A Page's Fate

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Elliot POV

I yawned as I was shelving on the kids section. It was another slow day at the library although small toddlers were arriving to get to storytime. Parents chatted their way to the play room, many dragging strollers with their little children. I watched as a few toddlers ran by me, racing to get to the room first to get to their seating spots.

Trying to focus on my work, I suddenly felt a tug on the back of my shirt. I turn around to see a little girl with big hazel eyes and blond long hair. She was so adorable that she almost looked like a porcelain doll. She smiled up at me in a shy matter.

"Hey there." I tried to sweet talk to her, "Did you come for storytime?"

She quickly nodded, bobbing her head up and down.

"Umm, where are your parents?" I asked.

She then pointed to a man who was already heading our way. He was tall, clean shaven and had a military looking haircut. He had hazel eyes just like the little girl. I've never seen him before.

"Sweetie! I told you not to run off!" The man picked up the little girl, causing the little girl to giggle, "Sorry about my kid bothering you."

I shake my head, "Oh it's no bother at all." I quickly replied.

The man looked at me and lifted his other hand for me to shake while the other still held his little girl, "I'm Lennox and this little rascal is my kid Annabelle. Say hello Annabelle."

The little girl looked at me and greeted me in a shy voice, Lennox put her down and I shook Lennox's hand, "It's nice to meet you."

"I've heard that the library does storytimes so I decided to bring my kid to check it out." Lennox said as he held his little girl's hand.

"Yes we do, we do it three times a week in the mornings." I replied, "You can even have the library schedule which is located at the front desk, it contains the toddler events such as storytime."

The man smiled, "I shall ask then." Lennox was about to say something else until a very muscular man appeared walking up behind him.

"Yo Lennox, seems you caught up to the lil' rascal." The muscular man said in a heavy british accent. He patted Annabelle's head, his hand huge enough to cover her entire head.

Annabelle giggled and hugged the other man's leg.

The other man had a clear military vibe around him he was even wearing combat boots with camo pants and a black shirt that revealed his large arms. He had a military name tag with a weird face looking symbol. His eyes were bright blue and he had a military haircut.

"Ironhide!" The girl giggle at the military man.

"Ironhide?" I asked, not realizing that I had said it outloud.

Lennox quickly turned to me and replied, "It's a nickname of his. He's a close friend of mine."

Ironhide stared at me, his gaze was almost intimidating. I could swear he was judging me with the expression he had.

Annabelle pulled Lennox's hand, "Come on daddy! Storytime is gonna start!"

Lennox chuckled, "Alright alright sweetheart. Oh! Ironhide, ask the worker about... uhh... the... uhh... the book you're looking for."

Lennox tilted his head towards me in a gesturing motion. Ironhide seemed to have stuttered and tried to argue with Lennox but Lennox had already left with his little girl.

That was weird.

Ironhide looked back at me, still with a stoic intimidating expression. His gaze was making me nervous, he didn't even say anything so I decided to speak.