Airwalkers

Chapter 15: Ariah

Sargent Sutton insisted that we call him Ben. "Everyone does. At least, the people I know do."

"Um... O-kay. So, ah, Ben. Where exactly are we going?"

We had just gotten off something called a Highway 92, turning right at a little sign advertising a French tutor. Right after that turn, things got sketchy fast. I was seriously wondering if he was only taking us here so he could kill us.

"We're going to a used book store."

We turned right just after a giant, weedy, concrete slab that apparently used to be a building onto a piece of asphalt that was more pothole than road. 

"And why, exactly, are we going there?"

He pulled into a parking space in front of an old strip mall. There were only two stores in use now. A shady-looking exotic pet shop, and a store with a white sign that read, BOOKS. There were two old wardrobes filled with books framing the door, with some old library carts, mostly filled with books, but there was one rack near a pillar filled with CDs and DVDs. I think there may also have been some cassette tapes mixed in as well, but I wasn't sure. 

Ben ignored me and opened the door, which was painted with a black cat wearing glasses reading a book while standing on a pile of books. There were words on the door as well; 'The Crazy Book Lady'.

 Keris and I stepped inside, then immediately stepped back. WOAH. That was a LOT of books. Ben just barged in like he was already acquainted with the clutter.

"BEA!" He yelled. We went a little further into the room. It was a chaotic mess, shelves and books on every available surface, and even on a few not-so-available ones. Keris and I stood there, staring, like we'd just died and gone to used-book heaven, and the book nerds we were at heart shone as bright as the sun in July.

"She should be around here somewhere..." Ben mumbled. Keris and I didn't hear him. We were too busy walking around in a happy daze, the smell from earlier no longer registering in our noses. We quickly figured out where the children's books were (Back wall. There's a HUGE plywood bookcase with books everyone can read stacked three towers deep. Per shelf. AND there are even MORE books on top of the bookcase!!), and the Teen section (Which was another gigantic bookcase on the back wall of the second room, PLUS there were more stacked against the checkout desk by the door.), and the Adult section, which was pretty much everything in between. We were pretty much set for life here, book-wise.

"BEA!!!!" Ben yelled again, and this time, a small lady with messy black hair poked her head in. 

"Dear Lord, Ben!" She hollered at him. "I heard you the first time!"

"Well then, why didn't you answer?" He asked, exasperated.

"I thought you would at least have the decency to let me finish the chapter." The lady (Presumably Bea) huffed. "I just got to the part where Alex is about to crawl into the tunnel and find himself in a life-size version of the game Damien Cray had him play at the beginning of the book!" She whined. "That's my favorite part!" Ben rolled his eyes.

"Haven't you read that book like, eighty times?" 

"It's eighty-FOUR times, thank you very much, and it's my favorite one! Unless you want me to start following you around, reading parts of Vampire Stalker again." Bea threatened. Ben flinched. 

"Oh no. Please no! Not the mushy part!" Bea smiled evilly. 

"I will make you listen to it over, and over, and over, and over, and-" 

"Okay, okay, fine! Next time I'll wait for you to finish the chapter before disturbing you twice."

"Thank you." She nodded at me and Keris. "And who might you two be?" 

Ben's face lit up. "These are Keris Andover and Ariah Quigly, and we'd like your help with something I know you'll enjoy."

I have a confession. 

The bookstore you just read about?

It actually exists. The description was based off my last visit there a few days ago (Photo above). 

On a different note, raise your hand if you've ever read Vampire Stalker by Allison Van Diepan!

(*Counts hands*) Okay, nobody has. Sadly enough, I was expecting that. Well, at least that means I can tell you all about it! And none of you can stop me!! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (Yes, I'm unstable. If you haven't figured it out by now, WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!?!?!?!?)

Vampire Stalker is about this girl named Amy who is desperately in love with a guy who doesn't exist. His name is Alexander Banks, and he is a vampire hunter in a book series called the Otherworld. Then, one day, as she's walking home, somebody attacks her in the park! Another guy saves her, a guy who looks exactly like Alexander, scars and all. Turns out, he really IS Alexander Banks, and he somehow crossed over into her world. But so did a vampire named Vigo, who begins to terrorize her world as he did Alexander's. 

Cool, huh? It's one of my favorites. What are your favorite books?

If you like the story so far,

Comment here👉,

Vote✔,

Or just keep reading📖!

Love Y'all,

                                                               G.