Bookstore

"Mommy, what happened to her face?"

Thana's ears pricked at the innocent yet intrusive question, spoken by a young boy whose curiosity had escaped his tiny lips. He tugged persistently at his mother's coat, his impatience bubbling over as they waited in line at the town's most sought-after coffee spot.

The boy's restless pulling earned him a sharp hiss from his mother. Snapping her attention to her son, she scolded him in a whisper meant to sting. But when she finally turned to see the subject of his inquiry, he locked eyes with Thana, who was already glaring in their direction with her expression soured. She yanked her son closer to her side as though shielding him from something dangerous.

"Michael, don't you ever say things like that," she admonished, her voice rising just enough to invite unwanted attention. "That's what happens to naughty, disobedient children. They defy their parents, and look nothing good comes of it. Such a shame."

Of all the responses Thana had braced herself for, this one caught her entirely off guard. She shifted her piercing glare from the boy to his mother, the woman's venomous words fueling a quiet storm of anger. Thana knew her type. She is one of those gossiping busybodies from the neighboring streets who delighted in scandal and whispers.

And, of course, she knew Thana, or rather, she knew of Thana's father.

The woman's loud remark had already drawn a few curious glances from others in line. Thana, biting back the bitter retort that rose to her lips, forced herself to remain still. Any reaction would only give the woman what she wanted: an excuse to turn her life into the latest topic of conversation. Besides, the boy had only asked out of curiosity. She couldn't fault him for what he didn't understand.

So, with a deep breath, Thana swallowed her anger and stood firm, the quiet strength in her restraint far more powerful than any words she could have spoken.

Out of all the responses Thana could think of, she never expected a mother to comment on her looks that way. She must admit, the mother almost had her in the start, making her think like she's one of the good ones that understand.

But she forgot that almost everyone in this neighborhood is trash.

Again, she's holding herself back. She doesn't like violence because then it'll only make her become much like her mother. Thana also feels that she'll simply be wasting her time if she chooses to speak back. Even if the child started it all with his curiosity, it isn't his fault.

She wouldn't want to scare the child.

Thana snatches her takeout coffee from the counter and steps away from the long queue. As she moves, a few people turn, their mouths slightly agape, but she ignores them. It happens every day, nothing new.

Stepping outside, the crisp morning air brushes against her face, sending strands of her neck-length brunette hair dancing across her cheeks. She takes a sip of her coffee, the warmth seeping through her veins, shaking off the weight of the morning's stress.

If anyone else lived her life, they'd probably throw themselves off a bridge. Lucky for them, Thana was there to keep them from the edge, to pull them back before misery swallowed them whole. She bore the burden instead because she had won the race.

"How very kind of me," she mutters under her breath.

Her gaze flickers to the storefronts she passes. Some are just opening, while others are already luring in their first customers. She's walked this marketplace for two years now. It's a routine. A habit. A temporary solace. No matter how overwhelming things get, a quiet walk through the familiar streets is always enough to help her breathe again.

The neighborhood isn't exactly welcoming. It's teeming with entitled, self-absorbed, and downright aggressive people. The only redeeming quality? The coffee. It's damn good. It is enough to allow one to forget about how cruel the world is toward people who are out of place. 

As Thana continues walking, a strange unease twists in her gut. Her steps falter as she comes across a bookstore she's never noticed before. Nestled in a brick building, the shop has a vintage, almost forgotten air about it. She recognizes the building itself, she's walked past it countless times, but the bookstore? It looks new. 

No matter how hard she tries to recall what used to occupy this space, her memory draws a blank. But one thing is certain: that shop wasn't here before. Something about it feels off. Unsettling even. 

Thana has never been one for reading. The sight of plain black text covering endless white pages bores her. She craves color, vibrancy and perhaps that's why she took up painting in her spare time.

And yet, for reasons beyond her understanding, she feels inexplicably drawn to this place. Before she realizes it, her feet carry her toward the wooden door. Curiosity pulls at her as she peeks past the dusty window and the precarious stacks of books inside. Beyond them, there's nothing but more books and a single desk.

Thana isn't sure what compels her, but before she knows it, her fingers are already wrapped around the doorknob. She hesitates only for a moment before twisting it slightly. The door groans in protest, its rusty hinges letting out a long, creaking sound as she steps inside. A wave of warmth greets her, carrying the scent of aged wood, vanilla, and dust.

Near the entrance, stacks of unopened boxes are piled haphazardly, making her wonder if the shop has only recently opened. That would explain why she's never noticed it before. Sipping her coffee, she moves further into the narrow space, her footsteps swallowed by the thick silence.

It's eerily quiet, so much so that the only sound she hears is the rhythmic ticking of a clock. Testing whether anyone else is present, she calls out, her voice tinged with playful cynicism, "Hello? Who owns this dusty, dead excuse for a bookstore, or is it a library, or whatever you call this place?"

There hadn't even been a sign outside. How did the owner expect customers to find this place? Then again, considering the people in this neighborhood, it's not like anyone would be in the right state of mind to sit down and read. They were too busy running their mouths non-stop.

Before she can dwell on the thought, a sudden movement startles her. A figure stumbles into view, knocking over a stack of books that crash onto the floor. Thana jolts, her heart slamming against her ribs. The man before her is old, grey-haired, and utterly clumsy as he struggles to regain his balance.

