Depthless: Under The Library

Chapter Thirteen// Stella

Stella's POV

The corner shop is possibly the tiniest cave of the lot, and for now, I count about twenty. David says there are more shops, selling other stuff, on different floors. In this particular cave, an old woman in her sixties smiles kindly as David and I approach. She puts down the bundle of cloth in her arms and gets to her feet.

David rushes to her side, and takes her gently to the very back of the cave and rests her on the rocking chair. "Ahhh... my David. Thank you. How nice to see you!" The woman beams, revealing stunning white teeth. Her eyes sparkle with kindness, making her look youthful and bright, even though she has wrinkles on her forehead and the corners of her eyes crinkle when she smiles.

"Stella, this is my granny. Gran, this is Stella--- newest member of Group Nine." David introduces us. David has a grandmother living here? Somehow, this fascinates me. I study her harder. Her hair, though greying, cascades softly around her padded cheeks. When she smiles, the glint of playfulness in her eyes is almost similar to David's.

David's gran beams at me and takes my hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Stella. Always a pleasure to me when David brings another young face to see me. So little friends he has, the poor young thing. He's had a tough past... had to deal with so much... hardly mingles! He needs new friends in his life..." The old lady rocks herself to and fro, muttering to no one in particular.

David shifts awkwardly. "Uh... yeah. So, Gran, mind if I take Stella on a tour of the shop?" David asks. When he speaks to his granny, he uses a soothing gentle voice I had heard before, when he was comforting me earlier on.

Granny Davis gazes tenderly into her grandson's face. "Of course, dear." She murmurs softly, and resumes her sewing, all the while humming a strange unknown tune.

I smile. From what I know, David did have very few friends. He'd lost his parents, which makes him even more lonely, and in need of full loving support. His gran is the only family he has, and I'm glad for him. They treat each other with so much love, so much gentleness and tenderness, like they only have each other in this world, which they probably do. I feel thrilled for the both of them.

If only I had a loving family to go home to each day...

"Come on, Starre!" David touches my shoulder. "Let's go check things out!" He said enthusiastically.

Suddenly, it dawned upon me that I may not have a blood-relationship family back home, wherever that is. I have a new life. A new beginning, right here under the cover of the library. The librarians, and all the people here are my friends, my new family.

I shouldn't grieve for the family I never had. Instead, I had to embrace this new family, so willing to take me in and make me as part of them. I should count my blessings, about how much kindness other people show me here.

I've given up my old life. Now, I'm starting afresh. A new page, a new chapter in life. I need not mourn for my old life back, because as sure as hell, I won't get it back all tied up like a parcel in pink ribbon. Instead, I have to let myself be welcomed into this fresh home.

I smile up at David, laughing as he excitedly pours over the many new stock of the cave shops like a child on Christmas Eve. Yup, definitely enjoying it.

For the first time since I set foot in this place, I relax. I fully let myself into this new world, with its new lives and charming etiquette, the peace, the order.

Yuup, I think, a smile playing on my lips, I definitely could get used to this---

As if defying my thoughts, something in the air shifted. A wave of nauseated fear washed through the crowd gathered to do their daily shopping. For, a moment ago, there was a peaceful buzzing as people went about their shopping. All traces of peace vanished the moment the first scream pierced through the air like a sharp blade slicing into the depths of murky waters...

*****

I run, run with the stampede of people, towards where a large crowd gathered. David orders me to stay behind the commotion, running towards the front of the crowd.

Being stuck at the back of the crowd only served to agitate me. What ever had happened? Why wasn't I allowed to see for myself? Further unease brew up inside me like a miniature tornado, until finally, I'm overcome by sheer curiosity and dread. Definitely dread. I simply had to see what was going on.

Pushing past the crowd was slow business. Here and there, I caught a few strangled gasps, tormented whispers as the people shifted to take a closer look. The air around me seemed to scream out, pulling us closer towards the centre, where everyone was focused on.

Deep inside, I knew I wasn't going to like whatever I would see. That didn't stop me though. Like a madwoman, I continue shoving my way to the front of the crowd...

Ending up at the very edge of a roped-off huge chasm opening up into a large, dark pit. I found the source of the scream. Standing to one side of the chasm opening was Skye, looking more hysterical than I'd ever known her to be. Her eyes looks petrified, wide with absolute terror. Her mouth wobbles as if she couldn't decide whether to scream again or break down into a sob. Her honey coloured hair is sticking up all over her face, as if she'd just spent the last hour sticking her fingers into electric sockets. Her red shirt is all bunched up and messy, and her face glistens suspiciously with tears.

"What's wrong?" I shout, making towards Skye. I had only known her for a few minutes, much less talked to her, but I felt a special kind of protectiveness towards this frail girl whom they call the naughty librarian. Somehow, like with Kale, I sense a certain connection with her, but less stronger compared to Kale.

I took one step closer towards Skye, whom I'd started to consider as family. All of a sudden, a pair of arms grabbed my from behind and pulled me away from the chasm. I was too shocked to speak.

"I told you not to come here." David hisses in my ear, looking wild with irritation. "Stand back." After making sure I was alright, David went straight towards Skye, who had finally broken down in sobs.

"It's... it's Nikolay!" She managed to stammer out between sobs. I feel my heart twist into a pang for her. I'd only known her for so long, I'd saw with my own eyes what had happened between those two earlier on. Whatever was going on... I sense that Skye cared for Nikolay more than she'd let on.

"What happened?" David demands.

Skye chokes down a sob, and a shudder runs throughout her entire body. "Its... he... he fell down there!" She wails.

My heart stops cold, and I feel my blood freeze up. By down there...

"Niko fell over the chasm!" Skye proclaims hysterically.

In that moment, at the back of my mind, I groggily made a mental note to never, ever, get close to this gigantic pit straight to death. Rule number 101, Stella. Rule 001.

A/N: Uh oh! Plot twisttt!!! AHAAHA!!! ^^ More updates flying your way!

~Tiffany :)