Chapter Three

A great gong rang throughout the library. It shook the walls with tremendous force. Lucas, still half asleep, jumped out of bed. It rang two more times before all that remained were the echoes reverberating through the endless hallways.

"What the hell..."

He threw the door open and stuck his head out. Kathyrn's door knob jiggled, and then turned. She stumbled out in a state of undress. There were rings underneath her eyes. She waved weakly.

"Yo."

"The hell is all that ringing?"

"Morning bell. The doors are locked now."

"...You gonna put on some pants?"

"Nah, I'm going back to bed."

"Okay."

She disappeared into her room and slammed the door shut. Lucas yawned and scratched his back.

"God, I need a shower."

"Yes you do."

Kathryn peeked her head out from her room again.

"I couldn't sleep at all, I thought something died next door."

"Thanks."

"There's a shower down and to the left. The closet has some spare clothes."

She slammed the door shut again.

"...Thanks."

The memories of yesterday's events came rushing back to him. His head was throbbing, and his stomach was empty. As per Kathryn's instructions, he took the first left down the hall and saw a large bathroom sign. He dug through the closet and retrieved what seemed to be a white dress shirt and black work pants. They were nearly identical to the work clothes he was currently wearing.

"Some things don't change, huh."

The shower was hot and refreshing. His sore muscles loosened up, and he felt clean again. His reflection greeted him in the fogged up mirror. He wiped the steam aside and took a long look at his own face. The thought hadn't crossed his mind, but he rarely looked in the mirror at himself. There simply wasn't enough time in the morning to have a long retrospective and still make it to work on time. Now he had all the time in the world. There were rings under his eyes as well. He shook his head and splashed his face with water. Ring ring. His 6am alarm on his phone went off.

"Business as usual," he mused to himself.

He retrieved his black tie from his old work shirt and wrapped it around his neck. With a few quick motions, he tightened it and adjusted it in the mirror. He looked more or less the same as he usually did, but the cuffs of the shirt were unhemmed and slightly too long. His wallet and phone fit comfortably in his pants pockets, and he exited the bathroom feeling refreshed.

The clack of sole against stone echoed against the walls. It was eerily quiet. Sunlight peeked through the massive tinted windows at the top of the library. He had made a beeline for the kitchen. His head throbbed from a slight hangover, and his stomach growled from skipping dinner. The smell of tea filled his nostrils. A frizzy mess of black hair stood in front of him, boiling water on the stovetop.

"Good morning your highness."

"Oh! Good morning."

She turned around and smiled warmly.

"I keep forgetting that it is not just myself and Kathryn anymore," she mused. "It has been awhile..."

"I can imagine..."

"Tea?"

"I'm more of a coffee person," Lucas hesitated, "But you know I think I'll have tea today."

"Very good."

Emma prepared another cup with a tea bag inside it and poured out the boiling water into it. Lucas picked it up and stared into the dark liquid. The princess raised her cup.

"Cheers, to a new faithful servant," she giggled.

Lucas let out a weak smile and lifted his cup as well. The scalding hot liquid burnt the top of his mouth as he drank. He winced and placed the mug back down on the countertop and turned to look at the princess. Her eyes had darkened rings underneath as well. It seemed like no one had gotten any decent sleep last night. Her pale, bandaged hand carefully held the hot cup of tea. It was like looking at a ghost. She noticed his gaze.

"If you stare at me like that, I will blush."

"Ah, no, I just..."

She let out another giggle.

"You are too easy to tease."

He sighed.

"When you are ready, you should head out and gather your things today. The doors are locked to the outside, but not to the inside. Once you leave, you will not be able to return until dusk."

"Can I survive out there for that long?"

"That is up to you."

"No words of wisdom?"

"The closer you are to the library, the less the strain of the curse will have on your body."

"Kathryn was right, this really is like a game."

Emma's expression darkened.

"It is not a game. If you die outside of the library, you will remain so. The library can save you if you are inside the labyrinth, but it is powerless to help you outside of it. Do you understand?"

"...Yes, I'm sorry."

"Please do not disrespect the dead who have taken up the mantle before you. Kathryn may make light of the situation, but I will not."

Lucas nodded, embarrassed. Emma sighed.

"She is a bad influence on you. I was... overzealous to recruit you to our ranks, but I do not know what to do anymore."

"I..."

She shook her head.

"No, I am just thinking out loud. I apologize. I have given you your tasks for today."

Lucas nodded.

