Taint, Time and Tangents✔️

≑ Chapter Five

  ∞ 5 ∞ 

CALLIE

With heavy, slow steps, I trod my way through a dim hallway, heading for the dining area. Through the tiny opening on the door ahead, excited voices mixed with chorus of whispers were bouncing on the four walls of the hall. My eyes darted on a lone painting of a woman next to an old round table. Her blonde curls were apparent under a feathery hat with her pink lips pouting. Green eyes which were staring nowhere seemed to suddenly look at me and follow every movement of my body.

With that and only a couple of gloomy bulbs open, the hall was already very eerie. I would have run if I was in a normal state but fear failed to overcome the dullness in my heart. Too consumed with grief, I couldn't entertain any other emotions.

After what felt like an hour, I finally stepped over the narrow doorway and brightness immediately flooded my eyes. The previously loud room suddenly went still, enthusiastic voices turned to hushes. With my adjusting eyes, I roamed my gaze around the room and saw plenty of the girls huddled together.

Thank god, at least now, I was sure that I was not the only tenant of this dormitory.

... But something was definitely wrong.

They were staring at me, their expressions a mix of surprise, awe and disappointment. I could even swear that one girl was looking at my direction with distaste.

It was disturbing but I just brushed it off and looked for Mommy Wil. She was often sitting here, polishing her nails or sometimes reading one of her worn-out romance books.

But today, she was nowhere in sight. Her booth was empty with only a couple of crumpled candy wrappers placed beside her colorful vase.

Disgruntled, I turned away and ignoring the looks given at me, I went over to the studying area adjacent to the dining room. It was deserted except for one stocky girl who was eating a bar of chocolate while scribbling roughly on her notebook.

Having no other choice, I walked towards her seat and pulled one chair beside her, careful not to  hit any of the books littered around her table.

When she looked up, she jumped after recognizing my face. Her eyes automatically combed each of my arms until they focused on my left wrist. 

I didn't need to follow her eyes. I know it was the bracelet again.

I chuckled inside my head. How come I'm not surprised at all?

Discreetly, I hid my arm behind my back as I sat next to her. "Hi! Um,do you--- Is there any place where I can somewhat, uh, search for something... I mean, any place where I could find books or.. anything?"

Her eyebrows cocked upwards, a strange expression on her face, "Do you mean, a library?"

"Ah, yes, it is!" Stupid me. Humans were calling it a 'library'. Why didn't I remember? 

She frowned at me. "Don't you have a laptop? It's so much easier surfing the net.  Almost everything is practically there."

Surfing the net? What was the connection of books to the ocean?

She shrugged after awhile. "But if you still insist, there's a library on the west side of this town. You have to walk for ten minutes or so."

She began to tell me instructions and I tried really hard to register them on my mind.