The Secret Librarian Society

Chapter 1

"I waited for you, and you never came." The voice echoed through Ana's head on repeat. From the moment they had gotten the call that dreadful Friday night till now, it was all she thought about. The thoughts tormented her. Why? When? How? Who? The question that prevailed her most was 'who'. Carson was her big brother. He was a star athlete, a bookworm at heart, and loved by everyone. Who could want to hurt him, let alone be the reason he laid in an oak casket? The makeup artist from the morgue did a great job to cover the cuts on his face, but the rest of his body was still lacerated in them.

He laid there in his best suit. The one he wore when he accepted his diploma from college last week. Golden brown hair was styled to the side and bright, brown eyes closed forever. The only thing that laid in his casket beside him was a short story that he used to read all the time. There were points where he was able to quote it directly depending on the situation. Normally, the very thought of his quotes irked Ana to the core. Now, she would have given anything in the world if it meant hearing him talk about it one more time.

"Ana." The name perked the girl's attention away from her brother. Tanya, her best friend, walked up to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should sit down for a minute. You haven't left his side since the wake started."

"But he needs me right now," Ana argued quietly. Her voice choked as the words tumbled out of her mouth. Tanya frowned in response. Desperate dark eyes glanced back at the casket as honey brown hair gleamed against the lights as her head moved.

"I know, but how helpful are you gonna be if you are tired from all the standing. C'mon, we want to talk to you for a bit."

"Then come up here."

"Ana, come on." Tanya gently tugged at her best friend's arm. Ana gritted her teeth as she relented and let herself be pulled away. She was taken to the other side of the room where her group of friends sat. Every person they passed on the way over stared at them. The whispers that followed clung to her shoulders. The tension built up in her chest as she was dragged down to a seat in between Tanya and Corbin. Sympathetic smiles glared at her as she sat in silence.

"Alright," Jordan said, from her spot across from Ana. A despondent stare turned to bright honey eyes. "Spill it. There is a lot in that head, and we might as well hear it while we're here!" Two fingers gently tapped against Ana's forehead. "No use keeping it all in. Bring on the water works."

"Geez, that's a bit too abrasive, don't you think?" Corbin hissed, as his hand went on Ana's shoulder. "She just lost her brother. You can't expect her to just want to talk about it that quick!" Jordan shrugged as she flipped her golden bangs to the side. Corbin's own blue eyes rolled up in disbelief that was only hidden by the glint of his dark-rimmed glasses.

"Better out than in, I always say," Jordan quoted, as she crossed her arms.

"Still..." The comment died in Corbin's throat as his attention turned to Ana. The girl said nothing. Her eyes were glued to the casket behind her. Thoughts swarmed behind her eyes, but none left her mind. The group sat in silence for a long moment. Ana's shoulders sagged under the silence and hand uselessly rubbed at an eye that refused to shed more tears.

"Let's go outside," Ana grumbled, as she got up from her seat. Her friends followed behind their despondent lead. They were led outside where few stood around. Some laughed, others murmured, and a few stared with pointed gestures toward the group. Jordan took Ana's side and glared at anyone that stared for too long. They were like a circus act that was ready to perform by the way people stared in wonder. A gesture that the group did their best to protect the depressed girl from. Ana led them all to a gondola that stood nearby as she ignored the gestures of the people around them. Instead, Ana's eyes turned up to the sunny, clear day. She took in a breath of fresh air and cleared her clogged lungs. There was so much to say, but how to say it? They all took their seats on wooden benches. Tanya rolled her boxed braids between two ebony fingers while Corbin picked the lint off his suit and straightened his glasses. Jordan pulled her barely shoulder length hair back behind her shoulders as they all waited for Ana to say anything. None of them tempted to disturb the silence for fear of more tears being shed. However, the silence was deafening. The awkwardness grew like an earthquake between the four of them until Ana finally spoke.