An Eternal Wintre

Chapter 2

Anai sits on the brown couch in the middle of the library. Professor Kol has disappeared into the shelves of books, his scuffling feet silent now. She stares at the ceiling, looking at all the scenes of fairytales portrayed, some flaking from time.

She looks over the pictures, seeing creatures she's seen and many she hasn't. In one scene there is a large beast, a bear of some sort, fighting a knight. The bear seemed too large and muscular to be a regular bear. The word 'shape shifter' comes to mind as she looks at it.

The scene continues as the bear lays dying on the ground, the knight wielding a now bloody sword high above his head in victory. By the dead bear's body she sees a familiar plant sticking up from the ground. The white flower from the atrium was there by the bear.

As the professor comes back, Anai grabs his attention. "Professor," she says, "what plant is that?" She points to the ceiling at the white flower by the bear. The old man looks up, adjusting his glasses to look at it better.

"Well, that would be the luphantias thal plant. It is quite poisonous and is rumored to have killed many men. Shape shifters are said to be immune but I highly doubt that." He adjusts his coat and looks back down at his student. Noticing her pale face he says, "Don't worry my dear, that plant has been extinct for thousands of years." His reassurances don't make her feel any better.

Their lessons end early for the day. She bids her goodbye to the professor but he stops her as she reaches for the doors. "Oh, Anai," he says. She turns to face him. "Would you like to stay back a while with me? I could use your help on something."

"Of course professor." She walks back into the room, the old man leading her deeper into the shelves.

Dust collects over the books on the shelf they stand in front of. Anai looks up at it with the professor. "What do you need professor?" she asks. Pointing a gnarled finger, he picks out a book at the top that doesn't look as dusty as the rest.

"I seem to have placed my favorite book up there and would appreciate it if you could get it for me," he says. She nods and finds the ladder, wheeling it over to the spot where the book sits. She climbs up and grabs it for him.

Back on the ground she hands it to him. The cover had no words or pictures, neither did the spine. "Thank you my dear," he says, looking at the book in his hands. "A friend of mine wrote this book for me and I wouldn't want to lose it. He'd come out of his grave and murder me." With a loud laugh, he smiles at the girl. "Anai, you are a very kind girl." Anai clenches her jaw tightly. Professor Kol notices. "Whether you believe me or not is up to you, but of all the people you meet in your life know that I will be the one to always be honest with you." He thanks her again for the book and walks her to the door. They say their goodbyes again and she leaves.

Anai stands on the outside of the library doors. She stares at the ground, her thoughts on the professor's words. Shaking the professor from her mind, she walks down the hall.

***

Anai decides to skip her daily visit in the atrium and instead goes into town. She changes and puts on simple, wool clothes and a cloak before leaving the castle. She feels guards following her at far distances, but they're hardly unnoticeable.

The sky's cleared up from yesterday's rain, leaving mud in its wake. She splashes in puddles and soon her feet are soaked through and muddy but she barely minds as she walks into the medicine store. The man behind the counter, George, greets her with a cheery smile as always and goes into the back room to get her order.

When Anai awoke all those years back, there was a cup of water and pills on a small plate by her head, a note with it that read take me. She was so young that she didn't see anything wrong with it, so she took them. Why would people who saved her life harm her? As she grows older, she's beginning to wonder to what lengths people will go to to stay safe and sane.