Falling [completed]

chapter 2

Remmy's job never allowed her to work on Sundays. She took this time to catch up on her studies.

When she first came to work at the school, her job had been in the library, restocking books. It was a quiet and appropriate for her age at the time. She worked there for a few years and came rather close with the only librarian, Aurora.

Aurora had been sad to see her leave, but Remmy made up for it by visiting often. Aurora had long flowing auburn hair and a simple prettiness about her that Remmy admired.

Remmy loved the library. The outside had the appearance of a cathedral, the kind with stained glass and high peaks. When Remmy walked in through the heavy wood doors, the familiar smell caressed her. Everything was old and in return had that smell of old books.

Remmy smiled and stepped to her usual table in the back of the library. She sat down in the ancient wood chair and was about to open her spells book when Aurora appeared.

If she thought walking to library was warm, she was about to be proven wrong.

"What happened to you?" Aurora said calmly.

Remmy sat back in her chair and inwardly sighed. There was no use in denying anything to Aurora. That woman had a built in lie detector made just for her. Remmy's arms were bruised and she had worn a quarter sleeve shirt to cover up the deep purple, but it hadn't hid the bruises well enough.

"I was attacked in the exchange. I was with a friend heading to their house." Remmy said matter-of-factly. "Trust me it won't happen again."

Aurora looked at her and ran fingers threw Remmy's soft hair. They sat in silence for a few minutes and without a word Aurora left.

Aurora was intelligent, and sometimes it came to surface in the oddest ways. She returned with a book in her hand and gently set it in front of Remmy, laying it on a book Remmy was reading for class. Remmy looked at the ancient book and sat very still. The book had a strange cover, it wasn't made of cloth or paper. There was no tittle, nothing to identify what the book might contain. Aurora smiled down on Remmy, with all the gentleness of a mother.

"This book is not one from the library's collection. It is from my own. I am passing it on to you. It contains what you need when you open it."

Remmy stared at her for a moment, then back at the aged book. She gently opened it, as if it would fall apart like ash in her hands. The pages were blank. Remmy looked up to Aurora in confusion. Before Remmy could open her mouth to speak, Aurora placed her hand on the page opposite of the one Remmy's hand still laid on.

"I, Aurora Lendion relinquish ownership and bestow this gift to Remmy Aldon."

Remmy felt a slight tingle of electricity start from the palm of her hand and slowly engulf her body down to the tips of her toes. The hair raised as the wave passed through her body and once consumed, the whole feeling was gone. Aurora pulled a chair out silently next to Remmy and sat down with her hands together in her lap.

"Remmy, you are like a daughter to me. Seeing you evolve over these last years has moved my heart. I want you to be safe and well, but I also want you to live, to experience. This book has been in my possession for far too long. It can be mischievous at times and hard to understand, but the intention and meaning will become clear over time."

Remmy smiled at her with a loving heart. "Thank you. I hope you're not doing this to because of what happened. My body will heal."

"Remmy, I am giving this book to you because it is time for you to have it. I trust you to use this gift appropriately. Only you can utilize its properties, so you must trust the knowledge of its possession to yourself and I solely." Remmy looked down at the book, the once blank pages flowed with writing. Aurora smiled at Remmy's awed face.

"Finish your schoolwork." Aurora stood and walked away in her ghost like movements.

Remmy was still in amazed over the gift. No one had ever given her anything of importance before. She had always worked very hard and earned her way. Aurora didn't have many close friends, certainly none to give a gift like this to. Remmy flipped through the pages one last time before putting the book in her bag. She continued to study for some while and didn't see Aurora for the rest of her visit.