One Last Breath of A Loved Vampire

Chapter 29 - At the Library

                                    Chapter 29 – At the Library

          April 20 2009  

 Karin and Sakura went to the library after having their lunches. They wanted to read over their notes, since the teachers would give tests anytime soon. Not many persons were in the library around this time.

        The two girls found a table to sit. Sakura sat there while Karin went to search for history books on the bookshelves, which was pertaining to Slavery. However, she diversified as she found a black book stacked on top of the resource books. The book was entitled “The College Success Reader” and written in bold orange text.

        At first, it did not interest her, but after skimming through the pages; she became intrigued by the quality of writing and people’s experience with writing difficulties. She leaned her back against the wall that separated the bookshelves, as the story of a prisoner who grew to become an eloquent reader and writer after ten years of reading, caught her attention.

     This person could not read or write properly, much less argue his points confidently. His cellmate would win him over in debates and arguments and because of this, he was jealous. It was for this reason he became involved in reading. Overtime, he grew to love reading and he begun to study pages of the dictionary each day, by writing the words he knew in a journal along with its pronunciation.

       It came to the point where he would read for fifteen hours in the day. At nights when it was lights out, he would get angry since he would always be at an engrossing part in the book. However, this did not stop him. He would sit by the cell where a little light would shine through. At separate intervals, he had to fake sleep during the round trips of the guards.

      After they were gone, he would continue reading for hours. Most nights, he only slept for only four hours. He did not mind though since he slept less hours while living on the streets.

     As Karin continued reading, she saw that the man came across a history book, which spoke about the harshness of slavery in the 1800s. The irony, she thought. Seeing this, she knew reading this book was the right thing and maybe she would gain more inspiration when the History test comes up.

    Before she started reading again, she saw someone in her peripheral view. She looked up only to see Shoji Takuma. He greeted her with a bow. Karin did the same and then she continued reading again, but she felt uncomfortable with him still standing there.

    She began asking questions. Was he looking at her? If so, why was he? That was not possible since she walked away from him rudely the other day, she told herself.

             “Oh dear!” She just remembered her behaviour but it did not matter to her said in her mind.  “There is no need to apologize.” She nodded as she agreed with her statement.

     After that, she glanced over at him only to see that he was looking down at her. She stepped one pace backwards as her heart jumped.

            “So you speak to yourself on the inside,” he suddenly said.

     Karin gasped in her thoughts while keeping a composed expression, “He can’t read my thoughts, can he?”

            “Are you thinking to yourself that I can read your mind?”

   She tore her eyes open. “How?” she asked herself.

   He took a book down from the shelf as his lips curved up into a smile.

             “Have a nice day, Miss Meadows,” he said with a bow as he walked off.

     She watched as he stepped off. His back view was handsome as he. Her eyes became dreamy and her face flushed rosy red. She felt her hand moving independently towards him afterwards. She sighed with disappointment, after he disappeared behind the shelves. Realizing her unusual behaviour, she quickly put her hand to her side in embarrassment.

     She was not a person of this ethic so she slapped her cheek to get herself together.

             “I am not a pervert,” she said aloud.

             “You are not a pervert.”

   Karin turned around only to see Sakura with her arms folded across her chest.

             “You are definitely not a pervert. You’re just falling in love,” Sakura said.

             “Sorry to have kept you waiting,” Karin added ignoring what Sakura just said.

             “I’m telling you, you’re in love with him.”

             “Yeah, I heard you the first time.”

             “You know you do,” Sakura added as Karin walked pass her. “Hey! Are you listening?” Sakura exclaimed. She placed her hand on Karin’s shoulder to stop her.

     Sakura looked at Karin, only to see that her face was as red as cherry. Karin turned her face away shamefully. “You don’t have to tell me that I have fallen for him,” Karin said.

        Sakura smiled broadly. “Don’t worry,” she said as she placed her arm around Karin’s neck, “I support your relationship all the way.”

                 “I am not sure about him though.”

                 “He is your soul mate and I am the guardian for you. This guardian approves of your soul mate; your parents would too.”

                 “You think so?”

                 “I know so.”

    Karin was unsure since she saw Shoji and Maria together. That scene still makes her feel sadden each time she thinks about it, so she shook that thought away.

    For the remaining fifteen minutes, Karin shared the story with Sakura about the prisoner, and afterwards they went to class when the bell rang. 

                                           ************************************

  That night, while Karin was sleeping, she heard a voice in her head.

            “Come to me…”   

   She heard this repetitively until she found herself slipping out of bed. Like before, her eyes had a faded colour and her movements were slow. Sakura woke up just in time to stop her.

            “Get yourself together!” Sakura exclaimed but Karin continued to walk. “Listen to me!” Karin went even further, so Sakura decided to follow her.

     She took out her jacket along with Karin’s, since it was a cold night and then she found herself trailing behind Karin who walked into the woods once again. Sakura wondered what the cause of this was. She just had to wait a little longer to find out, she told herself.