Immortal Souls (The Immortal Souls: Magic & Chaos)

Chapter 2

Sam walked through the library's wrought iron gates which squealed piercingly as they opened.

The library was the oldest building in town. From the outside it looked like an old Gothic church. It was made of a grey stone and had a steeple on top with a clock that had been added back in sixteen-twelve. It had arched windows and a giant arched door that was about ten feet tall and six feet wide.

People from outside of town often mistook the library for the church. But the town's only church wasn't built until eighteen-oh-six when the first outsiders moved in and began to question the town's lack of religious establishment.

Sam walked towards the large doors with Jack strolling along behind her. She checked the clock on the library's steeple; it was just about to turn six. She paused at the door for just a moment and swiftly turned her gaze behind, glaring out at the small empty road beyond the gates. Without having to look, she was fully aware that Jack was watching her; she could feel his eyes glaring into her from where he stood.

"What is it?" he asked.

It was June, but despite the fact that it was summer the sky was a dull murky grey, the sort of colour it turned when the rain had stopped, but the clouds had not yet dissipated and behind them the sun burned as it set, tinting the grey clouds brown with its glow.

But there was nothing unusual about the weather, or the fact that the streets surrounding the library were empty in summertime, which was why it was strange that, despite the vacant street, and the overall normality of the world as it seemed right now, Sam couldn't help the stirring within her that made her feel as though there was something to be seen from where she now stood.

Yet no matter how long she stared, all her eyes saw was the normality and her brain told her there was nothing to be seen, despite a small voice within her screaming to the contrary.

With a sigh, she shook her head in response to Jack's question and pushed the heavy wooden doors open.

The inside of the library, as always, was warm and welcoming and held the scent of books, both old and new.

She walked inside, her boots making a slight click on the white marble floors. Slowly she made her way towards the librarian's desk where Michelle—the librarian—slept with her head resting atop a pile of books.

Sam tapped lightly on her shoulder in a feeble attempt to wake the sleeping woman. Michelle sighed in her sleep, but didn't rouse.

Grumbling her annoyance, Sam cleared her throat and tapped Michelle's shoulder again, this time not as lightly as before. "Michelle," she called. "Michelle, wake up."

Still there was no response.

Sam looked to Jack questioningly, though he just stared at Michelle in confusion and said, "Heavy sleeper?"

She placed a hand on Michelle's shoulder once more, but instead of tapping lightly as she had before, she got a firm grip and shook her roughly, feeling her heart thump a little faster when there was no response from the slumbering woman.

Before Sam had a chance to speak or do anything else, Jack's hand shot out and he placed his fingers on Michelle's throat, feeling around to ensure that she was in fact still breathing.

He paused for a moment as he waited to feel her pulse, his lips pressed together tightly. After a few seconds he moved his hand away and looked to Sam. "She's alive," he said. "But I'm damn sure no one sleeps that soundly . . . Maybe you should have a check, see if there's something going on with her. I'm gonna have a wander around, see if there's anything suspicious lurking."