The Shadow Librarian

‘Cato is out of the library?!’ Morrigan’s mind raced. ‘How could he-? He hates sunlight!’

The rays of the sun poured abundantly through the large stained-glass windows in the hallway, but they bounced off Cato’s dead black hood.

He stood— erect, still, and passively down at Morrigan’s helpless form.

Morrigan could never see his eyes in the infernal darkness she’d always see him in, but in rare instances, when a catch of unfortunate light hit him, she could see it was an excellent silver gleam.

His gaze stung through her, providing her with new vigour. She stood up. Everybody gasps in astonishment, as if her getting up was a miracle of some sort.

‘Ha!’ Stacey observed. ‘Has your boyfriend come to save you?’

‘Aww….’ remarked Jeanette. Morrigan couldn't help but see that the two looked somewhat relieved with Cato’s sudden appearance…..

A still frown was Beatrix’s response. Her azure globes were concentrating…. On Cato.

‘Book. Now.’ he coolly demands. He extends a pristine white glove from within the folds of his black wool coat, beautifully adorned with silver embellishments. Morrigan thought his dress sense was unusual. He never wore anything else other than a hooded long thick wool coat that was black. It could be 30 degrees Celsius outside, and he would be wearing it. INDOORS. With the hood UP.

Beatrix doesn’t let up. She remains with the book. ‘You’ll have to pay for it, should you want it.’

‘Pay? Your ways of reasoning, Miss Dazda….. Fine. Don’t give me the book. With the way you’re holding it like some piece of rubbish, I wonder how your fingers haven’t broken.’

‘Break? H-how? D-don’t try me.’

Beatrix knew that Cato was a sort not to be messed with. There would be times he would say things like that, and it would happen instantly.

This time…. Nothing happened.

Her fingers did not break. She checks quickly and sees that they are still functional. A quiet sigh of relief flows out her cute nose.

She drops the book on the floor and puts the heel of her expensive shiny black ballet pumps on it. ‘Take your book.’

The crowd steps back. Cato doesn’t move. Morrigan steps back, shivering. She wasn’t sure what would happen. Beatrix could suddenly faint, or she could start bleeding from an old wound— a lot of things could happen. The suspense kills her.

‘Come, let’s go to the library…’ Morrigan stutters. She feared she’d be unable to speak, but her new-found strength forces her.

Cato continues his cool stare back at Beatrix, as the two enter a staring match of quiet fury. His silvery glare pierced through hers, but she resisted its power with a form of useless determination.

She was really insane.

When it felt like it would go on forever, Cato suddenly gives out an irritated moan, and turns away from Beatrix.

‘Keep the book if you like it so much. I must collect my volunteer.’

Beatrix reddened.

‘Morrigan! Come!’

Morrigan flew to him. He brushes the dust off her uniform and sorts her dark hair out. ‘There! I have seen you in worse conditions. Are you ready to go now?’

‘Y-yes….’

Cato, holding Morrigan by the shoulder, heads to the door. The crowd separates as they approach, steering away from them as if they were germs. Nobody could withstand Cato’s dark and deadly eeriness; it stood out like a sore and infected thumb. Morrigan found his dark and mysterious aura…. comforting.

‘Hey!! Are you just going to leave your damn book here?!’ Beatrix hurriedly picks it up. ‘Take it!!’

She thrusts it at Morrigan, but Cato, through some sixth sense, catches it with one hand, without turning around or looking at it.

It stuns everybody, even the gorgeous Miss Dazda, who turns white as a sheet.

‘Respect books, Miss Dazda. Unless you want to be eaten by one.’

‘Huh!!?’

‘I can see it happening…. A book. Not very large— will open itself and eat you alive.’

A cold rush of raw and absolute fear descends harshly upon Beatrix, as she sprints off like a rabbit, away from Cato. ‘I don’t want to be eaten by a book!!’ she squeals. ‘Daddy!!!’

Stacey and Jeanette shake a little, before they step back and run away. Not as fast as Beatrix. They make their own goodbyes as they depart.

‘Have fun on your date, Morrigan!’ Jeanette waves.

‘Tell us all about it on Monday!’ Stacey laughs.

Morrigan, surprised by the turn of events, is pushed outside gently by an impatient hand of Cato’s, who leads her onto the path of the library. As they approach the dark, foreboding edifice, Morrigan allows herself to omit another sigh of relief. It’s over.

Half of today’s ordeal is over…

But another is yet to begin. She can’t help but think about it.

Her hard thinking takes up her essential brain functions, causing her to freeze in one place. Cato, who is in a hurry to get away from the overwhelming but magnificent afternoon sunlight, collides into her.

‘Ow!’ Morrigan cries. ‘What happened?’

‘You are happening,’ Cato expresses with an irritated sigh. ‘Do you want to be standing out in this dastardly sun all day, Morrigan?’

He does a quiet moan, and shudders, as if it is freezing. Morrigan knew it was quite warm out, but Cato would behave like this even if it was the hottest day of the year.

‘Get inside, foolish girl. Aren’t you cold?’

‘Ummm…. Not really… It’s really warm out…. And it’s lovely out here.’

The weather was beautiful…. The sun’s rays rested on the droplets of rain, releasing a beautiful rainbow out onto the late afternoon sky. But Cato HATED it.

‘…. You are a complete moron….!’ He frowns.

His insults towards her were not a new thing. Cato had insults for everybody. Even himself. Morrigan usually found it funny, but today, her heart did not allow her to smile.

She enters the library, beholding the beauty of the enchanted domain. The red carpeted floors, the dark mahogany of the wooden shelves, the crisp ash of the stony walls and the dusky, candle lit surroundings….

She had deeply missed this haven…. But her mind today… couldn’t focus on how much she loved it.

Cato slams shut the two large and heavy wooden doors that sealed not only light but protected the library from the ‘polluted’ outside world. Spotting Morrigan standing still as a statue glaring out into the distance, he meets her ochre eyes sharply.

She just stares back at him.

An intent silvery glare from him spells SUPREME DISAPPOINTMENT.

‘What’s going on? Why is he so…. Disappointed? We just got here.’

Morrigan couldn’t be sure what the matter was. She had known him for almost 7 years now, and she couldn’t tell WHAT she was doing to make him unhappy. She opens her mouth to speak, but Datohma steadily walks towards her, his displeasure aflame.

‘What are you doing? Daydreaming?’

‘N-no,’ she expels.

‘Do you want to go home?’

She shakes her head.

‘Morrigan…. Go upstairs and get changed. I expect you down here in 10 minutes— No, five.’

‘Okay….’

But she could not move. Her body felt weak and cold.

She knows why.

She needs to tell him.... something important.

Her mouth opens, but only a squeak comes out. It doesn't make the already impatient Cato happy.

‘What? You’re still here?!’

Morrigan is compelled to move, and she finds her legs running up the stairs to the library’s stockroom.

Though Cato was cynical, stoic, and hard to please, he was a perfect librarian.

And....

He was her only friend. Though she dreamed of him being much more than a friend— but….

Well—she had no idea if he felt the same. And she may never know.

Morrigan feels the sting of some tears interrupt her vision, but she blinks them away before they spill.

Stopping midway up the stairs to look across the main library, the obscure and dense atmosphere of the library warmly welcomes her.

She would welcome it back, but her heart doesn’t allow her.

Today is her last day on Earth.