Awakened

Chapter 4

The next three weeks were like the best in my life. I had never had access to so many books at the same time and I did never think that once given a chance I was never going to get back from the library anyway. I mean, whatever Bellamy called her room was not a room. It had a cot with a mattress and a desk and the rest of the room was filled with books. Stacked up from the roof and now I had unlimited access to them.

In my school I was allowed to take three books at a time for a week and if I came back earlier than hat the librarian would give me such an incredulous stare that she did not believe that I had finished the books. But what could I say, I liked reading. For me they were the only way that I was going get a breath of fresh air.

Even when I was locked up in a penitentiary for two weeks to check out if my story was correct or not regarding Sunbeam and whether I had any violent displays or any other phobias and stuff then also I had been permitted access to books from the library. Whatever book it might be, if it was in English and readable I was going to go for it.

“If she keeps on going this way then I don’t know but she is going to need a bigger room,” grumbled Mel as she dusted the room. Unlike her sister she was obsessed with cleanliness and she was a freak at that. It suited me well, I taught her stuff about her books and she listened to me while I studied out loud and she cleaned. It was a good partnership looking at the fact that I hated cleaning. But then suddenly a question tugged at the back of my mind.

“Mel!! Where does she get all these books? I mean, that it is a good thing that you guys have these books but I am sure that the library of the college is going to have some rules about getting books and returning them, isn’t it?” I asked as Mel came down from the chair with the duster in her hand and then she opened her make-shift mask and looked at me and sighed.

“Well these are not from the library,” said Mel and this time I was the one who was surprised.

“Where on earth does she get so many books then?”

“She buys them and stocks them up,” said Melanie in a wistful tone and I knew for sure that there was something else to the story that she was not saying. I could sense anxiety wafting off her in waves and pointed her with a look without saying a word. It worked.

“Okay, I am going to tell you but you cannot tell anyone that I said, alright? Not even Bell?” asked Mel and I smirked.

“If you are telling me a secret about her then it is pretty obvious that I am not going to go tattle to her, is it not?”

And this time her worry eased up a little.

“Look she has an obsession like me. But while mine is innocuous like cleaning hers is stocking up her brains. When she was younger and we were sent here from the orphanage she was tested for intelligence and it was found that she has an unusual memory capacity. It means like she is like an elephant which means she can retrieve any details when it is required from memory,” said Melanie, this time she was slightly more excited.

“So she is like a walking encyclopedia?” I countered.

“Yeah, she is. Only she is a walking supernatural encyclopedia. I mean, she knows the most about the supernatural creatures, lores, myths and what not about almost anything and everything. But for that to happen she had to first finish the library. She did, and in six years she had read the whole library. By then she was like, thirteen and we were given the first access to go out on this town walks. And Bell started a small side business of hers,” said Mel and my heart did a lurch hearing her. My expression must have said that I was worried which was the reason she smiled assuring me.

“No no, nothing dangerous at all. She used to answer the questions that people had about themselves. Not humans, supernaturals only. There were so many kind of shifters and then there were mixed breeds. We also got a lot of children to be enrolled here and now their lives are a lot better. So she took the money from them, a small visiting charge which they were happy to pay and then she bought these books. She started buying all kinds of books, I mean every kind that there was. You have no idea how many times she has been in danger going into the pubs and cemetery to make deals that should not be made,” said Melanie with anxiety again surging up in her and I can feel that. It was like a sensor in the back of my mind which I had no idea how to regulate.

“Cemetary?” I asked again because I could not believe someone would go to these lengths to find books.

“Yeah. She has got a vampire supplier who finds the rarest of rare books for her and in return she does things for him,” said Melanie and now my heart was gripped with a cold bony hand which was pressing it like my organ was nothing but a smiley ball. From what I had read about vampires till now, they would never find rare books or scrolls for any witch without taking something substantial from her. It was not how they operated and I rarely believed that creatures of the dark could be believed.

