Meeting my Maker

Chapter 2

The sun feels great today, it's not too hot for me. It's not really that cold out either for the wind to give me chills. I wonder how many others at my school like the hot weather, I know some don't but I'm not too sure. I think about the weather and what I'll do today before school tomorrow. Maybe I can go to the beach? Though it's not fun going alone. Movie theater? No. Well, maybe, it's more fun with friends but it gives me something to do to pass the time. I open my eyes and leave the corner and walk back to the library, the librarian greets me with a smile. Books are one of my passions, though I prefer writing them more. I guess that's the only reason why I'm the vice president of the literature club at my school, I'm an active writer and a bookworm.

I remember heading straight to the young adult section of the library, there's lots of books I love that are there. Most that I read are fantasy or romance, whenever I write it's in the genre of slice of life, so I avoid reading soo much in that section. I look through the aisles and many shelves of books, and eventually find a new book on display. I believe it was for a romance novel? Maybe it was mixed with some fantasy elements, I can't remember the exact details though.

"Is there anything in particular you're looking for miss?" a librarian asks.

"Oh, um, I was looking at this book right here. Is it new?" Skye asks.

"Yes, it was published only a week ago. This library is one of the first to get a copy of it, you can check it out if you'd like" she says.

"If it's new isn't there a limit on the number of copies you have?" Skye asks.

"Unfortunately yes, we have less than 5 currently. But that's not an issue, it hasn't caught the eyes of many others yet. So if you're a quick reader you could check it out today" she tells her.

"Oh, thank you. I'll just read it here and turn it back in when I'm done" Skye replies.

"Are you a student near this area?" she asks. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to assume your age, it's just you look so young I thought you might be a student."

"I am, I go to an international high school here" Skye tells her.

"That's pretty neat, one of my kids wants to attend that school later in life. I hope you enjoy the book" she says and leaves.

That librarian sure was nice, do I really look that young? I'm only 19 I think, she makes it sound like I look closer to 16. On second thought maybe 17, I looked terrible at 16. I think she was actually resisting the urge to say how cute I was, I could tell she wanted to say more but didn't. I pick the new book off the shelf and walk around the library, I eventually find a quiet corner to read in. I sit down on the soft leather chair and start reading.

The book is pretty interesting right from the start, there's this young boy and girl who are siblings in the real world. Some strange force later pulls them through a doorway and they disappear into a fantasy world, full of monsters and fairies, or elves I'm not sure. I can't really tell the difference, but the story is interesting. As I read more of the book the siblings get separated, the girl finds herself in the care of a small village, and the boy finds himself taken in by a group of warriors. Eventually though the girl falls in love with one of the men in the village, and her heart is convinced to have her stay there. Her brother comes to get her eventually, but seeing and hearing she won't leave with him, he's forced to leave her and return home. To be honest it's more of a tragic romance story, well, if the sister were to be taken away from her lover that is.

My phone lays on my thigh as I read, the screen flashes on as I get a text from a classmate. Apparently Seberina wants to hang out again, I text her saying that maybe we can do something together closer to the evening. It's not that I'm busy or anything today, but this book has grabbed my attention. Her texts distracted me so the screen turns off before I could check the time, later when I do I see it's close to 2:00pm. Have I really been reading here for this long?

"Well I guess it's time to go back home" I say with a sigh.

I stand up from the soft chair and walk back to the front counter of the library. I set the book down and thank the librarian, then I leave the library. As I walk outside down the sidewalk I consider coming back here after school someday to finish the book, the story is starting to grow on me. The path from my home to here is pretty simple, I just walk down the road to the bus stop then turn right and come straight down into the city. Later on I just take a left and come straight towards this spot, the library, café, and post office all in the same general area.

I walk back up to the last turn I made on my way here, heading right around the corner. Up ahead on the other side of the street, maybe in an alley? I think I saw the flash from the sun reflecting off a pair of glasses, or maybe a camera lens. My stomach starts to feel unsettled as I think someone was watching me. Am I really being stalked? A part of me is urging my body to move to the police station, but the other convinces me to ignore it. Or at least to be cautious as I pass the alley, despite being across the road from it.

Most stalkers I hear about in the news as my parents watch are male, creeping jerks who prey on students and other women. I guess over time that built up my apathy towards men, that sort of forces me to like other girls instead? Well, maybe not force me, but it only leaves that as an option aside from being single, which I'm happily single currently. Anyways as I'm thinking this I pass by the alley where I saw the reflection, I turn my head and glance into the alley quickly. But I don't see anyone there, not a shadow, silhouette, or anything that could give me a hint that someone was there. A few moments later I hear the screech of tires as a car quickly leaves behind the alley, that only deepens the bad feeling in my body.

"I hate today" I say as I fall onto the couch at home. "I should have stayed inside after my parents left for work."