Immured

It was 7:30 pm in late November. It was dark outside aside from the few cars driving by and the lonely streetlights just next door to the shop leaving the normally dark windows in an ethereal shade one seemed to be able to get lost in if they stared long enough.

This particular night had also been very foggy. The lake in the park across the street peaked in temperature due to the natural thermic heating that ran underneath the lake floor. This was not a typical night for the shop whose light would normally be powered off and doors locked.

Tonight, the store lights were on, and inside the owner of the bookstore waited.

Just outside of the store a black windowless van parks. A group of six people exits the vehicle. Four men and two women start pulling electronic and television equipment out. Two of the men carrying lighter loads than the rest make way towards the store. The rest follow laying down their devices on the floor inside and exit back out to gram more gadgets.

"Jack?"

Said the shop owner in a worrying high toned voice;

"What is all of this? I thought you said you found someone who could help me, not a damn TV crew!"

"Listen, Michael, they can help, they just have to film it for their show." Jack replied optimistically.

"A TV show? I don't want people knowing about this! Do you know what that thing is?" Michael, the shop owner, exclaimed feverously pointing to the back of the store.

At that moment, the other man standing next to Jack cut in.

"Michael, Michael, I completely understand your concern and frustration. Allow me first to introduce myself. My name is Cole Ridgefield. My crew and I can help, we have worked on many paranormal cases like this in the past. I've done a little research on your case and trust me; we've seen stuff like this before. "

"See Michael? These guys are real as fuck! They'll have this whole thing wrapped up in time for us to order Chinese and watch that new Netflix show!" Jack interjected.

Michael looked at both men, and said with a sighed,

"Okay, if you say they can help then I believe they can help." He turned to Cole,

"Thank you for your help Cole, what do you need from me?"

Cole looked around the room then said,

"Show me the bookcase"

The three men gathered around the bookcase while the other two men and one woman set up equipment, the other woman went around the store pasting paper talismans in various locations.

These talismans were made with paper extending to 3 meters long. The paper left trails on the floor all intersecting and intertwining like a giant cobweb that seemed to just get thicker. As more talisman were unrolled the image of a twelve-point star began to reveal itself along the floor.

Michael took quick glimpses at the abnormally long sheets of paper, they had symbols and runes drawn on them in blood-red ink. "I hope this works." He thought to himself.

The longer the men stood by the bookcase the heavier their air around them felt.

Michael saw slight discomfort in Cole's face as they gathered near the case.

"I noticed that you don't really feel the weight when you're intending on finding a book. But once you have any feelings against the case you feel it weighing down on you. "He explained.

"Interesting, now tell me about the books; the ones you said you never stocked. "Cole replied.

Michael continued.