"I pray for your success. I am eager to taste your cooking again."

---

Lucas spent a long time sitting at the front desk staring at the large red doors. His half eaten tv dinner was cold, and his cup of tea was pitifully empty. His eyebrows furrowed. Regret ran through his mind. However, something else also lingered in his head. He felt a distinct sense of purpose. He shoveled the rest of the microwaved chicken into his mouth and disposed of the plastic tray. His spine creaked and crackled as he stretched, reclining the office chair as far back as he dared to push it. The faint echo of steps grew louder, and Kathryn appeared in the distance. She was dressed in proper work attire this time. Her hair was brushed to the side with a small silver clip holding it in place.

"You're in my spot dude."

"I'm just keeping it warm for you."

"Shoo-"

Lucas stood up and let her take her rightful seat. The chair creaked as she plopped herself down.

"Oh, gross. It's all warm."

"You're welcome."

She glared at him and stuck her tongue out. He shrugged and smiled. She smirked in return.

"That's the first time I've seen you smile."

"...Really?"

"Yeah, you were mopey all of yesterday."

"Can you blame me?"

"Hey, you're the one who agreed to this. Hurry up and go do what you're supposed to do."

"Yeah, alright."

She opened her laptop and began typing rapidly, ignoring Lucas' existence.

---

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

The gray door creaked open. Lucas stepped into the blinding light. His eyes had adjusted to the almost permanent darkness of the library. With a bang, the door slammed shut behind him. He turned around and saw only a brick wall.

"Hmm."

He ran his hand against the wall where the door was a second ago. It really was gone. Despite all that he had experienced, Lucas was still slightly skeptical. Perhaps there was a deep longing or a delusional desire for a return to normalcy inside him. He shook his head and focused on the task at hand. It would be troublesome if someone came looking for him, so he had to figure out how to tie up all of his loose ends. Fortunately for him, his car was still in the parking lot. He quietly thanked the bar owner in his head.

The drive home was uneventful. Traffic was quiet as most of the denizens slept in on Saturday. The curse of the library tugged at his heart, but he managed to stay calm. He blasted his favorite songs on the car's stereo, which helped him take his mind off the constant pain. The familiar sight of the off-white paint of his apartment complex came into view. His neighbors waved as he pulled into his parking space. Their dog sniffed the air before backing away in fear. Lucas returned their wave and hurried back to his housing unit.

His apartment was more than sufficient for one man. It was spacious and affordable while still close to his workplace. The community was nice as well, and it saddened him to have to leave it. It had never occurred to him how nice and simple his life was until now. He opened his closet and retrieved his dark blue suitcase. Working quickly, he stuffed as many of his clothes and belongings inside as he could. He popped open the fridge and threw his leftover groceries into a plastic bag. Sweat pooled on his forehead as the curse began to tug against his body again. He quickly the liquid off his brow with the sleeve of his shirt.

He walked over to his desk and pulled open the drawer. He retrieved a black handgun. The aluminum frame felt cool against the palm of his hand. With a quick motion, he released the magazine and then locked the slide back. A brass and copper bullet flew out of the chamber. It bounced and then rolled underneath the desk. He reinserted the magazine and let the slide slam forwards, which chambered a new round. He had originally bought the gun when his co-worker, Peter, had invited him to hang out at the gun range one day. Lucas didn't have anything better to do, so he obliged. He wasn't a particularly good shot, but it was fun hanging out with his friend instead of sitting at home all week. Peter had convinced him to buy the handgun, just in case he needed it, and it seemed like he would need it now more than ever. Lucas thanked him silently.

With a groan, he sat down and admired his work. His room looked barren. A black smartphone sat beside him. Hands quivering, he picked it up and dialed in a number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mom?"

"Lucas! It's great to hear your voice! You never call!"

"Yeah, sorry."

"How are you doing? I hope work is treating you alright."

"I'm fine. Actually, since we're on the topic of work... Um. I found a new job."

"Oh? Why did you quit your job? I thought you liked your company?"

"I didn't really like it that much but... That's beside the point. I'll be doing a lot of traveling."

"What for?"

"Its, uh, a consulting job. I'll be out of state most of the time. I start on Monday so I just wanted to let you and Dad know. Since I'll be traveling and all, it might be hard to reach me."

"...Okay, if it makes you happy then go for it. Just make sure to come visit us sometime!"

"Yeah, I'll try but no promises."

"You wanna talk to Dad?"

"Sure."