And just then the room to her door flew open and a pretty boy entered the room in a bright flashy golden suit. And by golden, I really meant golden. It hurt the eyes it was so bright.

“I knew that you would be here when I could not find you in your room,” said the boy. He had a nice voice but it had a feminine lilt to it and his hand was always moving in waves which made me smile. This was Freddie. No doubts about that.

Melanie let out a squeal of delight looking at him and then immediately jumped in his arms.

“Oh grrrrrllll….I have missed you so much….I thought you were coming tomorrow morning,” said Mel as they kissed each other on their cheeks just like socialites were supposed to do.

“Come now, you surely know me…with her as your roommate and our latest addition to group I would not miss a night extra with you in the whole world,” said Freddie as he grinned at me. This boy was really pretty and I liked him. But this sense of unease did not leave me at all. And then he said,’ And Andy is in here as well. Thankfully we got the adjoining rooms and finally I have been sent to stay here in the girl’s dorm rather than the boys….that much testosterone…..uggghhhhh…I wanted to kill myself every single day, last year.”

I could not help but snorted at his comment which was the result of me trying to suppress laughter.

“I am glad that Headmaster Motley saw reason and gave you a chance to stay with us. Who are you rooming with?” asked Mel as I was a silent spectator to this whole conversation.

“Me, who else,” and a girl entered the room and I found that the similarity in both their faces was unmistakable. These were twins.

“Now Eloa, this is my sister Andrea. We all call her Andy because she does not like to be called with a girly name like that, even though she forgets the fact that she is one,’ said Freddie and I kept the book on the bed and came forward. She was wearing black silk shirt and trousers and she stared at me like was nothing else but prey.

“Andy!!! Be good now….this is not the time to do your thing. This is not a staring contest. God…” said Freddie and her face broke into a grin.

“She is good. She is nothing like the rumours I heard. She smells like lavender and honey and coconut and chamomile. She has a good heart,” said the girl and I never thought that I would ever hear that statement in which I shall be compared with a bottle of perfume.

“Hello, since you all know me and my name and my history and background I am sure that I don’t need to introduce myself. But still, I am Eloa. And I am from Texas, which might be the reason of the Southern accent that you might hear,” I said with a slight smile on my face. But I knew at the back of my mind that something bad was going to happen.

“You are worried about something,” Freddie declared as he looked at me and I nodded.

“What is it?” Melanie asked in a light voice while I was hesitant whether I should say it or not.

“Out with it girl,” said Andrea as she closed the door shut with the toe of her boots and then pinned with a glare.

“It’s Bell. Something is wrong,” I said hoping that they were not going to think that I was completely bonkers.

“What is wrong? I mean, how can you say that? Is she Sighted or what?” asked Freddie in rapid succession when Mel nodded her head saying no. Her lips was stretched in a thin line and she said,” She is an Empath so she can sense things. But is it always correct Eloa?”

“Until now I have not made a mistake and I doubt that this sense or whatever it is, is going to be wrong today,” I replied when Andy looked at me and nodded.

“If she is in trouble then we need to go and help her,” said Freddie as he wrung his hands in frustration. I looked at Mel and asked,” Do you know where she is?”

“I don’t know exactly where she is but today is the day when she goes to meet up for books. I mean, but she always is back by midnight, you know. It might be slightly after the curfew but she is nineteen years old, for God’s sake,” said Mel as she looked straight right panicked at that moment.

“God has nothing to do with it Mel. And you know that very well. She has been placing herself in danger for a considerable amount of time now and I don’t think whatever it is she is going to be able to come back without some help,” I said and the certainty in my voice made all of them stare at me. I knew I was being bossy and I was like the most silent person ever, but this was a newly emerging side of my personality which I liked.

“What would you do?” asked Freddie as he looked at me.

 I said,” Change into dark clothes and hiking boots. And also if you have any stash of weapons which is going to work against vampires then hide it in your clothes. We are taking a field trip.”

I never would allow any innocent to get hurt or cheated in my life, ever. And that meant ever.