A Weary Vampire

Chapter 19

Okay, the library wasn't that neglected after all. But it wasn't in the best shape from outside. There were regulars from the hostel and even outside that made the library a living, breathing space, an emotion in itself.

Now there's two types of book sniffers that I know of. There's one obsessed with the new books, the smell of fresh ink and paper. Plus points if it's still warm out of the printing press kind of people. I agree with them, that's a whole different world of swirling emotions. But I'm more of an old book sniffer.

I don't know if there's a better of the two kinds at all. I think it's all a matter of personal preferences. In the old books, I find

the calming tones

the soothing smells of the earth

They're musty

Almost an earthy tone for some

The smells of smiles and tears and joy and laughter.

Of coffee and vanilla,

Nonsensical banter.

They smell like years gone past

A time

bound in glue and cardboard

They smell like browns

Browns, greens, yellows and blacks

The pages turned cream

And the colour of haystacks

It smells like a library

Of the time wayback.

I...I don't know where this poem came from, but it is kind of cute, I must say. And the library was a great place to fulfill all my obsessions of sniffing old books, because all it does have, even today, is mostly really really old books. Human and vampire literature, something you wouldn't find easily at all outside. And in today's time, not at all. Over all these years, I read through so many of the books there, and sniffed an even larger amount of them, yet I still can't say I've finished reading all the books in just this one library. They never end. The knowledge they provide me, and the hunger I keep for them never extinguishes.

And it's fun this way, if I'm being honest. What's the point if you already know what's there to know? If you are all knowledgeable? There's no point to living without hunger, a passion to pursue some kind of knowledge in life.

Anyway, recently the library decided to bring in some more, and newer books, and I'm not hating it. Ink and paper are sometimes refreshing to smell, especially all you've been sniffing is old books for centuries in the same library.

Don't get me wrong, I love our library, but I've been here over SO many centuries. I just had to go explore what other libraries offered! How different and similar were they to our little library, the one I still wouldn't exchange for ANY library in the world. Well, because I've made memories here. I've learnt my first vampire history lessons here, geography lessons here. I've been at royal courts I could have never seen in my lifetimes, met queens and princes, kings and maids. I've met dragons and unicorns, garden fairies and xyz. It has basically been THE most memorable place I had spent so many years of my life. I would never abandon it.

But you gotta explore, exploring is fun. So I did. And I found fun little places, and modern pieces of art and architecture. Rooms full of books, and then cafes where you could order books with your coffee. It was like going on a first date with a book, almost. You barely get to know each other, but need to come back for more.

Does that how it feel to be in love?

Because I think books are the only thing in this long of a life of mine that are worth loving.