Chapter 3: The Driver

Taking my first steps out of the building was the easy part, but the overwhelming sound of the city was making me feel as if I perhaps should have stayed another day and continued my recovery in the hospital.

The city was full of life. Tall apartments, as far as the eye could see; if I paid attention to the lighted-up windows, I could almost see what was happening in them. The afternoon traffic was at an all-time high, the beeping of the cars trying to get home, and the families walking across the streets, keeping their children at a close distance, gave me a sense of comfort; this was indeed my city; I felt it deep in my bones. The sounds and the views might be overwhelming, but they were beautiful and alive.

The cool fall air reached my lungs, my chest still sore from whatever had happened to me, but it didn't bother me as much as before. I let the wind mess up my long ebony hair. My big red jacket and the white sweater Mrs. Daxon had given me hugged my body and kept me warm despite the low temperatures.

I looked at my parents, dedicating special attention to my mother, whose hair was tangled and matted a couple of days back and was now lustrous and clean. Her face had a certain calm to it. Her sharp eyebrows and hazel eyes seem to have returned to a much happier expression, a slight smile showing like the Monalisa in her thick pink lips. My father, although calmer, still carried the burdens of the hospital on his shoulders. His small eyes faded away within his eyebrows. He didn't seem to want to talk much, but his presence was enough to make me feel comfortable around the streets of New Seattle.

Mr Daxon pointed at a nearby taxi and said, "This is it. This is us. We better take it before he gets upset we are late again."

The taxi, although ordinary, had a blue color instead of the usual yellow; it had the common taxi sign written across the car and a small light showing it was empty and ready for the next passenger. The driver, an older man who looked close to having a foot on the grave, walked out of the car. His short and fine white hair was carefully slicked back. His agility to open the doors was impressive, considering he could have been close to a hundred. He was professionally dressed, and an ironed suit showed how skinny he truly was.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Daxon, I have been awaiting thou," the gentleman exclaimed. My father was the first one to approach the driver.

"Frederick, it is a pleasure to see you on this side of town; please take us to the hotel down the main road. The one named the golden serpent," said Mr Daxon.

"Ah!" Frederick Exclaimed upon looking at me "Mistress Daxon, 'tis a joy to behold thee hale and hearty. The years, in truth, hath not cast their shadow upon thee."

"It was a long nap, Frederick, one could almost say it was mostly beauty sleep"

"Mayhap thou shouldst indulge in such pleasantries more oft, forsooth, it hath wrought its charms with evident success."

"I'll remember that next time I want to go in a Comma" I laughed as I entered the car

Frederick embarked on the journey behind the wheel, deftly navigating a succession of turns that ultimately led us onto the highway. I was nodding away until I heard the sound of sirens pulling closer to us. Surprised by the police in our tail, I glazed at the driver. He seemed unbothered, as if it was a daily occurrence for him, and pulled to the side of the road.

Two officers stepped out of the police car, the first one taller than the other one, with a big bright white smile and dark skin. His short, buzzed hair made his ears pop out of his face. The other officer, barely five feet tall, followed right behind him, his red curly hair bouncing around short enough to look professional but long enough to start looking like a small Afro forming around his face.

Frederick must have sensed my discomfort by being pulled over right after coming out of the hospital because he adjusted his mirror to look at me before he addressed me, "Trouble thee not; I know how to manage the swine if the need doth arise." I nodded.

The first officer approached the window and slowly examined the vehicle's surroundings; his gaze stopped at my family and me. His eyes darkened, and his smile widened in an unnatural way. It must have alarmed Mr. and Mrs. Daxon because my parents immediately exited the vehicle and signaled to the driver to drive away. If I didn't feel like bells were going off before, I certainly did now. Frederick hit the gas pedal so hard my body hit the back of the car, hitting me in the head; if I hadn't already had memory issues, I probably would have had them after that.

