King of Hearts

13.

Val's arms are in pain, she has been rubbing this already clean floor for hours and her ears are still hurting from Carmen's shouting. Val tried to explain, that she got lost and that's why she took thirty minutes to find Carmen's office, but Carmen just kept on shouting and also mentioned something about her lazy husband and how she hates her mother-in-law. Val doesn't know how her family affair has got anything to do with her coming too late but when she saw Carmen heating up to the point of her face turning not red but purple, Val decided not to argue with her and to simply follow her instructions.

So, now here she is, in this gigantic salon with pastel blue, white, and gold furniture. She feels like Cinderella working as a servant at Downton Abbey. Thankfully, there is only one room left in this corridor. After that, she can finally leave.

The sun is already setting, and rich colors of gold and orange are painting the prosperous room.
Val slowly stands up, letting out a soft grunt. Her knees are hurting from being bent for too long. She stretches her arms, back, and legs, she grabs the water bucket with its brush and makes her way out.

As she enters the last room, she figures it's a library. And what a library! It is the same size as a football stadium. The mint walls have roses painted on them. Val is standing next to the door, velvety forest green chaise lounges encircle a wooden coffee table with yellow and white candles placed on it. The many tall bookshelves create an endless labyrinth.

Poor Val thought the day was ending soon. This will take even more hours! A heavy feeling of fatigue falls upon her. She considers leaving the room and telling Carmen that she has already finished. At first glance, the library seems clean and tidy, therefore no one will notice.

At that moment Val almost overhears a merely noticeable noise. Not able to identify its source, Val takes a step forward into the labyrinth of books. As she gazes into an aisle, there she notices it. Something fluffy yet elegant sits there with its eyes set on Val. It's that cat again!

As soon as Val realizes, the cat immediately starts running off. She instinctively chases it. The cat turns corner after corner, passing various shelves, not seeming to stop anytime soon. Val is only a few steps behind. She already lost orientation. It feels like she's running in circles.

On the run, Val notices signs that indicate the sections of the library. She passes the Language Section, the Science Section, and many others, but the deeper she gets into the library, the stranger the sections become. She passes signs like the "Barefoot-Section", the "Hungry-But-Productive Section" or the "Short-People Section". There are even sections for each zodiac sign. Val's curiosity grows more and more, and she stops a few times to explore the aisles.

As Val is reading a book called "Smoothie Recipes for Sagittarians", an angry meow catches her attention. A few feet next to her appears the cat, giving her an accusing look. Val shuts the book, annoyed by the cat. "What the hell do you want? You only get me into trouble!", she says loudly.

The cat simply gazes with her innocent eyes at Val, not moving from the spot. All of a sudden, it stands up and communicates with her tail, indicating Val to follow. Although hesitant, Val decides to give the cat one last chance. At that point, her ruby ring begins to sparkle. At first, she thinks it is just her imagination, but the closer she looks, the more it gleams. It isn't a strong light, it's rather faint, but it is there and perfectly visible.

Val's heart is pounding loudly. She feels a ray of hope flow through her body. But what for? It's a weird feeling coming from nowhere. She becomes curious therefore she follows the cat.