. The coast is clear.”

“You make it sound like some cloak-and-dagger scenario.”

Ky shrugged, “Maybe it is, who knows?”

They retraced their steps until they came to the section that the old man had exited from. It seemed solid.

Ky pulled and pried at the bookshelf. “Maybe there's a switch or a spring-like there are in the movies.”

“Oh yeah, right, like you pull one book out and the whole section swings open. You watch too many movies Ky.” 

“Ok, do you have any better ideas?”

“Well no, but what comes out must go in.”

“I think you have that backwards.” Ky shook his head. “Never mind give me a hand will you.”

“But all those books are so dusty, it will make my allergies go off like crazy,” Claire complained.

“Seriously, you are going to make me pull out all the  books on this back wall, there must be hundreds.”

“Ok, ok,” Claire relented.

Claire pulled out a leather-bound book and peered behind it. “Nothing, just a lot of dust and an old knothole” She reached in and touched it and the entire section of the bookshelf slid open.

Ky stared at her in awe.

“Beginners luck,” she said with a shrug.

 They stared at the open door and peered into the room. It was more spacious than one would imagine. It revealed several shelves and tables.

“Let's take a closer look,” said Claire.

“Ok, but I’m going to put my backpack in front of the door so it doesn’t shut by mistake and trap us in here for a hundred years.”

“Seriously Ky, you seriously watch too many movies.”

 They stepped into the room. There was a switch just inside the door, it looked like something out of an antique shop and Ky gave it a press. Nothing happened. Claire crossed over to the desk and toggled the switch on a vintage banker's desk light, it was brass with a dark green glass covering a tube light. The lamp turned on.

“I know,” said Ky, “beginner's luck.”

Claire smiled. She turned and approached the second desk, snapping on the light, she suddenly froze.

“Ky,” she stuttered.  She licked her lips and tried again.

“Ky, look.” She motioned to the wall behind them.

There was art everywhere. The entire wall was covered with golden frames, each holding paintings by the famous masters. 

“Wow,” said Ky, “look at all these reproductions.”

Claire stepped over to the wall and studied the paintings for a long moment.

“Ky, I don’t think these are reproductions. Some of these paintings I remember reading about in our third-year Art History class. Some of these paintings were stolen during World War 11.”

“See this one, it's from Picasso's Blue Period and this one from his Cubism Period, and this one from his Surrealism period. Some of these pictures have been lost for years and years.”

“Well, I know you are the art history expert, but are you sure?”

“Pretty sure. Look at these ones here, I'm sure this is Courbet's 1849 painting of ‘The Stone Breakers.’ It was supposedly lost when Dresden Castle was bombed during the war. “Oh my,” Claire broke off suddenly.

“What is it,” questioned Ky.

“Look.” Claire stood rooted to the spot, her finger pointing at the wall.

“What am I looking at?”

“Did you just sleep through our art history course?” Claire asked with disdain.

“No,”  replied Ky honestly. “I spent it looking at you.”

“This is, yes I'm sure of it. Raphael's ‘Portrait of a Young Man.’ It is just about the most famous piece of art lost during the war. It is worth, well I can’t even begin to think how much it's worth.  Oh look, Claire covered her mouth with her hand.”

“What?”

“It's Vincent van Gogh’s  ‘Painter on his way to work.’  It was another painting stolen by the Nazis and then supposedly lost in a fire during an air raid attack. 

“Well, I see you at least know your art.”

Ky and Claire whirled to see the little old man at the door to the secret room.

 Up close and turned towards them they recognized the man as Dr.Otto von Leichenberg, head of the art department at the university. “I see that you have been snooping where you have no right to snoop. His accent was thick and guttural. “I see Miss Clarkson, that you have listened well during your art history courses, and that you young man, are sadly lacking in your knowledge of long-lost art. And that will cost you. Cost you both.”

 With that, he removed a large metal key from the inside of the door and then slammed the door. Ky and Claire heard a distinct metal clang as the door closed securely behind him.