Chapter 6- Libraries and Research

In one aspect, yes, I believe in ghosts, but we create them. We haunt ourselves."

― Laurie Halse Anderson, Wintergirls

I spent a large part of my day inside my head. The scratch marks haunting my mental space, following me everywhere I go. Out if the corner of my eye I saw a slight movement of shadows, each movement made me anxious and looking over my shoulder was a constant habit. I could tell it drove my friends crazy but I wasn't ready to share the details with them.

I felt like a zombie and I'm sure I looked like one. My uniform had crinkles in it, my hair was so frizzy that I stuffed it into a beanie, my nonexistent make up skills showed as I didn't even try to cover up my acne or the swells underneath my eyes. Once the bell rang I didn't even bother going to the lunch room or outside. I wasn't hungry I haven't eaten or wanted to eat since the previous nights.

My ankle was slightly better, I wasn't limping as much but my behaviour lasted for much longer than I expected. I had nightmares after the hospital incident but I never remembered them, I just woke up in a cold sweat everyday for the past three days. It was excruciating and hard to so I had forgone sleep on the fourth night. My sluggish movements a reflection of that.

Dragging my feet, I walked into the library, it was a large place the shelves were really high like you needed a ladder to reach most of the books, but I liked it it was empty. The silence gave me room to think, I went to the far corner and sat there trying to complete my work when a stack of books clashed in front of me.

Nathan sat down beside me gauging my appearance without a filter, I could see the worry behind his steely eyes but I didn't care, I didn't acknowledge his presence but focused on the shadow that was moving on it on the far corner. It had menacing horn and pointy finger, the kind that could draw blood at any given contact. Nathan continued to look at me without saying anything, looking over his shoulder he threw a book in front of me.

It had a rusty scent, it wasn't from the library I could tell that much. The cover was red and looked li,e it once had intricate designs it would have been beautiful a few decades ago. At the bottom was what I assume was the title

Demonology and introduction to demons that roamed the earth

Looking up I narrowed my eyes at him. But he wasn't looking at me instead, his eyes were, where my eyes were previously. The shadow dissipating slowly as if Nathan's eye contact repulsed the creature. Nathan made no comment about the encounter but proceeded to toss another book in front of me. It was a jotter with his handwriting, his writing was beautiful if that was possible every curve of each letter was detailed. My face was still blank as I glanced through it, there were pictures of the demons that I saw at the graveyard but they were more detailed each stroke of the pencil lead against the paper, gave me an uneasy feeling. He captured their eyes the sorrowful abyss good too good at sense of dread filled me up.

I felt my face pale as I traced its details with my index finger, I flipped the pages each drawing more depressing and scary but I didn't say anything. He left tiny footnotes at the bottom of each.

'This one is controlled by external communications. Who is calling them and why?'

I finally forced a fake smile before pulling the Demonology book open. "Let's get this started.", I said tugging at the sleeves of my jacket. The book smelt like death, not the scent of a decaying body but rather death itself. The pages were yellow and the transcript hard to read at first glance, dragging my fingers against the words, I picked up on a few recurring words.

Death

Curse

The one that commands

Wrath of the gods

Fallen Angels.

Sucking a breath in I flipped the heavy book for Fallen Angels, there was never a full article on them. Nathan was too engrossed in the book he was reading to notice my frantic search. I found a page that had been ripped out, quite violently the edges a little sharp. I decided to do more research.

"Nathan, what do you know about Fallen Angels?", I asked gauging his reaction. He visibly flinched before facing me his face void of any emotion.

"There's no such thing.", he said looking me in the eye. He said it with more conviction that I knew something was wrong. I hummed in agreement and didn't speak of it. There was no point is angering a listed off lion.

We spent most of our lunchtime in the library not saying anything, but reading. It was peaceful before I heard footsteps coming closer to me. Nathan made a small sound of annoyance before a palm slammed itself against the table. Looking up I saw a very pissed Xavier and Xena in front of me. His eyes were blazing and a vein popped off in his neck.

"Quinn, where the hell have you been? You've had us worried?", Xavier said still watching Nathan who couldn't care less.

"I've been here, in a library you know reading. I believe that what they are used for.", I said irritation seeping into my voice. The shadow at the corner coming out of hiding. Instinctively I started playing with my finger, I felt the hairs in the back of my neck.

"I know damn well what libraries are used for Quinn, no need for sarcasm. My question is What. Are. You. Doing. Here. With him of all people!", his voice raising a couple of notches. Where was the librarian when you needed her?

Nathan looked up his eyes dead, he looked Xavier square in the eye, none of them were backing down. Xena wasn't paying attention to them but started watching me as if expecting something. Then I felt a heavy blanket settle on me, it was hard to breathe, dark spots clouded my vision. I looked at the boys they were still starting at each other. Amber vs Grey.

The shadows were coming out more, they seemed to be laughing. I didn't understand what was going on, Xena seemed to understand before, her eyes held worry in them. She moved towards me as I began leaning to the side.

"Hey, idiots look at Quinn!", Xena yelled her voice hurt my ears. I tried to cover my ears but they wouldn't move. Everything happened so quickly, Nathan and Xavier turned towards me as I fell towards Nathan, he caught me and my scar burned even more. Xavier ran towards me and my back hurt way more, it  burned even more. Tears streamed down my eyes. The pain was too much.

Then I blacked out.

Big thank you to tayxwriter for supporting the black writer community. I hope this chapter is great. I'll try to write more frequently but school work is getting a bit strenuous. Please vote and comment what you would like to see. Why did Xena wait till Quinn was in pain before alerting the other? And more importantly why did she even get that way?

Chapter 7- Demon Doctors