Ink (Book 1 of the Ink Series)

Good riddance

Finally, I made it home. My arms ached from lugging a ton of books across the sand to get there. I tossed them in a pile on the table and snagged a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. I wondered how Dad took the news. He hadn't phoned the house yet, so it was yet to be determined.

No more school. To me it was the easiest way to stay out of everyone's way. They didn't like me and now they would never see me again. It was perfect.

But a small part of me was going to miss the social connection. Being able to be amongst peers and learn was something I deeply enjoyed back home. Back where everyone actually liked me.

I shrugged it off for now. There was no point worrying about something I couldn't change. I squeezed my water bottle open, wandering outside. I had several hours to kill before anybody was home. Now was a great time to do a little sightseeing.

I crossed through the sand, going between the beach houses that hid the boardwalk. The boardwalk was the long strip of stores in Cherry. Everything from clothing stores to auto parts. Just about anything anyone needed was there. I had only been to one of the clothing stores with Nona since I moved here. So I was eager to venture further down and check out the rest of the place.

I passed by three trendy clothing windows. Not even venturing inside. The sign on one store in particular spoke to me. It swayed in the breeze, letting out a low screech with each movement it made as I approached.

Pauwau, I mouthed silently, reading the sign.

A soft melodic breeze sailed across my skin, enveloping my hair as the sun disappeared behind large gray clouds. As my hand touched the door a zap of electricity pricked my fingertips and my hair suddenly felt full of static. I brushed it off. Maybe I had dragged my feet across the sand too much or something.

A tiny little bell rang overhead as I pushed inside. The smell of burning incense filled my nose with a deep earthy scent. I stared at the rows of bookshelves that went from floor to ceiling in the back. It was like one of those old flea markets back home, I thought. I sneezed, inhaling a little too much dust.

There wasn't another single human anywhere in sight. I wondered if maybe it was closed and I had accidentally come in at the wrong time. But it was noon nearly, so I didn't see that being the case.

I walked into the first aisle of bookcases, taking in the extensive book collection. The books all black and old, gold lettering on most. These weren't your normal reads. Ancient was more like it. They were old and cryptic, some not even branded with English lettering on the spines, and it was a bit odd.

I ran a finger along one, blowing away some dust to get a better view of the title. But before I could make it out, a loud creaking behind me gave me a startle. I spun around in a hurry.

"Welcome," a really elderly woman said. Her skin looked like brown leather, her mouth sunken in and her smile revealed why—she had no teeth.

"Thanks." I smiled politely, moving a little further down the aisle. She simply turned to watch me.

"What made you come here?" she asked, pushing one long, knobby finger into a book on the shelf. She was shorter than me. Her fuzzy white hair flowed around her head like an aura, and when she moved she was slow and slightly impish.

"I just moved here. Thought I would check out the stores around here. Sorry if I'm bothering you."

She lifted her arm to my shoulder. An arm full of bracelets chiming and crashing together as she clasped my shoulder. "You're not bothering me. I'm Circe." She swept her arm above her head like an elegant woman at a pageant, a gummy smile spanning her face. She had gentle eyes, I thought to myself.