Black Flame

Chapter 20: The Library

"So why exactly do you need me to bring you to the library?" Bill asked, the Tiger who had started ahead now trailing behind Alex who had sped up ahead, eager to reach the library building.

"I just need to see something..." Alex replied, not looking back at Bill or slowing down, Bill struggling to keep pace without running. "It's really important..." The last sentence spoken so quietly that Bill couldn't hear it.

The pair continued to walk, passing by groups of students who shot glances at the visibly hastened Human and his Tiger companion, most giving them a wide berth and keeping their distance as they walked past. Bill thought he caught a few murmured words directed at Alex, but couldn't make out what they were saying.

Finally, after taking a turn around the main school building, Alex spotted what he assumed to be the library. The building was four stories tall and built out of the same materials as the main building, the exterior resembling it closely in appearance.

"Well this is it," Bill commented, stepping up beside Alex, the Human staring at the building with an expression of stoic determination. "I've spent a lot of time here trying to study. The place is awful."

Alex didn't reply to Bill's comment, only approaching the front steps before walking up them to the front doors, swinging them open, and stepping inside. Through the front door was a small room with a desk in the middle, with two pairs of doors on either side of it, both of which were locked wide open. Sitting at the desk was an elderly female Crow, dressed in a frilly blue dress, with a book in one wing and a styrofoam cup in the other. Periodically she would look away from her book to take a sip from the cup, then focus once more on her book.

The pair approached the desk, Bill taking the lead and greeting the Crow. Looking up from her book, the Crow gave them a simple nod before silently gesturing to the doors to her right with her head.

"Come on," Bill said to Alex, who simply nodded in response as they stepped into the room beyond the doorway.

Immediately Alex was hit by an immense feeling of awe as got his first sight of the library's interior. The room was simply massive, consisting of all four floors with a large opening in the center which stretched upwards to the bottom of the building's roof, granting Alex a view of the three levels above. Around the room were rows and rows of bookshelves stretching as far as Alex could see, the shelves themselves lined with many different colored volumes, with every couple of shelves being plastered with a large plaque-like title listing the genre.

In the center of the opening were several tables, with large dangling lights illuminating them from above. On every second table was an old computer tower and monitor, something which Alex failed to recognize, but assumed to be small televisions. Up against opposite sides of the room were two wooden staircases that spiraled up through the next three floors, which were similarly packed with bookshelves.

"So where's the history section?" Alex inquired, turning to Bill in an almost frantic fashion.

Bill shrugged, looking curious as to why Alex seemed so interested in the library, "I don't know, man. Why are you so interested in this place anyway? If you want to look something up we can just use my phone."

"No. I need books," Alex said as he shook his head, before rushing off into the labyrinth of bookshelves, Bill shaking his head before following him.

Alex traveled from section to section, reading the genres of the books on display before quickly searching the entire floor. Frustrated he turned around and walked right past Bill, who was starting to feel a bit anxious at the prospect of missing the day's Drama Club practice.

"What are you looking for?" Bill inquired, Alex, started to climb one of the staircases before stopping to answer the Tiger's question.

"History section. This library has one, yes?" Alex asked, visibly irritated at being stopped by Bill.