Studying at the library

I wasn't quite sure about the entire situation going on with me and my little sister, Sydney. She had insisted we sneak back into the school for some stupid reason, but I wasn't quite sure why or what she needed from the school, but she told me she would admit it once we had gotten there.

It was the library, she wanted to study a bit more I guess? I wasn't sure why she couldn't have done it from the comfort of her bedroom, but being the nice older brother that I am, I couldn't say no. She began skipping down the hallway as I walked begrudgingly behind her, my hands stuffed into the pockets of my dark grey Nike hoodie.

Most of the classrooms were locked up, which I wasn't surprised about, the staff doesn't need to deal with any burglars or anything. But as we came up to the library doors, that's when it hit me that it's probably locked too. Syd was insisted though once I told her it could have been locked. And she was right, it wasn't.

"Told you it would have been opened, nobody locks up a library." Syd teased me with a small smirk on her face.

I roll my eyes as she opened the door, letting me walk in first, "Every other door is locked. I immediately assumed. I guess nobody really wants to steal a book though, at least not from this collection."

Sydney purposely bumped into my shoulder as she walked past me, giggling to herself under her breath, "Don't make fun of the schools library, we have more books than most schools."

I mutter small curses under my breath, I really didn't want to be there, as I didn't bring much other than a half dead phone to keep for my entertainment. It should be okay since I didn't think we would have been there for too long, but it was still going to be boring. Watching her skip off to the tables in the back, I sigh tiredly as I go to follow her, having to past through the history section to get to the good seats. The ones you find in the back that are near the window, the ones that are actually soft and comfortable to sit in, the ones that look out to the view that we have of the ocean.

Our school sat on a nice hill that was right next to where the ocean was. It was quite popular for its views, and for the history the building had, once was a hotel, went abandoned, then restored as a high school. Everyone still believes the place is haunted, I don't believe it though.

As I walked through the long aisles of books, I began to scan the run down and torn spines. Tons of different titles, all different lengths and about different topics. You'd think because not many kids enjoy history the books would be kept in nicer condition, I personally liked to believe the books were old, from possibly the 70's, 80's even. But as I continued down the aisle, a specific book jumped out at me, it was in pristine condition, looked like it had never been touched before. But it looked so different than any other book there, it didn't have a title, if anything, it looked like a diary of some sorts, a regular little book you'd find that one kid writing notes in. Nothing fancy.

Grabbing the book off the shelf, I notice a small piece of fabric holding the book closed. It was a sturdy tome, had a good weight to it, a dark brown cover to hold the pages together... Pulling the piece of fabric back, I opened the book to the middle of a random page. The pages looked handmade, they were ripped here and there and had a nice crinkle to them. The font looked handwritten too but I could tell it was printed.

"Taking a deep gulp in anticipation, I carefully opened the winded and broken volume, my hands shaking carefully not to harm the pages as I turned them." I read to myself, it felt more like a fiction book than a history, turning a few more pages, I began to read more, "The characters, I could relate to them, they seemed like the only ones who truly knew how I felt and what I was going through. My sister, my mother, even my best friends couldn't understand me the way the characters would."

I chuckle loudly, causing my sister to perk up and come around the corner to face me. She was already carrying a few books herself, seemed she knew what she wanted.

"Find something good?" She asked curiously, walking up to my side to read over my shoulder.

"Just some stupid fiction book about a guy with a weird book kink or something." I joke, "Here I'll read you a page. 'The characters, they popped out of thin air, a large blinding light and a loud ringing echoed through the school corridor. And as the light dissipated, they all stood there, confused as much as I was. I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or not, they were all actually there, with me... I couldn't hold back my excitement. Maybe this was the fairytale I was finally going to get.'"

Sydney giggled, "Definitely a fiction book, just go put it back to where it was, someone probably didn't want it and just slipped it in thinking nobody would notice."

I nod in response, closing the book and holding the boards together with the small piece of fabric. I began walking back towards the front of the library, where the fiction section was, when I felt the book begin to slowly rise in temperature. I was confused, and simply thought it was my head playing tricks on me until it became so hot I had to drop it right there on the floor.

"What the hell?" I ask myself, looking down to my hand then back to the book, "Gosh..."

I bent down to pick it up again when it was still scorching hot. I flinch a little from the pain as I stare down at it in confusion, I couldn't tell what was going on but I was tempted to just leave the book in the middle of the floor and head back to Sydney.

And as I picked myself back up, I take a step over the book, beginning my way back to Sydney before I noticed something strange. I began to see my shadow in front of me, there was no light on in the library, we simply got the reflected light of sunset coming through the windows. But even then, the angle of the sun couldn't have given me a shadow in front of me.

I turn around curiously, it was the book again, it was glowing, and getting brighter with every passing second, I take a few steps back in horror, terrified of what I had done to get this damned cursed book to activate. Soon the light became far too bright, I had to shield my eyes with everything I could and even then I could still see it. And with a loud ear ringing bang, it was over. All I could see were the brightness and hear a loud head aching ring in my ear.

Letting everything adjust back to the way it was, I grip my head in pain as I look back over to the book, it was blown up, to shreds, the boards and the pages all scattered around the library. But torn book weren't the only things that were now around the room. Ten different people all laying around the library, possibly dead, silently on the floor or up against a bookshelf.

I stare in disbelief, confused out of my mind before I hear the running of my sister coming to find me. She immediately runs to my aid, patting me down to make sure I didn't have any bruises or scars. Nothing physical, just mental trauma now.

"Are you okay?" She asked panicked, "I saw a light then heard a bang, are you hurt?"

I wave it off a bit, I needed a moment to think, "I'm alright... I think. Are you okay?"

She nods rapidly and went to speak up when we noticed a taller figures shadow come walking down the aisle. Stopping at the end, the larger male glanced to us before looking down to the other random creature laying passed out in front of us.

"What... The... Fuck." I whisper to myself.

The man was tall, had to have been about 6'6, chefs outfit, white apron, dark grayish and white collared shirt, dead silver eyes that could pierce anyone, short white grayish hair that swooped to the left over his eyes... And an eyepatch, to cover his right eye. He looked older, possibly in his 50s or so.

"We should leave." I commanded to my sister, who didn't hesitate to nod in response.

"Hold it." The male spoke, his voice deep with a thick Greek accent, now staring back over at us with that intimidating stare he was going to be well known for, "I go by Silo. You are to call me nothing but it. Now. Which one of you opened the book?"