The Twelve Chimes of Maligna Manor

Family History

Ben was actually a little surprised that the library was even open. The ones in Hull had rarely stayed open past five o'clock and had, more recently, been closed more often than not.

This made Ben all the more excited to see the lights through the windows and the sign that had been placed outside the open door.

"The Charm of Horror only tempts the strong," it read, "Come find true Halloween scares in our horror section."

"See Sara," Said Ben, "True Halloween Scares."

"Yippee," sighed Sara.

Ben gave her a smile safe in the knowledge that she was going in with him. It wasn't quite enough to calm his anxiety, but it helped.

It wasn't just anxiety about what had happened with Tia Maggie. That was present, but now that Ben was once again out of doors, it was the shadow of the Manor that he found to be of most concern.

There was a persistent dread within Ben that felt oddly intangible. He could not have said exactly what it was that he feared. He just felt that he was in danger. That the manor had its eyes on him. Waiting. For what? Well, that was why he was here. If anywhere had any information about the house it would be the local library.

Knowledge was power as they said. Often it felt like the only power Ben might ever have.

She would never admit it, but Ben could tell that Sara was impressed As they walked through the door. Ben was certainly not going to blame her. He had rarely managed to get to the libraries in Hull but on his few visits, he had quickly recognised their pattern. They were large nondescript spaces with grey carpets, white walls and metal shelves barely taller than he was. Ben was certainly not expecting more from this small village library, mainly due to the brutalised front he had seen on the street, but he could not have been more wrong.

It was the sort of Library that Ben had always imagined but never seen. As far as the eye could see there were bookshelves three metres high built of red mahogany. These shelves all branched out from a central point like the spokes of a wheel and Ben could see that the library continued upwards for another three floors finally topped off with a huge glass dome that illuminated the room with a warm orange glow. Dotted along the rows of shelves were small reading tables with little green reading lambs and comfy-looking armchairs.

In the far corner of this ground floor, Ben saw what must be a children's section. There, the wood panel of the walls was replaced with a mural which showed various fantastical scenes of knights, dragons and tower-bound princesses.

In the centre of it all was the main desk. It was rounded with an inner space where a librarian presumably sat. The desk was covered in books and newspapers scattered about in an appealing chaos. There were a number of hefty tomes next to rubber stamps covered in drying ink. If there was a computer anywhere, Ben couldn't see it.

"Is there anyone actually here?" Asked Sara.

That was the question. Ben had not been expecting massive crowds, but it genuinely seemed like he and his sister were the only ones there. The library did seem to be a rabbit warren with all its many shelves, so it wasn't unbelievable that there were other people hidden among them.

Normally this sort of thing might make Ben anxious, but he felt strangely calm in this place.

They made their way to the Information Desk, and Ben gave a quick scan to see if he could find a bell or another means of getting attention.

Ben didn't find anything, but he did notice something strange in the central area of the desk. Near the far side was a tall piece of wood that stood about 6ft upwards with a padded bar at the top.