The city was busy as it usually was at night. The weather was a bit chilly and I regretted not taking a coat as I left.
It was too late anyway. I would be late for my night shift at the local library if I went back.
My bag landed on the desk heavily, the metal part of the handle making a clunk sound as it did. I dragged my chair back and took a seat.
The room was very quiet and still a little dark. The windows were open though, so a bit of light streamed through, casting shadows of the shelves and tables on the floor.
After a few minutes of sitting and scrolling through my phone, I decided to get up and walk over to the history section of the library.
There was always a row of books on one of the shelves that was always scattered. And it's not even that they weren’t arranged properly. It was like the books were all taken out and dropped back carelessly, one over the other, some open, sometimes some on the ground. I never spoke about it. I just put them back in order every time.
I got there and sure enough, they were in the same condition as they were every night. I sighed and proceeded to arrange them up.
But something strange happened as I did. As I picked up a book, the entire shelf in front of me began to tremble.
"What the..."
I dropped the book immediately and took a few steps backwards, my own hands shaking. A few books slipped and landed on the floor as the shelf kept shaking.
My heart was pounding in my chest and I began to feel a little dizzy out of fright. My eyes darted all around in a frenzy, expecting something to jump out of somewhere. I'd watched many horror movies so I expected anything to happen.
Move your body.
Just as I moved an inch a book flew out of the scattered pile and landed just at my feet. I froze for a second and then I jumped when the door flew open.
“Hi,” a friend of mine, who came to the library at this time everyday, chirped and sauntered over to a table.
I let out a huge sigh and tried to collect myself.
“Uh…hey,” I said trying to catch my breath. I hadn't realized that I was holding my breath. The shelf had stopped shaking, fortunately.
“You alright?” she asked, as she took her laptop out of her bag and placed it on the table.
“Y–yeah, just a bit tired. And I was just in the middle of…arranging these books,” I said gesturing to the scattered shelf and the books on the floor.
“Okay,” she answered absentmindedly, typing away at her laptop.
I sighed and crouched so I could pick the fallen books. When I thought I was done arranging everything, I turned around and there it was. It sat on the floor ominously, staring back at me. A thick, purple book with a title that was not written in English.
I picked it up carefully and flipped through it. To my surprise, the words within were written in English. At first glance, I thought each page was a letter but soon I got to realise they were diary entries.
Dear diary,
I saw the strange man again today...
Two more people walked through the door. I jolted and looked up immediately. They walked over to take a seat, bringing out some books and dropping them on the table.
It suddenly dawned on me. I'd seen the other books plenty times but I'd never seen the one in my hand before. And of course, it didn't have a place on the shelf.
So how did it get there ?
I walked over to my table, confused and a little bit frightened. Once I got over and took a seat, I opened the book up and started to read.
It seemed like it was written by a young girl. She kept talking about this strange man who keeps haunting her and how he says he's going to kill her some day.
Dear diary,
I just realized that no one else apart from me can see this man. So everyone thinks I'm crazy, while he keeps torturing me.
I just wish someone could see him. Maybe they'll help me.
I flipped until I got to the last page that there were words printed out on.
Dear diary,
He said he's coming today. I'm scared that I'll die. I hear him, he's calling my name.
And that was it.
The hairs at the nape of my neck stood and I felt a chill run down my spine.
I closed the book shut. I didn't know what to do or think.
This night had been weird.
First, the shelves shaking, then the book falling at my feet, then realizing the book didn't belong on the shelf, a diary of a little girl printed out and kept in a book and the book showing up in this library, stories about a strange man that no one could see.
I tried to shake it off. Maybe it was just a story. Maybe, somehow, the title meant, “diary of a scared little girl.”
It was probably just a horror novel…that didn't belong on a shelf it was on, with a title in a strange language I couldn't recognise.
I took in a shaky breath. Suddenly the door of the library opened and a man walked in.
He looked like he was in his thirties. He wore a grey sweater and large faded jeans and he had a blank expression on his face.
I narrowed my eyes at him as he walked straight to one of the shelves like he'd been in here many times before.
I'd never seen him before. Maybe he usually came during the day time.
I sat and waited and finally he emerged with a large, brown book in his hands. He walked quickly, heading straight for the door.
“Hey!” I called out, suddenly getting up to follow him.
He didn't react. He just kept walking like he hadn't heard anything.
“Hey, sir!" Where was he going ? He couldn't just take a book and walk out like that.
The other three people in the library looked up at me strangely and then around the library.
“Uh…are you okay?” one of them asked.
“What? Yes, I'm fine. That guy just took a book and he's walking away without even–”
“What guy?”
The guy had already walked out of the library with the book and the door closed shut with a click that I was sure everyone could hear.
It suddenly dawned on me.
“You didn't see him?”
The shook their heads, staring at me belwildered.
“What the fuck…?” I whispered to myself suddenly remembering the strange book I read, not long ago.
I didn't know what I was thinking. I paused for a second and then before I thought twice about it, I dashed out of the door, running down the street in hopes that I'll find the man.
