A Flash of Red

Chapter Eleven

Harry

When I first woke up, I didn't know where I was. I looked around the room and soon remembered that I was in the basement of the library. I saw that the stacks were illuminated by outside light and wondered where it was from. I looked around without moving my head off the pillow but didn't see any windows. I then remembered that the shipping room right next door to this room had windows, meaning the sun was shining in through the doorway.

I sat up and stretched. I had slept surprisingly well, not waking up at all through the night. The watch on my wrist told me it was 8:15AM, so I decided to get up. I stood up, wobbling slightly as I stood on the mattress, and stepped onto the floor. The tiles were cold beneath my feet and I looked for my socks. I grabbed them of the shelf and slipped them on, exiting my aisle. I made a left, walking towards the shipping room. I paused outside of the sheet-covered doorway and thought I heard Tara's light breathing. I quietly continued to walk out of the room, careful not to wake her.

I was surprised to see that the hallway was dimly lit because the stacks hadn't been. I wandered down the corridor until I reach the main room, deciding to use the bathroom first. I walked into the restroom only to meet the eyes of Noah.

"Morning." I said while nodding towards him.

He didn't answer, instead drying his hands and walking out. Tough crowd.

After I had finished what I needed to do, I washed my hands, fixed my hair in the mirror, and walked towards the main room. I was met with few stares and smiles.

"Good morning, Harry! How'd you sleep?" Mrs. Wayde asked.

"Very well. And you?"

"The same." She smiled.

I felt a tug on my sweatpants and looked down.

"Morning, Trevor." I said while smiling. He stuck his tongue out at me and I returned the gesture, making him laugh and scurry back over to his mother. I waved and she smiled.

"Ah, Harry! Morning, son." Mr. Andrews said while walking into the room. "How'd the stacks treat you?"

"Pretty good. No complaints here." He grinned.

"Great. Do me a favor and flick the switch for the stacks on the generator? I didn't want to wake you." I nodded and walked over to it in the corner. It now made sense why the corridor was lit and my sleeping corridors wasn't.

I flicked the switch and looked at the rest. The traveling library room was still off, meaning that I was right when I thought I heard Tara still sleeping. The lecture room and library school was still off as well.

"Pancakes, honey?" I turned around to face Mrs. Hain.

"Please." She offered me a plate and I walked back with her to the sitting area, pulling up a bench and beginning to eat over the table. I turned around when I heard the door open behind me and saw Deanna walk in.

"Good morning, Deanna." She looked at me strangely.

"Morning."

"How'd you sleep?"

"Fine." Alright, so someone wasn't very chatty.

"Not much of a morning person, eh?" She shrugged, but sat at the table across from me. "Pancakes?" I pushed my plate towards her. She shook her head. I put another piece in my mouth.

"I'm not a bitch." I chocked on my pancake, covering my mouth.

"What?"

"I don't know what Tara's said to you but I'm not a bitch."