X-Marks: Stealing Shadows

Crumbs

The floor of the library dangled above the school's halls like a glass bird cage. From the broad stairs, I could see the rows of never-ending white shelves filled with books.

V33 always went to the fields to play games after second meal. I never wanted to be out in the fields when we didn't have drills so I would go to the library instead.

Once in the library, I turned into the first row of shelves. On the other side, an older girl sat in a corner with a book.

She had golden skin and thick black hair that draped like pressed curtains down her shoulders. Her eyes scanned the book in one hand and the other reached into her pockets. The girl's chubby cheeks puffed in and out from chewing on a cookie.

"What are you doing here?" a nurse shouted.

The girl shot her head up from the book and slammed it shut. I hid behind another bookshelf and peeked through the open spaces. The nurse grabbed the girl by the arm and forced her to stand.

"This again," the nurse said and pointed at the crumbs that fell from the girl's uniform.

"Please, let me finish!" the girl pleaded, her almond shaped eyes teared.

The nurse snatched the book away, threw it on the ground, and dragged the girl away.

I stepped towards the book that was left open on the floor.

Inside the pages, fish of every kind swam under the bluest water. I couldn't read most of the words, but I didn't need to. The pictures showed me places and creatures I had never seen before.

I turned to the last page. Crumbs from a cookie fell at my feet. I wiped the page with my hand and shut the book. It didn't feel right to keep reading it when she couldn't.

Every day after when I opened the book to read it for myself I wondered if the girl ever finished it too.

I was answered with fresh crumbs hidden in the crease of the last page.