When Shadows Rise | I

Ch. 8 | Research

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To Talia, stepping inside the library was like diving into a treasure trove. She had always loved libraries ever since she learned how to read and write, but that feeling grew stronger when she moved to America and was given her first library card. Libraries weren't just stores that shelved books and knowledge, it was a place to lose yourself in— a place to draw inspiration from, to find encouragement and comfort, and for sanctuary. It didn't matter what situation one faced, because just sitting inside the library reading a book was a reminder that there were good things in this world. And somehow, that seemed to give life to people's hopes and dreams.

It was difficult for Talia not to slip away from reality when reading the words off the pages of some faded paperback, to close her eyes and jump into one of her many imaginary scenarios of herself in a different time, a different place, she had vicariously lived through. In one scenario, she was a daring, sword-wielding Musketeer, fighting to liberate Paris. Or perhaps she was a painter during the Italian Renaissance, stroking the canvass with a paintbrush in complicated swirls and patterns. Or in one instance, she was a country girl moving to the big city to become a famous singer.

And the one that was bittersweet to think about, was the one about an alternate universe featuring her and her parents. She thought: what if things turned out differently? What if her mother had not been murdered? What if she had not gotten tangled up with some criminal conspiracy group? What if everything could go back to the way things were before it all changed?

Just for one minute, what if she could see her mother's smile? Hear her silvery, sophisticated voice? Feel her warm, dry touch?

More than anything, Talia wished for a button that could turn back time. She had heard many people and read many quotes say about how one should not dwell on the past, that it was useless to say, "What if. . ." since there was nothing that could change the chain of events, but at the same time, it was also difficult not to think about the 'what if' scenarios. Sometimes, fantasy was far more pleasant than what reality offered.

Talia shook her head and combed through book after book she had snagged from the history section. As much as the facts printed in the pages were intriguing like any other textbook covering history, by the time she was finished, she was hiding behind an extended stack of slightly unbalanced textbooks. Few people who were walking by even gave her looks. Talia didn't even know how much time had passed.

She sighed as she yet again placed another book on top of the pile. If this were to continue, the shelves would be empty in no time. Without even sparing a glance at the title, her hand seized another book. She flipped through the pages, murmuring the words as she read sentence per sentence. Before she could conclude that there wasn't any useful information, her eye had caught something of interest.

Talia reverted to the previous page and found what her eyes deemed interesting: the assassination of Korean empress Queen Min- or Empress Myeongseong, committed by Japanese agents in the king's royal headquarters. As much as the details and aftermath of the tragedy engrossed her, she knew it was because there was one particular detail that seemed familiar.

In the second paragraph, it was said that in the Queen's Quarters, the only thing that was out of place was an opened envelope, with its contents being black sand spilled onto the floor. No one knew how or why the envelope came into the possession of the empress, but its origins were not able to be traced, so it was quickly dismissed as nothing more than a simple envelope.