The line went silent for a minute before a gruff voice came through the speakers.

"Hey Lucas, your Mom tells me you got a new job! Congrats!"

"Thanks Dad. I just... wanted to talk to you guys before I started."

"...Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, just a little anxious about it. I'm already all packed up and ready to go, but it doesn't seem real right now."

"Hey, you'll do fine. Remember when you were so anxious for your first day of college, you couldn't sleep?"

His dad belted out a hearty laugh.

"We stayed up all night talking, and you were so tired at the end of it that you slept through all your classes!"

Lucas chuckled, "Yeah, I remember."

An uneasy silence fell over the two of them.

"Hey Dad, can you put Brandon on?"

"...Yeah, give me a minute."

Indistinct noises echoed out from the phone. A minute later, a young feeble voice came through.

"Lucas?"

"Hey Brandon, you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, just a little down in the dumps."

"How did the last checkup go?"

"The doctors say that the medication seems to be working. It makes me sleepy and my arms feel like spaghetti."

"Well, as long as it's working, you keep taking it, alright?"

"Yeah, I already get an earful from Mom if I miss a day."

"She's just worried."

"I know, I just..."

"...Hey, so I'll be moving out of state for a job. But... if you ever need anything, just call or text me, okay? I won't have signal often, but I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can."

"Okay... What's your new job about?"

"It's all sorts of crazy boring stuff, you wouldn't be interested."

His brother laughed, "Okay, whatever you say."

"...Hang in there, okay?"

"Yeah... you too."

Lucas hung up and wiped his eyes. The grief in his heart outweighed the pain of the curse at that moment. He wanted to go home to his parents and pretend like all of it was a bad dream. His eyes welled up and he wept silently.

---

He sat in his car in silence after he had made a few more phone calls. One was to the landlord to cancel his lease. Another was to his workplace to give his two weeks. He opted to use all of his vacation and sick days so he wouldn't have to go into the office. He groaned and placed his head against the driving wheel. Thump thump, thump thump. It felt as if his brain was going to explode out of his skull. He strained to remember if he was forgetting anything.

"No, that's everything."

Straightening back up, he started his car and began the long drive back to the library. The weight of the situation finally hit him all at once. His lungs were burning again, and he struggled to breathe. A loud honk came from behind. Someone leaned out of the car and shouted something at him. Up ahead someone had cut him off, nearly hitting him in the process. Lucas' eyes widened as he quickly came back to reality. His heart beat rapidly. Emma's words echoed in his head. He couldn't die outside the library. He wouldn't. He took in deep breaths and focused on driving.

After fifteen minutes, he was back in front of the bar. The car sputtered and shook as he threw it into park and retrieved the key from the ignition. The clock showed 2:33pm. He still had about four or five hours to kill before he could return to the library. The pain in his head had subsided, at least temporarily. He reclined back in his seat and stared at the ceiling of his car.

---

Knock knock. A muffled voice called out in the darkness. Lucas grunted and wiped his eyes. Another, louder knock startled him awake. His eyes darted around. The fluorescent glow of the bar's sign and the parking lot street lights were the only sources of light in the darkness. A shadowy figure stood next to his car. He rolled down the window.

"Good morning, sunshine," Kathryn announced. "It's almost midnight, are you gonna come in?"

"Ugh, what? Um. Yeah, give me a minute."

Her breath fogged up in the cold night air, and her eyes cautiously scanned the horizon. Lucas reached down and popped the trunk open. Kathryn heaved the large suitcase out of the back as Lucas rolled the window back up, stepped out of the car, and locked the doors. With a click, Kathryn extended the suitcase's carry handle and held it out to Lucas. He took it with his healthy hand and dragged it to the alleyway.

"Gonna be honest, I thought you died or ran away."

"I might as well be dead, huh?"

"Yep. Just another corpse in the library. I guess zombie would be a more accurate term."

"That's morbid."

"Am I wrong?"

Lucas scoffed and opened the door to the library. The two of them lifted up the suitcase and slowly carried it down the seemingly never ending staircase. They reached the large red doors eventually. Kathryn let go of her side of the suitcase and cracked her back. Lucas nearly lost his balance as the suitcase hit the ground with a resounding bang.

"Hey, careful!"

"How much did you bring? Jeez," she huffed.

"I've got fragile stuff inside, come on..."

"I'm old, give me a break."

"Yeah right."

Kathryn threw the doors open, and they re-entered the library together. Lucas felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. They made their way to the front desk. Emma, sitting quietly in the receptionist's chair, stood up.

