Paige and the Lost Library of Atlantis

Paige and the Lost Library of Atlantis chapter 2

Chapter 2

Paige slowly walked into the main room. Her footsteps echoed in the cavernous space. Calmly as she could, she made her way over to where Billie was dragging a rag along the edge of the bookshelves, leaving a trail in the otherwise undisturbed library dust.

"What was that, what, hey, why are you dusting like that?" stuttered Paige.

"It's more fun this way," Billie smiled, seemingly ignoring her question.

"Billie, I swear, tell me what is going on. I need you to tell me I'm not crazy. I fell through a freaking wall, was attacked by a cleaning obsessed robot, and you appeared out of nowhere with a glowing-"

Billie grabbed her by the arm and whispered into her ear, "shhh! Nothing happened. You fell and hit your head, I didn't save you, everything's fine." Billie stared into her eyes as if trying to convince Paige as much as herself.

Paige returned her stare, "I didn't say that you saved me."

Billie shook as she grabbed Paige's hands. "Oh, oh ok, we're fine, we're probably fine. No need to panic."

Her heart started to race, not in any connection to Billie's apparent panic. Questions formed in her mind, one after another, but she couldn't seem to develop them into words. Something about the way Billie gripped her hands made her brain go all foggy.

A faint, whirring sound began to surround them. It grew louder, fading in and out like a weather siren.

Billie started to hyperventilate. She began to shake her head side to side. "I'm sorry," she said. "This is my first assignment. I shouldn't have let this happen." Paige felt Billie try to pull away from her. "Please, let me go." Billie cried, her eyes wet and shiny.

Holding on tighter to Billie, the whirring sound grew more intense, seeming to create a wind, whipping in a cyclone around them.

"Not until you tell me what's going on!" Paige yelled.

As Paige fought to keep her hold on Billie's hands, the room around them seemed to shimmer. Dissolving into nothingness, it ceased to be. Like a light switch being flipped. Reality on, reality off. Just like that.

Around her was inky darkness. She could see her hands in front of her face, and a haunted-looking Billie standing in front of her.

"Don't let go," whispered Billie.

Paige tightened her grip as the darkness seemed to move. Clouds of ink took on vague forms. Like shadowed monks, dark figures surrounded the girls. Terror overwhelmed her. The shadows grew closer. Great, she was already afraid of the dark. This was going to cost her years of therapy. Paige's racing thoughts were interrupted by disturbed chanting.

The figures chanted in a low tone, almost below the range of the human ear.

"Please, don't, I didn't tell her, she didn't mean to..." Billie started, the defeat in her voice too much to hear.

"Silence!" The group shouted in unison. "You have violated the Treaty of Nothing. You have broken the covenant and shall be dealt with accordingly."

Whether it was bravery or stupidity, she wasn't sure, but Paige had had enough of this. "I don't know who you think you are, or what the hell is going on, but my life has suddenly turned into a fantasy novel. Instead of magic and adventure, all I have gotten is kidnapped, twice! Now, somebody better tell me what the heck-"

"Silence," The group shouted again. "We are The Erasers. We agreed to your terms, Protector of the Realm. We halted the erasure of darkness on light worlds when you agreed to leave the dark worlds to us. We see no further need to honor your Treaty, as you see no need to honor it. You will be erased from the realm."

Erased? Paige didn't like the sound of that. "What the heck does erased mean?"

"Paige, shhh, please," said Billie.

"Please, let Paige go. She doesn't know anything about this. Paige doesn't know... I mean, she doesn't know the rules... Just take me."

"Protector, erased, what" Paige stammered.

"Paige, please, if we get out of this, I promise I'll explain everything. Don't take this the wrong way, but please, shut up." Billie whispered.

"Enough nonsense." The group stated. "As per our protocol, you will be released to say your goodbyes. Make haste, as the Erasers will come for you at sundown."

As suddenly as they took form, the group began to disappear. They seemed to return to nothingness in the inky background. The darkness started to dissipate. Bookshelves and windows slowly faded back into existence. As soon as reality snapped into focus, Paige watched as Billie collapsed to the ground.

Paige knelt on the floor next to her. "Billie, are you ok? What the hell just happened? Are we on drugs?

A small laugh escaped Billie's lips. "Ha. Nope. No drugs. It's a long story. For now, you need to know three things." Billie looked her in the eyes, "Do you trust me?"

Paige took a deep, shaky breath "y... yes".

Billie pulled her close. "One: Everything you saw was real. I promise. Two: Do exactly as I say, and you'll be safe, more or less, and three" Billie leaned in closer to Paige.

Turning her head towards her friend, Paige said, "what do you mean more or less-" she suddenly felt softness on her lips.

Billie was kissing her, right here, in the library, at work, in the middle of a freaking real-life fantasy novel. Or was it horror? She hadn't decided yet. Opening her eyes, she returned the kiss and thought to herself, at least this story has some romance before I'm dead... or erased. Erased! Reluctantly pulling away from Billie's fabulous face, she looked at her friend, friend, were they more than friends now? Not now, Paige, she thought to herself.

"Wait, what-" Paige stammered.

"Dude, we need to go. Now." Billie stood up, brushed off her skirt, and reached a hand to Paige.

"Where are we-"

"I thought you trusted me?

"Yeah, yeah, you're lucky your cute," Paige blurted. "Oh, I can't believe I just said that out loud."

"Mmm yeah, you did, and I will not let you forget it. Now come on, we need to get somewhere safe."

She pulled Paige across the room, towards the women's restroom. A lone patron gave them a dirty stare as Billie pulled a key from her pocket. It was not glowing, but it was definitely the same one from before. She plunged it quickly into the too-small keyhole, turned it to the left and whispered words that sounded to Paige like bells carried on the wind.

The door swung open softly, revealing a sweet green meadow. Sitting in the middle was a cottage. Covered in vines and flowers, it seemed right at home in the surrounding greenery. Billie held her by the hand and stepped into the dream-like scene. Paige let herself be pulled into the doorway. Turning around briefly, only to see trees behind her, she followed Billie toward the cottage.

"We will be safe here. I will explain everything, I promise. Follow me." Billie smiled at her and let go of her hand.

She watched as Billie tugged on the door with both hands, its thick wooden frame groaned, but the door didn't budge. She should help but just stared as Billie put one foot up on the door frame and gave the door another tug. Finally, it creaked open. Turning toward her, Billie held out her hand.

"Come on, let's go inside."

"Ok, but this place better not be made of candy," Paige joked, a bit apprehensive.

"Ha-ha, I'm not a witch. Kind of close, I guess, but I promise I will not eat you." Billie replied and raised her eyebrows at Paige.

"I guess I'll just have to trust you" Paige grabbed Billie's hand, and followed her inside the cottage.