sixty nine

70 5 0
                                    

i walk through a short empty hallway and a pair of doors that lead into the main space. 

natural stone ran through the first floor and stopped at the rope style spiral columns that went around the inside of the library to match the shape of an oval. 

side stairs with metal railing made out of the same natural stone as the floor spiraled up and around the wall for an easier access to the second floor. lots of students went to the second floor for better privacy to, ah, you know.

one large slab of black golden marble gleamed underneath the green lamps like star galaxy stone. and behind the immaculate desk stood a tiny figure of a woman who mustve been a librarian at stark house for decades if not easily half her life. 

the womans pale white skin had developed massive sized wrinkles that drooped down her face.

beaming, i greeted the surly old woman who never smiled or said my name even though i'd been coming to the library every single day. "hey greta." i drop off the latest novel i recently picked out. 

it was kind of slow and i wasn't a fan of the ending.

greta was the only librarian that we had and this two level dome shaped library was her sanctuary and each student and teacher that came inside to study and break her computers came uninvited. 

from here i had a better look at the bright glittering strips of mostly blues and greens that ran throughout the marble table and smiled when i caught sight of the corners that poped and shined with smaller flecks of red and gold.

greta greeted me with a nod like she always did. no happy grin of expressed delight or twinkling eyes of amusement when i narrated the highlights of said book that i just gave back. 

greta didn't seem like the science fiction type but i was in a good mood and i wanted to make conversation. not even gretas ill-tempered attitude could bring me down. 

i was still giddy from coming back from the headmistress  office and what better way to satisfy my need for alone time than being in the library.

greta reminded me of what ms. donovan wold end up looking like when she got to be a certain age except greta was extremely old-fashioned, behind the times conservative, and a miserable old coot who never returned a hello much less acknowledged the people that came into the library as living breathing intellectual beings. 

she took comfort in the solitude and taking care of books was her preferred activity of an evening out. i wasn't all the more better but greta could try a lot harder.

"back again i see." greta complained in a low wispy voice. 

though reasons beyond my understanding greta always remained irritable and in a bad temper when she saw me. maybe it was because when it came to books i could never shut up.

 greta used her metal frame stamp to post the check in date on the inside flap. i had two more days left until it was technically due but i was a fast reader.

"i wanted to see if you had any Crime and Punishment in paperback?" i ask feeling hopeful.

greta discreetly says no by way of a slight turn of her cheek. "not since you last asked me but i suggest you take a look anyway. after all, you never know what you might find in here." 

greta rotates her attention to a metal rolling cart that grouped together a variation of laminated covers of recently past due and previously used titles before they were then cataloged and went back on the shelves.

the open repository was spacious with plenty of comfortable sofas and empty tables to go around. unlike the dining hall, the library had tall windows that brought a soft earthen glow around every inch of space not to mention a beautiful view of the woods.

Wingspan(Paranormal, Young Adult) MAJOR EDITING**Where stories live. Discover now