A demon girl

I slowly lifted my gaze to get a better look at him. Oh my God, is he even human? He looked like a Greek god come to life. My eyes widened as I took in his features: sharp, drawn eyes that seemed to pierce through me, a long and chiseled nose, thick lips that curved into a smirk, and a well-built body that exuded strength. His broad neck only added to the imposing presence he had.

He caught me staring and smirked, his voice dripping with a mixture of amusement and something darker. "You were cursing loudly, girl."

I quickly looked down, unsure of what to do next. This guy had already caught me off guard, and I had no idea what his intentions were. But more importantly, what was he doing here?

"I… I bumped into the almirah," I said, trying to sound casual, though my heart was racing. "And then all the books just fell on me."

As I spoke, I subtly tried to hide the mysterious book inside my jacket. I couldn't let him see it, especially not after how strangely he was acting.

"Oh, really?" he said, frowning slightly as he glanced at the almirah. His expression was skeptical, like he didn't fully believe me. "I see. I think they forgot to close the glass, and that's why all the books fell down," he added, his tone suggesting he wasn't buying my story.

This guy wasn't going to be easily fooled.

He looked at me and smiled, but there was something unsettling about it. I tried to stay calm and nodded, pretending to agree with him. I bent down to pick up two books, carefully placing them back on the shelf, all the while feeling his gaze boring into me. He wasn't just looking—he was studying me, like he was trying to figure something out.

Suddenly, he knelt down beside me, picking up books and helping me put them back. His closeness made me even more nervous. I shot him a sideways glance and hesitated before asking, "Wh-what are you doing here?"

His voice was hoarse when he responded, "I came here to take my thing."

My heart skipped a beat. His thing? Here? What could he possibly be looking for in this secluded part of the library?

I paused, my hand hovering over a book as I turned to face him fully. "What thing?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, though I tried to sound confident.

He turned his head to meet my gaze, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made me shiver. "I'm looking for a demon girl," he said, his voice low and deliberate, each word hanging in the air between us.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to decipher the meaning behind his cryptic words. His gaze was unnerving, and the way he was still staring at me made my skin crawl. What did he mean by "demon girl"? My mind raced with questions, but I tried to keep my expression neutral.

"What did you mean by that?" I asked, trying to sound calm even though I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.

He smirked again, as if he hadn't said anything unusual. "Sorry for the inconvenience. Actually, I'm here for some books. Suddenly, I heard a sound, so I came to see what it was."

I rolled my eyes, not entirely believing his explanation. Whatever his real intentions were, I didn't want to stick around to find out. I needed to get out of here as soon as possible.

"So, what's your name?" he asked, his voice casual as if we were just having a normal conversation.

I closed the glass door of the almirah and looked at him, trying to mask my unease. "Thank you for your help, Mr.…?" I left the sentence hanging, intentionally avoiding giving him my name.

I turned to leave, hoping he would take the hint. But as I walked away, his voice rang out again. "I asked your name, girl."

I paused but didn't turn around. "I don't talk to strangers," I replied curtly, keeping my back to him.

Without waiting for a response, I started walking again, determined to put as much distance between us as possible. But something strange began to happen. An unknown force seemed to be pulling at me, compelling me to turn back. My heart whispered a warning, but curiosity got the better of me. Slowly, I turned around, my breath catching in my throat.

He was gone.

I stopped dead in my tracks, confusion and fear swirling inside me. How could he have disappeared so quickly? He was just there a moment ago. My pulse quickened as I took a step backward, scanning the room for any sign of him.

Just as I was about to dismiss it as my imagination, I saw something that made my blood run cold. A dark, shadowy figure was standing in front of me, where the man had been moments before. But this wasn't a man—it was something else entirely. The figure had no discernible face, just a mass of swirling black smoke that seemed to pour from its body. The air around it felt heavy, oppressive, as if the very atmosphere was bending to its will.

My breath caught in my throat, my heart pounding as I clutched the mysterious book tightly to my chest. I didn't have time to process what had just happened; I only knew I needed to get out of there. Fast.

I bolted from the darkened corner of the library, the eerie encounter replaying in my mind like a nightmare. My feet moved on instinct, barely touching the ground as I sprinted down the narrow aisle. The dim light flickered ominously, casting long, distorted shadows on the walls. My breath came in ragged gasps, my pulse thundering in my ears.

Suddenly, I collided with something solid. The impact sent me sprawling to the floor, and I realized I had crashed into Milli. She was groaning, rubbing her forehead where we had collided.

"Ahh," she moaned, wincing in pain.

I scrambled to my feet, my thoughts still scattered. I glanced back over my shoulder, half-expecting to see that shadowy figure creeping up behind me. But there was nothing—just the empty, dusty shelves and the unsettling silence of the library.

What was that thing? Was it real, or was my mind playing tricks on me? The questions buzzed in my head, but Milli's groaning pulled me back to reality.

"Erin, my head…," Milli muttered, still lying on the floor.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," I said hurriedly, extending my hand to help her up. My hands were trembling, the book still clutched tightly in my grip.

"You didn't see me? How could you not? You were calling my name," Milli said, looking at me with a confused expression.

"What? Why would I call you?" I replied, frowning in confusion.

"You were asking for my help," Milli insisted, her eyes narrowing as she tried to make sense of the situation.

A chill ran down my spine. I hadn't called out to her. I knew I hadn't. But the way she was looking at me, so certain of what she had heard—it didn't make any sense. My heart raced faster, the pieces of the puzzle not fitting together.

I looked down at the book in my hands. My fingers dug into the cover, as if it could somehow anchor me to reality.

The weight of it was heavy, almost unbearable, as if the book itself carried the burden of something dark and dangerous.

"Erin, Erin," Milli's voice shook me out of my daze as she shrugged my shoulder.

"I found the book," I whispered, my voice barely steady.

Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Where? Let me see it!" She grabbed my hand, almost bouncing with anticipation.

"But... did you see anyone behind me while I was running?" I asked, my voice tinged with unease.

Milli's excitement faltered as she frowned, shaking her head. "Why?"

"For a second, I thought someone was following me," I admitted, my heart still racing.

"Erin, don't scare me like that," Milli said, her hand instinctively reaching for the amulet around her neck. I touched my own amulet, the small piece of metal feeling strangely warm against my skin.

"Sorry, let's just focus," I said as we found an empty table. We both sat down, and I carefully pulled the book out from under my jacket.

Milli's eyes widened in shock. "Jesus, save us," she whispered, starting to murmur a verse under her breath.

"Hey, cover it," she urged, quickly handing me a piece of black cloth. I wrapped the book in it, the material swallowing the sinister presence the book seemed to radiate.

"What are you going to do now?" Milli asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I just want to read it," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt. But something kept gnawing at me, a question I couldn't shake.

"Milli," I looked up at her, my voice dropping to a whisper. "Have you ever seen anyone come in or out of that area in the library?"