"Finally, what took you so long?"

"He was out there snoozing on the job."

"Sorry..."

Kathryn rubbed her forehead. "The princess here kept asking about you all day."

Emma became flustered. "I-I did not! I was only worried about his well being."

"I swear, she was about to leave the library and go look for you."

"I would do no such thing! Shut your mouth, you lying wench!"

"Um... I...," Lucas tried to change the subject, "I should go unload my stuff now..."

Lucas quickly turned tail and headed for the bedrooms.

"Wait!"

Kathryn ran up to him.

"I'll help."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"...Okay," Lucas reluctantly agreed. The princess shook her head and scowled.

"Please report to me after you are done."

She disappeared behind the bookshelves. Kathryn smirked. Lucas let out a sigh.

"Did you really have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Piss her off like that."

"It's been like this for years now. Don't worry about it."

"Really seems like a bad idea to me..."

Kathryn shrugged, "She's stronger than you think. I just don't get along with her very well."

"So I've heard."

"She's been talking shit about me behind my back?"

"Well, no-"

"Oh, don't worry about it. That was a rhetorical question."

"That's not what I meant."

They reached Lucas' temporary bedroom. With a creak, the door opened, and he rolled his suitcase inside. He worked quickly and quietly, unpacking all of his belongings. Kathryn peeked over his shoulder and investigated the contents inside the suitcase. She retrieved a peculiar black rectangular object out.

"This laptop's pretty old."

"Yeah, I usually just use my work pc."

"I've got a spare one if you need it, this looks like a piece of shit."

He raised an eyebrow at her comment.

"...I think I'll keep mine for now."

"Your call. You have any good games on it?"

"Not particularly."

"Tch."

"I've got spider solitaire if you're into that."

"Real funny."

"Are you gonna keep digging through my stuff or are you going to actually help me unpack?"

Kathryn grinned and kept digging through his suitcase. Clothes, sheets, and personal hygiene items flew across the room as she rummaged through his belongings. She pulled out a pair of boxers.

"Nice."

"Hey!"

He grabbed it out of her hands and replaced it with the bags of groceries he was previously holding instead.

"Make yourself useful and take this to the kitchen."

"Alright, fine. Jeez."

She gave him a wink and closed the door behind her. Lucas' headache returned.

"What's her problem?" he thought to himself. Fifteen minutes passed by quickly. Lucas' room looked less like a shady motel and more like a college student's dorm. He couldn't decide which was worse. A low grumble emitted from his complaining stomach, reminding him that all he had to eat the entire day was a small tv dinner.

"Okay, report to the princess and then grab dinner."

---

It wasn't particularly hard to find the princess' room. The red door was nearly identical to the ones at the main entrance. It resided on the second floor overlooking all of the library. Lucas had walked the perimeter of the library looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. Her room was the last place to check. He knocked on the door. A muffled voice came from inside.

"...What did you say? I didn't catch that," Lucas called out.

There were more indistinct noises followed by a loud thump. The doorknob shook, and the large red door creaked open. Emma held the door half open. Her expression was downcast.

"Hey, um, are you okay-" Lucas started.

"You have finished your task?"

"Yeah, I, uh, got all my stuff and said my goodbyes."

"Good. Your task is complete. Please come back tomorrow for new orders."

"Wait- Can we talk for a second?"

"There is nothing left to discuss."

Emma began to close the door, but Lucas jammed his foot in the entryway, forcing it open. Her brows furrowed. She scowled at him.

"...Remove your foot."

"I just wanted to apologize for Kathryn's behavior earlier, it looked like it upset you and-"

"Apologize?"

She threw the door open. Her expression twisted in rage.

"I do not want an apology from you! Do not speak for her behalf, you do not have the authority to do so. Every day has been like this for the past fifty years. If I were a lesser woman, I would have had her head removed and her entrails hung from the ceiling like festival decorations. No, I would have done so if it were any other age. But now it is just us. Is it wrong to want new company? Is it wrong to worry about your wellbeing?"

Her eyes were sharpened and focused on Lucas. Her chest heaved up and down as she took in a deep breath to calm herself. Her pale arms were shaking in rage. Every one of her words dripped with venom, and it burst out like a burst pipe. Lucas, stunned by her sudden outburst, tentatively removed his foot from her doorway. He took a step back.

"I... I'm sorry," he muttered, unsure of what to say.

"If there's nothing else, you are free to go."

---