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T h e H o l l o w s O f
H I R A E T H
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"Woah, that's a lot of followers," Toby exclaimed from behind me and I winced as the loud noise hit my ears. "Are you, like, a celebrity—or something?" He then continued to ask and I rolled my eyes, deciding to ignore him.
We had walked a long way down a corridor—of which I never knew existed—and came to a stop by a door. I had logged into my old Instagram account, still not being able to shake the habit of doing so or the memories of my old life.
I half followed Toby down a dimly lit corridor and half scrolled through the pictures on my feed. The corridor that we were making our way down reminded me of the one that Jameson and I had walked down last night—the night of the most recent attack. I shivered at the remembrance and decided instead to look at the pictures.
Toby stopped and opened another door, leading to a staircase that was also similar to the one Jameson and I had walked down and up.
"You sure you aren't going to murder me?" I asked him for the twentieth time, just to be sure, and Toby laughed.
"Pretty sure." He responded. Suddenly, something whacked me in the arm and I stumbled back at the impact. The door.
I looked up to see Toby cackling his head off. I wish I could decapitate that head. I was fuming as I pushed the door off me and shimmied through. I cradled my injured arm as Toby continued to laugh.
"First you don't have the manners to hold the door for me, then you have the decency to laugh?" I exclaimed, throwing my arms in the air. Toby stopped laughing eventually, but a smirk was left on his face. He walked away, an almost inaudible apology trailing after him. I rolled my eyes but followed him down the stairs.
I returned to my Instagram feed to see–
"Toby!" I shrieked as I realised what I had done. Toby jumped at the shriek and looked up to face me. I walked down the steps so that I was one higher than he was, giving me extra height to be slightly taller than he was, and more intimidating.
"You made me like someone's picture!" I shouted at him and stuck out my phone for him to see in front of his face. Toby rolled his eyes and started to descend the stairs again.
"Isn't that what Instagram is for?" He commented and I groaned whilst I face-palmed.
"Not when you're supposed to be kidnapped somewhere!" My voice shrilled and Toby stopped in his tracks. When I had gone missing off the face of the earth, the police had 'suspected' that I had gone missing, but some people here in the academy were just claimed as dead right from the start. For example, Avery, born and raised in Brighton, was recorded as dead, the police having had a 'witness'—probably a fake one who worked for the academy—that she had been taken under by a ripping current in the sea.
This was big. The whole outside world believed I was missing. Part of the police force may know the truth, but to an everyday person on my feed, most probably someone I knew? My account liking their picture could sell me out—after it freaks the person out.
I used the moment of which Toby was actually dead silent to scold him even more. "I obviously accidentally liked it when you couldn't be bothered to hold open the door!" I shouted down the stairs at him, hoping he could see my fuming facial expression in my words.
He turned around to face me, "Shit." He murmured under his breath as he scratched the back of his neck. My blood is seriously boiling right now. What the hell is wrong with this guy?
"You may have just sold me out to the entire world and your only input is 'shit'?" I retorted, not believing the childishness of this boy.
"Just unlike it." Toby advised, a frantic edge to his voice. I groaned, steam about to blow out from my ears.
"Yes, because unliking the picture is all I need to do to convince people that I didn't like the picture in the first place!" I lost control of my voice and ended up shouting at him. Good; he deserves it.
"Alright, alright." Toby held up his arms in mock defence. "Sorry." He apologised and I shook my head at him. I went to unlike the picture but my thumb hesitated. It was Alexi's picture. I had just liked my best friends picture. She would not forget this.
The picture was of her and Carter, they were outside in Alexi's garden having one of our annual barbecues. I say annual; they happened quite regularly in summer. I smiled at the memories of our summer barbecues.
Carter and Alexi had set up a white marquee and decorated the inside with colourful bunting. I immediately grinned when I saw the bunting, with fairy lights weaved through, strung all along the top; they were my favourite decoration. Alexi was holding a fork which had a sausage stuck to it with a wild grin on her face and Carter was sitting next to her with a chefs hat on.
I giggled at my odd friends and scrolled down to see the caption.
'She would like the decorations.'
Alexi had wrote, followed with Carter's username and several emojis. I saw that she had tagged someone in the photo and I frowned, eager to see who. I pressed the screen, careful not to like the picture again. It was me.
She had tagged me in the chair next to Carter. That's when I noticed that they had also decorated the chair with more colourful bunting and fairy lights too, along the top and down the sides. Tears pooled in my eyes and I powered off my phone to avoid any emotions from pouring out.
I looked up to see that Toby was no longer there, however, he was quite a few flights down. I admired his ability to leave a girl alone with her misery. I honestly didn't mind though; I needed a few stairs to think and calm down.
I eventually caught up to him and we walked into what looked like a very old, very ancient library. I wrinkled my nose, the smell of dust overwhelming my nostrils.
The lights flickered on and I had to blink to get used to the exposure change. I could see the room a lot clearer now, there were many dusty bookshelves, and a massive rectangular table sitting proudly in the centre. I walked in and smiled at the atmosphere.
"Sorry about the photo." I turned around and raised my eyebrows when I heard the second apology.
Although still angry, I brushed him off. "It's fine, I never should've been logged in anyway." I told him sincerely and Toby frowned slightly.
"Then why were you logged in?" He asked me and I swivelled back around to avoid the question.
"To check up on my thousands of followers." I finally answered with a hint of humour in my voice. Toby laughed from behind me. I gazed up at the millions of books on the shelves, my jaw open and my eyes wide.
"Why are the two libraries separated?" I asked Toby, who had stood next to me in my moment of awe as I stood gawking at the shelves upon shelves of books.
"Because this one is a secret." He told me and I turned to face him. I stopped short and grimaced when I saw a smirk on his face.
"We aren't allowed to be here, are we?" I mentally slapped myself. Well, where else would I get answers from than a place that's out of bounds?
"Of course not." I could practically hear the smirk in Toby's voice as he pulled a book from the shelf.
"Where do I even start?" I asked under my breath as Toby walked over to the table and took a seat. I gazed up at the many books, are these all about the same thing? I don't think I've ever seen so many books about the same thing before in my life.
"Just pick one and read. If it doesn't answer any questions then put it on a pile on the table." Toby advised me and I sighed, this is going to be a long day.
"So we are going to have a 'not useful' pile?" I inquired, and without waiting for a reply, I continued with my humorous remark. "Can we put you on it?" I asked Toby, looking at him with raised eyebrows. Toby gave me a deadpanned look, which I took as a no.
I picked a random book that looked very mystical and ancient and plopped down on a seat that was opposite Toby's.
"What do you know about this place?" I asked Toby as I opened the book, referring to the academy. Toby stopped reading to look up at me.
"About as much as you. No one ever gets told anything 'round here." Toby sighed and I nodded. Well, I guess my only source of answers are in these massive, very dusty, books. And if that wasn't already wonderful, the brother of the schools bad boy is helping.
Sounds like fun.
Maybe Jameson would like to join in.
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wouldn't that just be kinky
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE
yes bruf
so bloomin excited
Guess what I put on my Christmas list
BOOKS.
In the Wattpad fashion.
#ilikeyourstyle
can I just say ITS GETTING MYSTERIOUS UP IN HERE
Mystery/Thriller thoughhh
Until next time
–I'm a human
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Next update: ...The snows coming down...I'm watching it fall...
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BABY PLEASE COME HOME
(Based off memory ik I missed a bit)
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE SPOILER:
Did #Skoby find anything?
I've said such a thing before,
But could danger still be lurking 'round the door?