Unbinding the Demon

The Library

~Five years later~

"Anthro..podermic... bibliopegy" I slowly whispered out loud to myself, while sitting at one of the large wooden tables in the dusty old library's main room. I gently pushed a strand of my long dark chestnut hair behind my ear as my large green eyes intently raced across the pages of an old yellowed manuscript.

It was my first time being in this library. The outer architecture of the large beautiful stone building had been inspired by the Castello di Miramare in Italy, which is why it was named "The Maple Miramare Library." On the inside it was lined with finely carved dark oak and ceder detailing the archways, railings, and stairwells. 

The main room was split into two levels. The lower level had lots of bookcases and a checkout desk. A short spiral staircase led to the upper platform that was more like a balcony, where there was plenty of seating and tables for people to studying at. Large decorative wooden panes outlined the windows on the upper level. They looked out back over a winding stream with small man-made waterfall and a variety of trees that were just starting to change into their autumn colors. There weren't too many other people here at the time, so I practically had the whole upper level to myself.  

I had just transferred to Mount Graybirch, a historical bucolic collage that was hidden away in the middle of a panorama of lofty New England mountains, in a small town called Sycamore Valley. It was my junior year, and I came here not because I had chosen this particular campus, but because I was offered free tuition to compensate for the untimely death of my late Aunt Elowynn. She had been a guidance counselor for the school, and had mysteriously died in a freak accident inside this very library.

I was currently studying for one of my first literature assignments which was to wright a paper on unusual literary practices. I, being the weirdo that I am, chose to write it about the art of binding books in human skin. Yes, it's disturbing, I know. But, I had gotten the idea remembering about my late Aunt's odd obsession with a particularly creepy occult book. One that so happened to be bound in human skin. My aunt and I were close before she passed and her strange curiosities had always fascinated me.

I sat there peacefully reading and scribbling down my notes. I could hear the birds chirping outside and the distant whispers of others lingering down below. I'm not sure what suddenly came over me, but I began to get an anxious feeling as if I were being closely watched. It felt like I had been joined by an eerie unseen presence that sent an unsettling shiver down my spine. I looked around, and saw nothing unusual, no one was even looking my way. So, I shook my head trying to regather my thoughts, and continued my work in silence. 

-: ✧ :-✧-: ✧ :-

About an hour had passed and the early autumn sun had begun to hang low in the horizon casting its golden evening light over me. I was about to pack up my things and leave when all of a sudden a large figure eclipsed the rays of light from my face, casting a darkened shadow over me that felt like a foreboding premonition. I looked up in confusion, and my heart nearly stopped, causing me to almost fall right out of my chair. 

There seated before me, was probably the most handsome man I had ever seen in all my life. His long raven black hair fell around his perfect masculine ethereal face and cascaded down the length of his torso. The dark color was a stark contrast to his stunning ivory skin tone. He had a jawline that was sharp enough to slice me right in two, and it was dusted with just the right amount of stubble that grew slightly longer around his chin. Everything he wore on his large muscular body, from his jacket to his boots, was adorned in solid black and I think if he were standing he'd reach to be about 6'6 ft tall.

His eyes were what really mesmerized me though. They glittered a beautiful amber gold color, mirroring the golden rays of the late sun shining behind him, with irises ringed in black. They were the most gorgeous eyes I'd ever gazed upon ...and... they were looking right at me so intently they could have burned a hole through my head. 

I quickly looked back down at my papers trying to ignore him. My heart pounded in my chest and butterflies danced in my stomach.

"... Ehem..." he said while covering his mouth as if he were coughing, trying to get my attention. 

Oh god, he's actually going to talk to me? I curiously looked up at him, not wanting to seem as flustered as I felt. 

"I couldn't help but notice that you've been doing a lot of studying over here." He said matter of factually while looking me up and down. His mesmerizing voice was deep and silky.

I remained silent and frozen, trying desperately to think of a response. Had he been watching me? 

"Yeah, I- I have been." I shyly managed to stammer back, barely looking at him. My cheeks turned pink as my mind scrambled for something to add to that, yet I came up with nothing. 

His eyes inquisitively raced across my face, as if he were carefully searching for something inside of me. I could tell that he was struggling to add to this "conversation" as much as I was, and I certainly wasn't making it easy for him. 

"Well..." He grabbed one of my papers and swiftly pulled it up to his face to read. "...Gwendolyn, what is it that you're studying about?" 

Okay... That was a bit odd. Couldn't he have just asked for my name?

"I'm sorry, who are you?" I asked feeling slightly surprised by this guys intrepid behavior and lack of introduction, but also intimidated by how smolderingly sexy he was.

He didn't answer. He just sat there perfectly still for a moment while blankly looking me directly in the eyes. All of a sudden he quickly snatched another one of my papers from the table, reminding me of a snake striking it's prey, and boldly started looking it over. 

 "Anthropodermic bibliopegy, the art of binding books using human skin... Well now, that's certainly an interesting topic." He let out a low chuckle and smirked at me.

"What the- Give that back!" I snapped "It's for a essay I'm writing." I whispered remembering where I was. It was becoming quite apparent that this guy was kind of a weirdo, but I still didn't want him thinking that I was some sort of a psychopath or anything.

Seriously though, Who does this incredibly alluring stranger think he is? The nerve of him to sit down so close to me uninvited, then swipe up and read my papers without asking. Who even does that!?

I couldn't quite read the look on his face. Mischief? Excitement? Cunning and evil? Whatever it was, it looked like he wanted something from me and it was a bit unsettling.

He handed me back my paper and inched his face a little closer to me across the table, as if he were going to tell me a secret. "Between you and me, I've heard that this library may contain a human bound book. Perhaps, it would be of use to you for your studies. Although, no one has seen it in years, so you might have to ask around for it." He tapped his chin as if thinking.

"Oh really? is that so?" I said trying to hide the fact that I was now feeling slightly nervous, as I started to gather my things. I was intrigued by what he had to say, but this interaction was sort of bizarre and I was starting to get the creeps.

He frowned. "You're leaving so soon?" He sounded genuinely disappointed.

"Yeah, I've got to get home.. I've got hungry cats to feed and stuff..." I trailed off not wanting to seem rude and pulled my bag over my shoulder.

"Bummer, well I guess I'll see you around then, Buttercup." He said leaning back in his chair with a wide grin and winked.

Buttercup? 

I gave him a quick side glace with confused look on my face. "Well, good bye then." I said before quickly walking out of there not looking back... What a weirdo.