"DON'T STOP AND DON'T LOOK BACK!!!" was all I could hear Mrs Daxon say as we sped away

I looked back with immediate regret, the faces of what before had seemed to be completely normal police officers had slowly transformed into my worst nightmare. Their features morphed into what resembled spider fangs and black eyes. Their arms extended further than what a normal person should be able to do. I looked at Frederick terrified.

"What just happened?" I exclaimed with panic, "What are those things?"

The driver looked at me through the mirror and said, "A quandary. We shalt seek out George; he shall explain." he proceeded to mumble something and hit me in the head with his index finger. I was out before I even knew what else happened.

I woke up still inside the car; it was no longer afternoon but nighttime. I didn't know how long I was out or how Frederick managed to put me down with a simple touch on my forehead. I looked out the window, and he was just standing outside. "Thou has awoken," said Frederick as he opened the door to let me out of the passenger seat.

We had parked in front of what seemed to be an old library. One broken light flickering marked the point of entrance. The clock on the side of the building marked midnight. As I examined my surroundings, I noticed no tall apartments or skyscrapers around me; it was just the library a big majestic tree, and miles of nothing.

Frederick's bony hands offered me help to get out of the car. I rejected it and did my best to follow him as we entered the building. I didn't want to follow him in, but I did it anyway because, let's be honest, where else could I even go? The family I had gained in the past few days was left behind mere hours ago to fight what it looked like to be a not-very-heroic version of Spider-Man.

I dragged my feet across the floor as we passed the entryway; the building was much larger on the inside than what it appeared to be from the outside; on the right side of the entrance, a desk with no clerk was adorned with what seemed to be a plant lover's heaven. To the left, several smaller tables were pulled together to form a bigger table with some activity books left behind, probably by a younger crowd of children passing the time in the library earlier in the day.

He guided me towards the back section of the library; as we passed different sections of the building, we remained in silence. I had to pay attention to my surroundings in case things went awry.

At the very back of the library, there was a medium copper door that said 'employees only.' He pushed it open, and the entirety of the room changed.

Golden ceilings as high as twenty feet tall greeted me at the entrance. The marble floor impeccably shined, reflecting the lights from the columns to the side. The pillars were adorned by golden snakes wrapping themselves around them, and in the middle of the room, a fire with blue flames dancing around the fire pit warmed me up as soon as I crossed the threshold. It was similar to a central terminal. Doors at every side, and dozens of people coming in and out of rooms.

all from ages ranging from the early twenties to what appeared to be the late nineties, all dressed as if they came from all corners of the world to conglomerate here. Paintings adorned the walls with different important time events and a small inscription on the side of each of them. Some looked old but well-maintained.

As we walked down the room and into the hallway, we saw a small shadow box with a piece of rock cut inside, with some brownish-red paint that looked like it came from a cave painting. The figures in it looked to be celebrating, and there was a small fire in front of them. Next to the box, there was a small plaque with the inscription "Prometheus's betrayal."

I must have been mesmerized by the piece of history in front of me because I didn't notice that a man had been standing next to me. His eyes were big and blue like the ocean. He had small, thin lips and long blond hair covering his ears but just slightly at the top—dressed in a casually blue buttoned shirt with the last two buttons left undone and brown pants adorned with suspenders. He couldn't have been older than me, he looked to be still in his early twenties. His skin was pale looking like he had seen a ghost. His big round glasses slightly slid onto his nose as he let out a small gasp.

"Frederick?" the young man exclaimed. "Oh! Frederick, we haven't seen you around here for a while" He stopped to examine my face and His expression changed from surprise to concern.

"Frederick, what are you doing? How are you even here?"

"We must converse with George. Where doth he reside?"

Milo let out a small sigh and pointed towards a door closer to the end of the hallway.

"He is in his office —You know how he is, always trying to find the next best thing to keep them appeased."

Frederick seemed satisfied with that answer; he nodded and then addressed me, "Abide here, for Milo shall attend thee. I shall return with all speed possible." And that was the last I saw of him. I watched him as he walked away.

"I'm Milo keeper of the library" He extended his hand forward "And you are?"

"Rennee Daxon" I shook it firmly

"Well, Rennee Welcome to the Grand Central"