The Last Library

Chapter 2

It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense. 

~ Mark Twain

Present Day

Amelia's POV

Over the past twelve years I have learned to overcome the death of my parents, of course with the help of my uncle Emanuel. I realised that there was nothing I could do to bring them back, and that keeping a low profile was the best option at the moment. Instead of grieving for them day in and day out, I opted to visit their graves once a month and help Emanuel expand his library. At this point it belonged to me too. 

Emanuel gave me a key some years ago, saying I should carry on the business if he ever left for whatever reason. With the key came great responsibility. I was now additionally responsible for inviting new people to the library while keeping a lookout for government officials. 

It was a breezy day in January when Manuel, my uncle, asked me to recruit some new library members. I had done it for the first time about two years ago, and now knew where to look. 

Usually people owning books stayed in their apartments most days, but when they went out they would generally take their books with them, in fear of them being taken in the random apartment checks the police orchestrated. Some people also went to dark alleys to read, since it was so dirty back there no dignified policeman would dare to enter the narrow street. 

Homelessness had skyrocketed after the "big burnings". Some smaller fires were still being held monthly but the majority of books had been burnt during the first big fires. I made it a point to visit my parents on the days of the further burnings. 

People possessing books were to be automatically evicted if the number of books exceeded 5. If they owned less, the books were to be simply taken away from them, and their apartments searched. 

The people who were evicted tended to take a couple of their favourite books with them, so that their eviction wasn't all for nothing. It was these people that we liked to invite to the library community, seeing as their passion for books would be close to or equal to ours. 

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As I was walking along the familiar neighbourhood I peeked into the alleyways inconspicuously, looking for signs of people hiding or reading. 

I heard some shuffling in the third alleyway I peeked into, and decided to investigate. I walked further into the dimly lit alley. As I arrived at its back, I saw the scared faces of a mother and child who were obviously trying to hide something. 

I smiled at them, "I mean no harm." 

I approached them and sat down against the dirty wall. It wasn't as if I wasn't used to it, I lived in the sewers, after all. Emanuel and I had converted some of the other parts of the sewer into rather comfortable living quarters. Manuel and I shared a private room but there was also a public space with mattresses for evicted individuals. 

Manuel and I had spent the majority of my pre-teenage years sanitising the sewer and making it have a lighter atmosphere.  

I pulled out my small handbook of 1984. Their eyes widen but they seemed to relax immediately, realising that I was one of them. I whispered to them, "do you want to preserve your books and explore others?"

"Yes," the mother replied quickly. I smiled, loving to see someone so passionate about books. 

"Do you have a place to stay?" 

The mother shook her head sadly. "I know a place, here, come with me," I told them, standing up and reaching out my hand the the both of them. 

We walked briskly for a while until we reached the sewer. I looked around before ushering them inside. It was warmer in the sewer because the walls were relatively isolated. 

I led them to the make-shift library and introduced them to Emanuel. He welcomed them and saw they had brought some books which made him even happier to accept them into the community. Feeling as though I had done enough for the day I retreated to my quarters and went to sleep after washing myself. 

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Approx. 700 Words

Not edited!

I finally got around to making another part. Whooohoo!!

Hope you enjoy, and don't be afraid to give me some constructive feedback. 

- Merida