“Emily?”

And just like that, Solari’s book shop had its first visitor that Sunday morning. He called the shop keeper’s name as he heard the little doorbell sound for the second time when the door closed behind him.

Emily’s usual spot near the entrance was void, she was nowhere to be seen, so he called for her once again, “Emily? You there?”

No response.

Seth walked further into the shop, paying attention to his steps. He didn’t want to accidentally kick one of the numerous piles of books stacked on top of each other on the floor.

His visits there held a special place in his heart. He liked the fact that no matter how many books from those shelves he was able to read, he’d never live long enough to finish all of them; while that feeling would alienate many, Seth reveled in it. He enjoyed the sometimes-long discussions he’d have with Emily over various topics, loved that, no matter what their outcome was, he’d always walk away from those talks with something new, a new perspective.

There was something about that library, browsing through its crowded shelves and navigating between its narrow aisles, taking in the scent of its old books gave him a singular feeling, there were simply not enough words to describe it and do it justice.

One thing appeared to be missing that morning though. He was accustomed to hearing Emily as she flipped through the pages of a book she chose, hearing the sound of her pen scraping against the papers as she took notes while reading.

It made a considerable difference; he couldn’t simply ignore it. But then again, Seth was presented with a chance that would probably never offer itself again, a chance to see more than what he was usually allowed to in that place.

Thing was, while he stuck around because he enjoyed his time with Emily, and the amazing stories and informations he was able to reap throughout three years worth of visits to that shop, his very first visit was anything but a coincidence or a simple desire to buy or borrow a book.

No, his action was deliberate, when he’d heard about Emily and her obligations towards the GrayBird town’s main book shop. Seth decided that he craved more on that subject, but nowhere could he find someone to satiate his hunger for ...More. That was until he had the brilliant idea to just talk to Emily herself.

“Seth? You came,” Emily’s voice yanked him out of his thoughts.

“Yes, of course,” he said, noting that she’d stepped right out of a door that, until that moment, had remained hidden from his knowledge.

“You never visit on Sundays,” she said.

“There’s a first time for everything, I guess,”

“Hopefully not everything,” she put emphasis on the word “everything”, seemingly concerned about his last statement. Not every experience was worth living after all, not in the world they lived in anyways, and especially not in GrayBird town.

“I… Never knew that there was a door right there,” he’d finally plucked up the courage to address the matter he had in mind at that moment.

“That is because I didn’t want you to know about it. Now that you know, I’ll trust you to keep its secret,” Emily had always been a sweet soul to anyone that walked into the shop, but she was assertive and straight forward, especially with those she was accustomed to.

“Yes, sure,” he said.

“So, what brought you in today?” she asked before he could say anything else, her usual smile apparent on her lips.

“Well, nothing really, I was just hoping… That I could talk to you,”

He was again more careful with his words, and she visibly picked up on that as her eyes narrowed upon hearing them, "You haven’t given up on that?”

“I don’t think I can,” he said, his eyes on the ground.

“Wait here,” she said after a moment of consideration, then she walked past him. He saw her approaching the front door and locking it with a swift turn of her hand, before flipping the sign from open over to the closed side.

Then he watched as she walked back towards him to say, “Follow me,”

She didn’t stop, Emily headed in the mysterious door’s direction, and Seth accepted her invitation.

As soon as he walked through the door, a chill ran down his spine. His senses screamed at him to run, and his heart’s pace accelerated.

“Ignore it,” Emily said calmly.

In a way, her acknowledging his state comforted him, it made him feel as though what he was going through was normal. Either that or he just looked so pathetic that she needed to touch on it.

But the further they went, the heavier the air in his lungs became. Seth thought he was going insane when he’d started hearing voices murmuring around, inside, at the very back of his skull; warnings, insults, name callings he wasn’t very sure he knew the meanings of.

He was overtaken by the sudden inkling that something terrible was going to happen to him if he kept on going.

