The Library

Why the heck are you nervous? Don't be a freak show, Morrigan thought to herself. She didn't have the greatest self-talk. Her mother always told her to look on the bright side, to see the positive in people and to take things with a grain of salt. She usually ended up giving those people the finger.

What gives? He's just some lame boy who thinks I can rock his world with some spells. She already decided that she wouldn't be doing any spells for him, at least not that night. He'd have to earn it. But the thought of meeting him still excited her. Most boys she knew at school wouldn't even give her a second glance anymore. It wasn't because she wasn't pretty, but she had basically told each and every one of them to go to hell. Whoops.

So she spent thirty minutes picking an outfit and another fifteen on her make-up and hair. She wanted to slap herself up the side of the head for becoming such a prude. Still, she looked fab and that's what mattered. First impressions were important.

Converse shoes?

Check.

Black skinny jeans?

Check.

A skimpy black tank?

Check.

Blue and purple plaid shirt?

Check.

She ran her fingers over her amethyst ring and lightly touched her pendant; a comforting habit she developed. She grabbed her backpack and was almost out her bedroom room door when she stopped and turned back to collect a small black satin sack, tied with a red ribbon, from her drawer. Although she promised herself she wouldn't do any spells for artist-boy, she thought it wouldn't hurt to bring a few things with her, maybe show off a little, for her own sake.

It's all about how they see you, am I right? She closed her hazel eyes and chanted "clour lliw trwy a thrwy a thrwy eu tro i las" and when she opened her eyes they were as crystal blue as the cleanest ocean reef. She took her hand, waved it back down the center of her hair at her roots and said "du" and her roots darkened to black to match the ends of her hair.

She was finally ready. Now, if only she could blink and be at the library instead of having to take the bus. She sighed. All in due course, she assured herself, all in due course.

The library was practically empty. There were a few internet users and a mother on her phone while her children played with blocks nearby. North Beach library was one of the city's smaller branches, all on one floor. It was easy enough to spot Jonas, he sat in the corner of a study corral surrounded by books. He kept holding the front of his black hair to keep it from falling into his face while he studied the words on the page.

He was so engrossed in his book, he didn't notice Morrigan walk in and start browsing the new book section displayed on a square glass tower in the center of the main floor. But she had noticed him. She pretended not to. But he was just as cute as she remembered. He carried a desperate intensity and fear wafted through his aura. It made her want to plug her nose. She scanned the titles the librarians had chosen as 'Staff Picks' and scoffed. Romantic drivel and espionage garbage. What a waste of brainpower.

She made her way around the nonfiction stacks and snuck up on Jonas from behind. She thought she heard him mumbling under his breath. She peeked over his shoulder to glance at the book that had him so engrossed.

"Mermaids?"

"Whoa!" Jonas jolted and turned around, lifting his hands up off the table, letting them hover in the air. The few people at the computers who heard him call out glanced up to take a look but were quickly drawn back to their screens.

"It's not a hold-up, relax."

Jonas set his hands back down on the table, then lifted them both back up and ran them through his hair to get it out of his face and look at Morrigan.

She didn't wait for an invitation; she smiled and sat down coolly in the seat right next to him, palmed her face and rested her chin on her hand. "So, you like girls with tails?" She teased. "How can I possibly compete with that?"

"Heh, well not really. Ah, it's a long story... Moonlight?"

"The one and only." She gleamed, her purple lips widening as she held his gaze. Jonas thought he actually saw her eyes sparkle.

"Does she know Leena?" Tom asked. He was still jogging around on bent legs hoping Jonas would get to his request.

"I doubt it," Jonas said reflexively.

"Oh? And you're so perfect?" Moonlight responded, got up to leave.

"Oh no, no wait. I wasn't talking to you, I.." Jonas seemed unsure of how to end his sentence. His words hung in the air like the last note riffed on a guitar.

Morrigan was confused for a mere second before she clued in, this was iseedeadpeople she was talking to. She looked around, didn't see anything herself so she sent out her feelers. She could detect a spiritual presence, but it was a power she rarely called on. She knew how annoying ghosts stuck in limbo could be.

When her magic took hold, she saw a smoky mist form around a ghost jogger. It stuck to him as he ran past her, like a wraith. She didn't see him as Jonas saw him, in full flesh.

"Listen, I don't really know how to explain this but..." Jonas started.

"You've got a creeper," Morrigan stated.

"Dead people sort of, wait, a what?"

"A creeper. Yeah, a dead guy. Look at him go!" Morrigan laughed as the wraith jogged past her again. She couldn't see him in complete detail, but she could tell it was a tall male. "How long has he been with you?"

"Uh, this one? Since this morning."

"This one? How many are there?" Her eyes darted around the library but didn't see any others.

"No others, usually just one at a time, but sometimes two a day, maybe three. If I get lucky, none at all for a few days. But this one... well he's been here a while, I think maybe it's cause I talked to him?"

"Huh, yeah maybe."

Jonas sat and stared at Morrigan who giggled at his guest. "Aren't you freaked out by this at all," Jonas smiled and asked, "how can you see him?"

"Oh, just something I picked up a while back, and no, believe me, this does not freak me out. You'll know when I'm freaked out."

They sat in awkward silence for a few moments until Jonas stuck out his hand to her in late greeting. "I'm Jonas by the way, nice to meet you," and his relief at meeting someone who actually saw what he saw overcame him. "I'm really glad you're here, you have no idea what it's been like for me. My whole life, to see these people, to see and not know, I just don't even know what to say."

"Don't worry about it, Jonas," Morrigan laughed, "I'm glad to help. Things are going to get an awful lot clearer for you, real soon."