Mr. Linden's Library

Chapter 2

Robert’s Point of View

I regarded her curiously as she made her way through the congested school yard and ran home. She never even tried to make friends,  she shunned everyone.  On the first day of the school, many people had tried to befriend her but after a month they had given up.  No one had ever told me her reasons, or her story behind her actions and I was curious.  I turned my head back to Alexandra and started to run.   I tried as hard as I could to keep up to her, but fell behind after a while. 

“Maybe she should try out for the track team,” I said to nobody in particular, panting and leaning against a nearby tree.

I looked around at my surrounding setting and I stopped in my tracks  when I realized we were going in the opposite direction of her house.  She had run straight into town.  I jeked my head around and spotted her.  I watched as she slowed down and made her way cautiously across the street.  Alexandra-Mae walked steadily into the library in front of her.    The man who owned the library was mysterious.  Even though he was one of us, he still spooked me. He always stared at you with his piercing eyes, with a hint of wonder.   I followed her casually in and instantly made myself discreet, taking  a book from one of the nearest shelves of books and sheltering myself behind it. 

Alexandra-Mae’s Point of View

I walked into town, which was surprisingly not very busy and crossed the street.  My mother had advised me to not go to Mr. Linden’s Library for no apparent reason, but disobeying her out of interest I went in anyway, wanting desperately for something to read.  I walked in vigilantly.  I walked to the nearest shelf.   I prodded and searched through the many shelves, getting more and more frustrated the minute, because of not finding a novel to read.  A few minutes passed and the bell on the door chimed.  I looked up, instantly regretting it.  In walked an extremely gorgeous boy with long golden hair, massive emerald eyes that shone when the sun reflected on them, and high cheekbones.  I blushed a deep crimson that stood out hideously against my fair and pale skin.  I turned around automatically and searched through the books.   I took a quick glance sover to the enigmatic boy every couple minutes, curious about him.    He was somewhat hiding behind a book, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.”  I looked back to my shelf and my eyes settled on the book with a solid black cover, with petal blue lettering.  It was called “Calling Softly.” The cover immediately called out to me willing me to open the first page.  It was perfect.

“Excuse me ma’am,” a deep accented voice interrupted, bringing me out of my trance.  His piercing black eyes stared at me steadily startling me.

“Miss, I am warning you to not read that book, it is tempting, yes?” he said after an excruciating moment.

“Umm…yes,” I replied warily, aware that all eyes were glued to me.

“Explain your feelings.” He ordered sternly but not unkindly.

“well,” I started off, “it is practically calling out to me, just wanting me to open the first page and start reading, it is glowing in my mind, so mysterious and magical. So tempting.”

“Hmm, thought so...” he said shaking his head, “she must be the one,” he muttered under his breath.

Robert’s Point of View

She explained her temptation to Mr. Linden and worry ignited in my head.   She was to never find that book, and definitely not to be tempted to it.  He muttered under his breath, something along the lines of worry. 

"She must be the one…” my head shot up, my eyes glaring at the library owner, he should have never said that!  Hopefully if she opened the book her dad, Abbadon, didn’t come back. He had caused a tragic uproar in my home world, Orlandras.  He had destroyed any love or bond between her and himself.  She had been almost 12 at the time and her imagination had been ruined and shattered into tiny miniscule pieces.  After what her dad had done to her, she had gone into shock and  had been rushed to the hospital, not knowing as she was oblivious to everything at the time.  She had lost her memory of her 11 year old life and forgot entirely everything except a single conversation with her mother, which was abnormal for her kind. Now her father was who knows where destroying someone else’s life!

That awful man had first killed my father and had went on to destroy his daughters trust and love bonds and imagination.  He was an evil man, who got his fix of meanness by ruining lives, it was sick.   She would never be able to see her father again, yet ever trust someone!

That was why everyone was trying to hide Alexandra’s past from her, Alexandra wasn’t supposed to know about it, everyone was trying to hide it away, pushing the negative parts back into shadowed corners.  I turned my gaze over to her; she wore a confused and vivid expression which froze into my mind.  Suddenly, my feet jumped up and carried me past Alexandra-Mae, out the door so swiftly and I was suddenly knocking on Monsieur Calabarie's door, a mystifying Frenchman.

I never should have come here, never should have agreed to become Alexandra’s watcher, never followed through with this occupation!

The door opened slightly and the long shadowy figure of Monsieur Calabarie shook my thoughts.  I abruptly stepped forward, words about my story babbling out of my mouth, not stopping until I was completely out of breath!

Panting and waiting expectantly for an answer from the tall man.  He was staring into the sky thinking long and hard.  This quiet and cold man  has been my entitled god watcher since my father had passed away.  I had gotten used to his cold presence over time, and now even enjoyed the loud silence.  He ushered me out of the freezing cold weather and inside his familiar house which was as loaming and bitter as he was.

He looked me over and I empathized my point by frantically waving my arm in front of his face repeatedly.  He obviously didn’t appreciate since he gave me a long, hard scowl, before continuing to ponder.  He finally spoke up, leaving me bewildered at his stern statement.