In the end, Seth did as he was told and followed Emily through that long, slender hallway. Along the way, he had the impression that they were going down as they walked.

That idea was soon after replaced by pure amazement at what his eyes caught sight of, once that corridor traversed.

He was mesmerized by the sheer size of that space. Seth could tell how immense it was, for he was standing at the top of a staircase.

He descended behind Emily, wondering at how many feet underground they were, or if anyone in GrayBird other than Emily knew about that place.

Once they reached the lowest level they could, he noted how much more spacious the aisles were, and how bigger the shelves were and mostly… How much older the books and documents present there looked.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Emily guided him towards a small table surrounded by three, seemingly, old sofas. She sat first then observed Seth as his knees bent slowly to let him rest his weight on the seat behind him.

Her lips drew a soft smile on her face. She found the fact that his head couldn’t decide which side of the room to face quite entertaining. He appeared to barely have blinked for a long while, like he was afraid to miss details as he looked around.

But mostly, she thought his amazement was fascinating, his reaction to a place she was so used to, or perhaps he simply reminded her of herself, the very first time she’d set foot there.

“Does anybody else know about this place?” Seth brought her out of her contemplations.

“No, just me, and now you,” she said.

“Earlier you told me to ignore it, you meant what I was hearing when we were walking? I still hear them by the way,”

“That’s because you don’t belong here. I heard them too, the first time I came here, back then the shop wasn’t on my name yet, but my father thought it was time for me to…Sort of get acquainted with it,” said Emily.

“How old were you?” asked Seth.

He was on the edge of his seat. On one hand he couldn’t wait to know more, but on the other he was worried of the changes it’ll all bring along…The effects of it all.

“I was fifteen,” she paused for a few seconds then continued before he could say anything, "Are you sure you want to know? There is no going back, knowing what I know has consequences. Are you sure you’ll be able to live with whatever comes after?”

Seth was stuck for a moment. He felt exposed before her eyes, like she could read through his soul with such ease, just as she does with a book. However, waiting longer was inimaginable. It wasn’t like he couldn’t live without it so, perhaps that was a sign of immaturity from him after all, but…It mattered not. He was finally going to get the answers he most wanted for years, "Three years ago, you told me I was too young to understand. Granted I am still young, but I think it’s been long enough,” he said finally.

Emily looked at him, still amused, but admirative of his determination. He sure did come a long way from the thirteen year old boy that had stumbled into her shop three years prior.

Her smile was instantaneously wiped, soon to be replaced by a serious expression, ”Tell me Seth; what are some of the rules you've learned to follow in this town?”

“Well, I know to never look in a mirror after sunset. I know to stay home on Christmas eve… I know that if I ever hear inhumane sounds in the middle of the night, I should never go out to investigate, and I know that if I ever see Jack in the corner…Well, that I am basically screwed,” he stated.

“You know a few among many, I see. What do you think of all these rules? Do you follow them? Do you believe in them at all?” Emily asked.

“To be frank I prefer to understand things. I have so many questions about the rules, but considering we don’t have many if any visitors from outside the town and… The fact that I don’t know anybody that managed to leave town, I chose to just follow them,”

“Do you know why the inhabitants of this town must follow these rules? Better question yet, do you have any idea where all these rules came from?”

Seth gulped involuntarily upon hearing that question. He desired the answer to that more than anything. Was he going to get it on that Sunday as well? He could barely sit in place, ”No, but I’d like to. Why are you asking that? Do you have an idea about it?”

“Of course. In fact, I know the origin of each and every rule of this cursed town. The entire history of GrayBird is documented in the pages of all these books you see down here,” Emily admitted.

His lips parted to potentially let his thoughts out, but when Emily judged him to be too stunned by her words to be able to, she continued, ”Have you heard about the curse of the Rezniks?” she asked.

“Yes. In GrayBird, the bell of the old church must ring at exactly nine o’clock, on the last Friday of every month, and it must be done and only done by a member of the Reznik family. Are you saying it’s like that for your family and this shop?” he finally managed to say.

