"Come on Varla hang out with us", pleaded my roomate as I packed my things at my desk. Sighing I turned around and glanced at her. She rustled over her desk on the other side of the room with an efficiency born of practice. Moving quickly she pulled out some alchohol and red cups from the store bags and arranged them neatly on her desk. Glancing back at me with her dark brown eyes and short chestnut hair she breathed out "You know ya want uh". I stood still, thinking about it for a second. I realized, hell I really did. Relaxing and having a few drinks with a couple of friends after the last few weeks sounded amazing. It seemed like forever since I had done anything but study.
"Knock, knock, knock" reverberated from the door to my side. Startled my head swiveled towards the door. "This is the RA, we are going to need to check for some contraband" came a mocking voice. Rolling my eyes, I reached for the handle to the door and opened it. " You really got to stop doing that" I groaned as I opened the door. Right outside of the door stood Jeff. Grinning, the tall lanky guy that I had spent far too much time studying chemistry with laughed, "Gosh loosen up, the semester is over". Once again I rolled my eyes, and turned to look back at my roomate "Have fun Laura, I wish I could, but unlike some people my work is aint quite finished yet" I drolled in a thick country accent. Grabbing my bags I quickly exited the room before my roomate could make another convincing argument . A few steps later and I was exiting the building. It was a miserable night. Cold and icy, I was really was not looking forward to the walk. Nevertheless I began my treck to the library.
Slipping on some ice I cursed “Damn it”. I pushed myself up off the ground I wondered once again if it was all worth it. Long nights of studying, endless hours of stress filled exams , for what again? Peeking at the watch on my wrist I tried to banish such thoughts. 8:13 pm, alone with nothing but my books, phone, and laptop to accompany me. A cold mist wafted down through the air accompanied by a frigid breeze. Grumbling I mumbled “Freaking great this is what I get for eschewing an invitation from my dang roommate. A cold ass and a night full of studying.”, sighing I continued along with my textbook laden bag on my back, my cased laptop flopped at my side with my purse as I continued my walk.
It was a mostly quiet night as I took the path towards the central library. I could barely make out the slight rustle of the trees along the path. As soon as I began to think about the quietness that blanketed me a noise emerged. Chuckling erupted from a group walking on the path not too far towards me. A short moment of continued walking later I began to pass the group, I noticed a few of them throw me a glance. One of them in the center of the group stopped and gave me a quick wave and shouted “Hi”. I returned the glance a moment later, nervously muttering a “hello” in response. Another guy in the group elbowed the person who had given me the greeting. Chuckling he quietly said something to his friend. A second later the group continued laughing down the path. The individual who had given me the greeting shook his head at said friend, grinning he gave me another wave before following his group.
Weird I thought, but also sort of cute. I continued my path toward the library, once again assaulted by a clone of doubts. Was I wasting my time studying when I could possibly be doing other more interesting things with my time? Things that I had obstained from doing in order to pursue my goal of becoming a biologist. I warred with these errant thoughts as I continued forth towards the library. A battle of pathos vs logos. A battle that always ended the same way. Logic wrought as always, the most persuasive argument. I mean what if, I pondered. Should I be with my roommate enjoying some of the other aspects of life? At best it would be nothing more than a temporary release offered through emotional satisfaction companionship might offer. Temporary, plus I did actually have to study for that exam on Monday. Seemingly a second later I was standing in front of the slide through doors that led into the front of the library. I set my laptop bag down on the ground and began to rustle through the pockets on the front of my jacket for my student ID card.
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Previous thoughts immediately forgotten; I felt the rectangular plastic card that I was looking for. Pulling it out I held it up against the keycard reader. A beep later the door slid open for me. I threw my card into my jacket pocket and picked my laptop. After heading inside, I saw the library security guard Kelly feet raised onto the desk staring at the phone in her hand. She gave me a quick look. “Hey Girl, another night of studying”. I gave a quick shrug “Yep”. Chuckling she waved me off “Good luck then.” Nodding I continued to head towards the elevator at the center of the library. Entering the elevator, I could not help but notice that other than Kelly the place looked like a ghost town. It looked as if nobody else had decided to spend the night studying, “oh how so very surprising,” I sarcastically thought to myself. A minute later I exited the elevator and entered the basement of the library. It looked like it was just as empty as the first floor this cold night.
Out of habit I walked to the little corner of the room that I usually haunted. I initially chose the location out of a desire to isolate myself and try to concentrate when the room had more people. I pulled my laptop out of my bag, along with the textbook for my Modern Physics class. Taking a quick glance at my phone I saw that I had two text messages. The first text from my mom was the standard text message that she had began to send to me every night since I left for college. " Good Night Toots, love you.", smiling I returned the message" Love you too Mom". Checking my other text message I saw that I had one from my father. Staring up at the ceiling I intoned " Why" , it was never good news when it came to my father. Rather than dealing with the text message I decided to use the ageless method of work as a distraction.
I threw on the pair of earbuds that I had in my bag. To start off, I decided to re-read the chapters that were going to be on the exam. Several hours passed as I immersed myself in the reading. After a couple of hours I threw a quick glance at my watch, I saw that it was already 11:27pm. Getting up I stretched my arms out “Ugghhh” I yawned. Taking in my surroundings once again I noticed that some lights in the corner were flicking erratically. “Weird”, I might have to mention that to maintenance I noted. Thirsty, I walked towards the water fountain on the other side of the room to take a sip of water.
As I was approaching the water fountain at the other end of the room, I began to feel a tingle pass through my body. A buzz that kept growing, as the feeling grew, all the lights began to flicker. A crescendo of a beat began to blast through me. Staggering I raised my arm over my head as the lights around the lab popped in a shower of sparks. As if struck by lightning I doubled over as my body began to burn. Wracked in agony for what felt like an eternity. I felt the rising beat tear through every nook and cranny of my body and mind. I could not think, I could not see. After an eternity, the pain trickled out of my body. Still squirming on the ground in the dark I embraced the emptiness that accompanied the pains release. An emptiness that came to encompass more of me than I would ever know. A singular feeling grew all encompassing. Ravenous Hunger. As the mind’s coherence broke down. It began to perceive the emergence of a brightness seemingly out of nowhere. It encompassed the room in which it writhed on the ground. Staring ravenously at the amorphous light that was in front as the pain trickled away. The pain ebbed into nothing. The writhing stopped. Everything hung in a stillness. A rapid lung, followed by an explosion of power and it all went dark.