"Wait, you… you're…" Thana gasps, pressing a hand to her chest, her breath coming in quick, startled bursts as if she had just sprinted across the street.

She never forgets a face. Ever.

Certain of what she saw, she blurts out, "You're the man who helped me earlier. You brought my purse back to me."

The older man peers at her through thick-rimmed glasses, his expression unreadable. Then, with a crooked smile, he replies in the same unmistakable voice, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Thana nearly chokes in disbelief, hurriedly taking a sip of her coffee to soothe her suddenly dry throat. She shakes her head. "You're not fooling me, old man. You found my purse when I dropped it while you were jogging. Don't you remember?"

The man simply blinks.

Thana groans, rubbing her temple. "Alright, fine. I'm sorry for snapping at you. I mistook you for someone I was trying to avoid."

"You could at least try to sound sincere," the old man chuckles at her half-hearted apology.

Thana rolls her eyes and scoffs. "Take it or leave it."

His chuckle deepens, amusement glinting in his eyes. "You, young lady, are surprisingly rude for someone who already has a cup of coffee in hand."

Thana exhales dramatically, glancing around the shop. "One cup of coffee isn't nearly enough to get me through how awful this day has already been."

"Now, what can I do for you?" the old man asked, his voice laced with strange eagerness. "You came into this tacky shop, so something must have piqued your interest."

"Not at all. I think I'm just about to leave," Thana shot back with attitude, but the thought kept nagging at her.

She could have sworn the man had gone the opposite direction when she entered. If he had followed her, she would've noticed. Where had he come from? And why was he denying he was the one who helped her earlier? Nothing added up.

"Wait!" The man's voice called out before she could make her way to the door. Thana looked at the pitiful figure standing in front of her, his glasses glinting in the low light, and snorted at the book he held out toward her.

"Spare me a few minutes to introduce you to this book," he said excitedly, his eyes wide with enthusiasm. "You're the first person to come here today, and you'll be the first to know about the book I'm working on."

Thana let out a bitter laugh, crossing her arms. "I don't know why I came here, and do you honestly think I'm going to sit and listen to you read me some fairytale? What am I, a child?"

"Oh, but it's no ordinary fairytale," the man responded, his smile deepening. "In fact, it's not a fairytale at all."

He turned the book around to reveal its cover. It depicted a tall tower, with a princess gazing out over the horizon. Thana couldn't quite explain it, but something about the image drew her in. She didn't even notice when she found herself walking toward the chair and sitting down, her hands suddenly empty.

The man poured her a cup of tea, but Thana quickly waved it away. "I'm not interested," she said, her tone firm. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but the tea felt too intimate somehow, like a trap.

The man didn't seem offended. Instead, he gave a knowing smile and set the teapot aside, reaching for a glass of water. "Right, you prefer coffee. Water, then? Coffee will leave you dehydrated, you'll need water to flush it all out."

Thana rolls her eyes but accepts the water without much thought, her fingers curling around the cool glass. Something in the back of her mind nagged at her, but she couldn't place it. She absentmindedly took a sip. Maybe she was more parched than she thought.

As she stared at the book cover, she muttered, "The girl on the cover… she looks awfully familiar."

"Does she?" The man grinned, his eyes gleaming behind his thick glasses. "The title is The Princess of the Tower. It's a story I've yet to finish, and I tend to base my books on real-life experiences. I was hoping you could help me with that."

Unbelievably, Thana nodded, but the more she thought about it, the stranger seemed to agree. The man continued, urging her to drink more of the water, and she complied without thinking.

"The six kingdoms of this world," he started, his voice dropping to a whisper, "they exist in an alternate universe. The princess of the tower comes from Creupias. Her name is Adel—"

Thana blinked, shaking off the fatigue that was starting to settle in. She interrupted, her voice slurred as she tried to focus. "W-what did you say her name was?"

Before the old man could reply, she stopped him again, her voice rising with alarm. "Wait, what did you put in my drink, old man?!"

"Calm down, young lady," he replied coolly, though the slight smirk on his lips didn't match his words.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Thana shouted, her face flushing with heat. She stood up, but the world around her spun. It felt as though she were being thrown off balance, as if she were on a roller coaster. She tried to steady herself by gripping the table, but it only made the dizziness worse. Stars swirled around her vision.

The man sighed, his voice strangely calm amidst the chaos. "Thana."

Thana's heart skipped a beat, her body suddenly going cold. "W-How do you know my name?" she stammered, her vision blurring. "You old—geezer. I knew something was wrong with you!" She tried to point at him, but everything felt unreal.

"Do you know what your name means?" the man asked, his voice soft, almost too soft.

Thana collapsed back into her chair, overwhelmed by the sensation of her world closing in. She pounded the table weakly, her voice hoarse. "What?"

"It means death, dear," he said, his smile wide, unsettling. "Sweet dreams."

Her vision spun, and her head fell forward onto the table, her energy draining. Almost blacking out, she whispered weakly intended for the old man.

The man leaned closer, his breath cold on her ear. "What was that?"

Thana's lips barely moved as she spoke, her words slurred and broken. "You're a piece of—"

And then, everything went still. Thana was gone.