“My name is Emily Bane and for that alone I am, for as long as I live, condemned to care for this place and abide by its rules. My ancestors did the same before me. The library has existed for a few centuries now and all the tales, all the phenomena that occur around this town, have their stories told in detail, transcribed down to the nitty gritty of them and found a place to hide here,”

Emily noted the look of pure shock on Seth’s face. She felt sorry that from then onwards he’d have to share the burden of that knowledge alongside her. Not that she’d decline the company, she was so lonely between those walls, for nobody to hear her pleas, no one to understand her struggle. But still, it wasn’t his weight to carry, not his battle to fight, yet there they were…

“But why keep them hidden? Why not tell everyone about this? It could change so many lives… Save so many lives. Why all the torments? Unless…,” he paused, looking at Emily’s expressionless face, something suddenly dawned on him, "Unless it’s the goal, and these happenings exist in this town for the sole purpose of punishing the people. Earlier when you spoke about the Rezniks, you said something about it being a curse. So, you…,”

Seth was sharp, Emily thought it was a quality about him that might just take him places or even save his life someday, ”Yes, what my family has is a curse, not a gift, you guessed that right.

Rule number one says that this archive room or whatever you chose to call it, must be kept by a member of the bane family. Meaning the property must be owned by a bane at all times.

The second rule states that all and any document in this chamber must always and forever remain confined here, never to be taken off the property.

Rule number three was what I consider a courtesy grant, because it says that the keeper, meaning me, has the right to confide about this place to a person of their choice, in this case you. However, that courtesy does not extend to the person entrusted. Meaning you can never tell a soul about this.

Then for rule four. If you ever come in and notice that some books have changed place and not by your hand, just put them back where they belonged. Do not ask questions.

Rule number five. There is a register that contains a complete list of all the books and documents in here. So, if you find that a book was added to that list, just ignore it and go about your day, do not even ask questions.

For rule six. It is a bit derived from the previous rule. If you find out that a book has disappeared from the library, do not freak out, nothing will happen. So, ignore it, it will reappear again. It only matters if the keeper takes something out of here.

Rule seven. If you enter this space and see someone that you don’t know, or even someone that you know, do not be scared but mainly, do not try to talk to them. Act like they’re not even there, they won’t hurt you, if you don’t bother them that is.

Rule eight, same way if you are already here, reading a book. If anyone comes to you and asks to take what you’re reading from you, do not question it and do not hesitate, just give it to them. No matter if they sound nice or if they were total assholes to you when they spoke.

Rule nine. Do not eat or drink a thing while you’re in here no matter how good it smells or how tasty it looks and do not bring any foods or drinks with you either.

And finally, rule ten. Whatever you do, never and I mean never fall asleep in here.

These are the rules I follow all day, everyday in here, now you know why I asked you to keep the secret,”

Seth didn’t wait a second to blurt his thoughts and questions out, ”Yes, that I understood but, is there an explanation for these rules? An origin to them?”

“Of course there is, but I thought you wanted to find them out on your own time. I mean these books aren’t going to read themselves. Unless, you’re not planning on coming back here?”

“No! No, of course I want to come back! Can I come back? Do these books say what would happen if one broke these rules?” Seth was speaking fast; it was as though he feared his time would run out and that he wouldn’t get the chance to ask all of the questions he had for Emily.

“Of course you can, and yes, they do. So, as long as you follow the rules, you’ll be welcomed to consume the content of these pages with no limits,” she said.

“Say, Emily, can I ask… I mean I was looking for a bit of a job or an occupation these days and I was wondering if…”

“If you could work here?” Emily said after a gentle laugh at his nervousness.

“Well, yes pretty much,” he answered, a bit worried about the answer he was going to hear.

“Yes, I think I can afford to have an employee here, and lord knows the loneliness could drive me insane any day now,”