Helena and the Rings

Chapter 14: Before Us

"We're almost at the library," Bishop continued to yank me in the direction. She hadn't spoke since the train incident. I didn't want to make her upset so I kept quiet and tried my best to keep up with her. However...I couldn't keep quiet the whole time. I had to say something.

The Library was only a few feet in front of us. YonderHills Library. An old small building made of bricks surrounded by tall unkept grass and weeds. It seemed like no one really cared for the place. No one loved it enough to keep it clean. We walked up the four steps before going inside. That's when Bishop finally looked at me. She sighed heavily. "I kept seeing my mom. But there was something behind her. Latched to her back. She looked so...afraid."

"I'm sorry," I said. I grabbed her hand. "Come on. Let's see what we can find."

We pushed the door in and it slid against the ground, making a loud screech notifying everyone that was there. I took a glance around while Bishop closed the door. There were about five people standing around-none of them reading books. Just lingering in a corners. The librarian sat at the counter fanning herself with her hand. She looked at me then looked away. No hi. No nothing. 

Bishop looked at me. "What should we look for specifically?"

"Maybe it would be faster if we asked?"

She nodded. The two of us walked up to the Liberian. She didn't look excited to see two curious teenagers seeking knowledge. I cleared my voice before asking. "Do you have any books on...magic?"

She looked at me, raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. She was this middle aged women. Seemed she worked here for ages but also grown tired over the years. "I don't recommend getting into the funny voodoo hoodoo crap." She groaned. 

Bishop stepped in front of me. "It's for a dumb school project. We're actually arguing against it."

She gestured her head to the back behind her. "Back there. You can find a lot of stuff on witchcraft. Black magic. All that."

"Thank you," Bishop said.

We made our way towards the back. I started feeling anxious and part of me wanted to go back. I feel like we were about to find out something we didn't want to. We browsed around and saw many books on magic, black magic, witches. I stuck out my hand and dragged them against the books as I walked by. Without looking, my hand started to tingle. I stopped walking and looked where my hand was. It was on a book called, "Before Us"

I took it out and on the cover was a creature with horns and it was made of fire. It looked like a demon. This was the book. I didn't have to read the back to make sure. I felt it. "This is it." I opened it to skim through it but it wasn't in English. It was in a different language. A language I've never seen before. However, oddly enough...I understood it. 

"What language is this?" I asked Bishop.

"It's Arabic," she said. "You understand it?"

"I never learned it but for some reason I understand it," I told her. 

She took the book and looked through the pages. "I understand it too. This just keeps getting weirder and weirder."

"Look!" I pointed to a page with weird hand sings on them. It was a page full of sayings. Almost like spells. There was a passage at the type. "Possessor of the rings." I closed the book.

This was the one. The book we've been looking for. 

***

After checking out the book, Bishop put it in her bag and we headed towards the door. When I saw the sunlight again I forgot that we were on Earth for a second. The library had been so dim. So dead. Like the town sort of. 

Bishop took a deep breath. "I'm so glad that's over with. I'm starving. There's a bar across the street. Want to get some wings?" She asked me.

"We aren't old en-" 

"The guy there likes me," she smiled. "let's go get some crappy food."

I was a bit hungry. We walked across the street the a place called Hoppers. A decent sized bar with lots of Corona Beer stickers on the window. We walked in. Two teenage girls who looked lost and stressed out. Some guy with a huge beard and bald head smiled our way. "Bishop! Good to see you girl. Grab a seat anywhere."

Just like the library their were less than 7 people there. We picked a seat in the back by the darts and radio. We sat down in two plastic chairs separated by a sticky wooden table. Bearded dude walked over two our table and put two beers in a glass cup on the table. "A friend? Wow. You mean you're talking to people other than me?" He said.

Bishop laughed. "This is Helena, my new friend. She's staying with me a while. Can we get some of the barbecue wings? We're starving. Long day and we got a long walk back."

"Hello Helena," he shook my hands. "We're outta barbecue but how about some buffalo wings? Daniel's back there and he makes them pretty damn good. What do you say?"

Bishop held up her cup. "Sounds good to me!"

"Sit tight ladies," he walked away.

I looked around. Feeling so homesick in a way. The place smelled like cigs and beer. I've never been in a bar but it smelt like home. So familiar. The only thing missing was my mother and boy did I miss her. Bishop tapped my hand, taking me away from my sad, sad thoughts. 

"Hey," she gave me a reassuring smile. "Cheers! We're a step closer to finding your mom, okay?" She said.

It was like she read my mind. I smiled at her. "Cheers."