It All Started with an Apple. Subtitled: Lucifer's forbidden fruit

Chapter 6 Aelia

The library is as silent as death, which Aelia is grateful for. After logging into her time clock and booting up her computer, she placed the open sign on the front door. She sits back at the desk and starts her work. Sadly, there are fewer returns today than last week, and she truly hates that computers have replaced books. It saddens her heart that the world has become so lazy and electronic. She thinks it is a wonder that no human connection is left. This world would be the perfect playing field for the devil. The thought of the devil gives Aelia a weary feeling as a distant image plagues her mind- an image that seems vaguely familiar to her.

All thoughts seize as a loud crashing sound comes from the back of the library, causing Aelia to jump from her skin. As far as she knew, she was the only person in the library. She reluctantly gets up from her desk to walk slowly towards the sound to investigate. The silence she found comforting before is now a nuisance to her as it feeds her apprehension like fuel-fed the flames of a fire. A sudden chill in the room shoots up her spine, sending tiny shivers throughout her body.

Aelia is a mass of raw nerves when she grows closer to the back of the library, her mind trying to imagine what could have caused the bang. She turned the corner, instantly relieved to find a pile of books on the floor. Her eyes dart around several times for anything that may have caused them to fall. She reaches down to recover the fallen books, reading the titles to ensure she properly reshelves them. She finds it strange and semi-alarming that all four books are about fallen angels, demons, and Heaven and Hell. In honesty, she has no real religious preference or anything, but things about religion gave her the creeps, especially after her weird dreams lately. She looks at the books, shaking her head, then puts them back on the shelf where they belong. Still feeling wearily chilled, she sped back towards her desk, desperate to escape the shadows in the back of the library.

Aelia again sits at her desk, wishing and waiting for anyone to come in for a book. The relief on her face must be clear when several children walk mere moments after she wishes for it. They, of course, have not come to get a book. All three ask for a computer in unison. She helps each of them get logged into their chosen computer with a warm smile on her face. She is unaware that deep in the darkest shadows of the library, Lucifer is standing, trembling with the restlessness of a lion. He is in agony-desperate to again feel the rush of peace she gave to him when they kissed. He wants to get her attention so badly that he nearly reveals himself to her once more. When he accidentally bumped into the bookshelf and knocked a few books to the floor, he decided against his rash action. Tonight, he told himself, still watching her, he would hold and kiss her again disguised as Tristen.

Hours have passed since opening the library, and not many more people than the group of computer kids have come. Aelia is saddened by it yet also ready for her shift to end. She had tried unsuccessfully calling Shelby several times again, getting the same vague voicemail claiming she was soul searching. It seemed highly unlikely that shy-paranoid Shelby would go off on her own like this. Aelia kept thinking of the horrid nightmare she had about her death, so many scenarios popped into her mind. Her cell rings, bringing her from her twisted thoughts. She answers fast, hoping it is Shelby. She groans, hearing it is her boss, Scott, wanting her to come into the club and dance tonight as Shelby's replacement. He knew she hated dancing and usually stuck to bartending, only dancing when one of the official dancers could not. Regrettably, she agrees to come in an hour or two early to learn the routine for the show tonight. Accepting with disappointment that there were to be no more coming in the library today, she decided to close early.

A short while later, Aelia is dressed in her club clothes and fully ready to go; with a glance at her reflection in her mirror, she smiles in confidence that she will pull this dance off tonight. She keeps this confidence her entire drive to the club, getting out of her car to walk inside. Inside the dressing room, Aelia finds she is the only dancer there now and has no one to talk to while she touches her makeup. Confident in her look, she grabs Shelby's playlist for her performance, hoping it wasn't some weird music and dance. She is surprised and relieved to see it is neither. Ready to get it all over with, she heads out of the dressing room to get to the stage awaiting her.