Shark Girl

Chapter 16: Ancient Library

"We made it!" I cried.

I should really stop shouting I thought. It only attracts the bad guys.

"Finally." breathed Sabrina.

"It seems like it takes longer each time to get someplace." I admitted.

"Do we have to go through the library or can we go around?" Sabrina questioned.

"Well, the chasm walls are pressed against the Ancient Library, so I am guessing through." I observed.

"Things are never easy are they?" Sabrina sighed.

"We may meet an guardian or some bad guys if I have learned anything." I admitted.

"Good thing we have this then." Sabrina said pulling out her sword. "Or do you think a dagger would be better?"

"A sword unless you want to get close to them." I reasoned.

I pulled out a sword from my bag too.

"Ready?" I asked.

Sabrina nodded and we headed in.

We entered swords at the ready.

"Hello?!" called Sabrina. "Anyone there?!"

I shoot a glare at her.

"It would have been better if we sneaked through unnoticed." I hissed.

"Sorry." mouthed Sabrina.

I just shook my head.

Bam!

We jumped.

"Should we check it out?" I mouthed to Sabrina.

Sabrina just looked confused.

"Should we check it out?" I tried again.

She still had that confused look. I gave up on mouthing.

"Should we check it out?" I hissed.

"No. I say we just avoid it. Our job it to fight a monster. Not investigate everything." whispered Sabrina.

"Okay." I agree.

We snuck off in the other direction with that noise maker on our minds.

"I think we are going to get out of here without having to fight." I exclaimed.

Me and my big mouth. I just had to jinx it I thought.

"Hello there." a voice called.

"Swim!" I yelled.

Sabrina and I swimmed as fast as we could.

I wasn't going to take a chance of meeting trouble. I don't care if they are good. I am going to get out of here.

"Wait!" the thing yelled after us.

"Hide behind the shelf." I hissed.

Sabrina and I swimmed behind a bookshelf.

"Wait." called the voice swimming past us.

"We lost him." I breathed.

"Hi there." said a voice behind us.

We turned around and came face to face with a talking scroll. He had eyes and a moving mouth stucked onto a blank scroll.

"How is everything paper waterproof?" I muttered.

"Hello sharknites. What can I do for you?" the scroll asked.

"How do you know what we are?" Sabrina cautiously questioned.

"Well, it is quite obvious from your features." explained the scroll.

"And how would you know that?" I pressed.

"Why?! I know everything. I am an living scroll, so I was able to read all the books in this library. I have been alive for very long time." snapped the scroll.

"So, you know everything?" I asked to clarify.

"Yes, what about that you don't understand?" he complained.

Sabrina and I looked at each other. A silent agreement passed through us.

I grabbed the scroll and covered it's mouth.

"This is kidnapping!" the scroll mumbled.

"Shut up or you get the dagger." I hissed.

He gulped.

"So he's our replacement for Mako? An annoying boy?" Sabrina asked.

"I guess so." I agreed.

"I resent that." he spat.

"Do you want the dagger?" I threatened.

"No." he stammered.

"Look on the bright side." Sabrina reasoned.

"What would that be?" he asked darkly.

"Well you won't be in this library anymore. You will be exploring the ocean and helping us stop evil." Sabrina tried.

"That does sound like a bright side." he rejoiced.

"Don't get overwhelmed." I muttered. "We still have to get you out."

"I know how to get out of here unnoticed. I have been here forever." he admitted.

"Well?" I demanded.

"Don't have to be rude about it." he said.

"Scroll?!" threatened Sabrina.

"Okay, okay." he hastened to say. "Just go down the aisle and bang on the wall three times then push on it. A door will open that will lead you out."

Sabrina and I nodded at each other in agreement. We raced down the hall to the end of the aisle.

Bam!

Bam!

Bam!

I pushed hard on the wall and it started to rumble then slide to the left.

"Hurry." I hissed. "I wasn't exactly quiet."

"No kidding." muttered Sabrina.

We went into the hidden passageway.

"How do we close it scroll?" I demanded.

"Just do the same thing you did to close it." he explained.

"Honestly these people know nothing." he mumbled.

I rolled my eyes.

Bam!

Bam!

Bam!

I pushed once again on the door. Just a heard a voice calling out to us.

"Wait!" the voice called out.

"Hurry up door, please." I said.

The door closed in time and the voice ran right into the wall.

"Now how do you open this thing?" we heard him mutter.

"Come on. Let's get moving." I told them.

I looked down at scroll.

"We just go down the passage and we will come out of the library?" I questioned.

"Yes that is correct." he confirmed.

I looked ahead and sighed.

That seems like a long way ahead I thought.