The Protagonists

Chapter Ten - Joel

"Please don't hurt me!" Joel yelled as soon as he and Iris were both back inside the Forbidden Section. Iris was still teary-eyed and her lower lip trembled like a small child. During that small, slight moment, Joel pitied her; during that small, slight moment, Joel only saw the neighbor, Iris, not the murderer, Iris.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Joel," Iris replied, her voice cracking.

As Joel was about to reply, a voice came from the main room of the library, causing the two to flinch. "Calling me a librarian makes me seem old," the voice said; it was a female, maybe somewhere along Joel's age.

"Don't let them back here," Iris whispered to him, backing up into the shadows of the Forbidden Section. Joel nodded quickly, having a paltry feeling that if the female stepped foot in the back room-Iris's room-she would have the same fate as Maya, Iris's deceased cousin. "And take those books back, will you?" Iris motioned him towards the large pile of books by the doorway. "I may be an Intellectual, but I still actually work at this library."

Joel nodded and picked up the eleven, heavy books by the doorway, placing Die Märchen on the top. He stepped out of the back room, nearly dropping the massive pile as he closed the door behind him. A sudden crash echoed throughout the room; it sounded like glass had shattered. Is someone breaking in? Joel thought, beginning to panic. Curiously, he looked over the corner to see not one, but two girls bent down over a shattered phone. "You can, err...talk with your...body movements?" One girl-she had bright, pink hair-questioned.

The other girl-she had long, turquoise hair-stood up and motioned towards Joel. In shock, Joel quickly stood up and backed up, away from the two girls' view. "It's probably just another employee," the pink-haired girl said, seeing Joel's shadow dance along the back wall.

Joel, continuing to back up to avoid being seen, felt his back leg brush up against something soft. Making some sort of screaming-shrieking noise, he fell backwards and the pile of books flew out of his hands, scattering along the floor. He turned around to see what had spooked him so much; it was just a cherry-red rug by one of the calm reading nooks. Joel quickly got back on his knees to pick the books up; he did not want one of the girls seeing him. That would only lure them closer to Iris.

"Are you alright?" He looked up, being met face-to-face with the pink-haired girl. She had a sympathetic smile on her face as she looked between Joel and the pile of books scattered around them. The turquoise-haired girl-the quiet one-remained behind the other girl, her arms folded over her chest. "I'm fine," he replied quietly as the kinder girl helped him pick up.

Joel thanked the pink-haired girl as they both fixed the mess. As they put the books back on the proper shelf-it was quite coincidental that Joel fell right in front of the right bookshelf-Joel couldn't help but stare at how beautiful the girl was; although his mother, Ms. Potter, had told him numerous times to stay away from girls with dyed hair and or piercings, Joel couldn't help but admit that this girl was beautiful. Other than her dyed hair that Ms. Potter would despise, she had round, hazel eyes and full, pink lips. Wanting to look at the other, quiet girl, Joel turned around to see her reading through the first chapter of Die Märchen, mouthing the words. Not knowing if only mouthing the words would cause her to accidentally travel to Cinderella, Joel quickly snatched the book out of her hands.

"W-Where did you get this?" He questioned, almost sure that he had put it away.

The girl, remaining completely silent, just simply pointed to the floor where Joel had been before. The pink-haired girl, after putting the other books back on the shelf, looked between him and the other girl, her friend. "What's wrong?" She asked, her gaze finally resting on Joel.