"Death is my business and business is good!" I yelled, pinwheeling my arms. "There's a grave robber at large, Ripping bodies from hallowed ground; Desecrate those who rest in peace, there's profit to be made from the recent deceased! Woo!" I screamed, stomping on the floor. I did a fast air guitar and spun around...Sending my iPod flying. " Well, damn." I said, and trotted over to where it laid on its side."VIOLETTE!" I heard my mother scream. I picked up my iPod and flung it down on my bed, my feet already running. When I reached the living room on the first floor, my mother was sitting on the sofa, as near to the a/c as possible. " Paul wants to know if you want to go to the library with him, " Mom said, cleaning her glasses. "Sure." I said, rubbing my eye. (I had gotten new contacts, and they were taking some getting used to.) "Well then go get ready, hes leaving in 20 minuets." "Alright, I 'll be done soon." I said and walked back upstairs, trying to hide my giant grin. Truth is, I love the library, and was more then happy to go with my dad. I picked jeans, my 'irrelephant' shirt , and snagged a pair of my favorite golden flats. I brushed my wavy hair into some sort of order. I glanced at myself and smiled; I loved my dark green eyes. " I'm ready!" I shouted, swinging my body around the door-frame. "Then come on down! We've been waiting for you." My dad yelled up the stairs, a grin on his voice. "Coming!" I said, and walked to the stairway as I walked out the door, I jammed my iPod into my pocket. Just as my hand touched the banister, a warm rush of air blew past my neck, and I distinctively heard my ears pop. I froze, trying to see if I could recreate the minor breeze by shaking my hair or walking to fast. Nothing. I was about retrace my steps, when my father called me. " Violette? You coming down soon?" "Uh...COMING!" I said, way too loudly. " Lower your voice, Vio. We're not that far away." My mother chimed in, her tone chiding. "Sorry," I said, rushing clumsily down the stairs. "Glad you're here. Now lets go. Bye, sweetie," He said casually to Mom. "Bye Mom." I parroted, closing the door behind us. She waved as we left. The walk to the library was a contented silence, both of us dreaming about the ten books we would check out that day. "Yes!" I crowed when the library loomed into sight. I ran ahead of Dad and wrenched one heavy door open.
"Ok, see you," I said to him, and he nodded. I went downstairs and he went upstairs. I headed to the Teens/Rare Book area, and he went to the Novel/Comic section. I loved the Teen/Rare book section, partly because it had the books I wanted, but still retained that old, dusty, history-ish feel. I went around methodically, picking out my top five: Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, Maximum Ride, Johnny The Homicidal Maniac and, much to my embarrassment, New Moon. Good. I glanced around: There were no other books I wanted, and yet I had two more hours til my Dad was done. I put my books down on the only table around and wandered around for a few minuets. I stepped up to the glass cabinets of the rare book section, reading the spines. Then the same gust I had felt at the head of the stairs: That same hair raising warmth. A little creeped out, I quit reading the spines and sat at the table. I rested my head on its surface, studying the cracks and bumps on the top. I closed my eyes and drifted off, breathing in the scent of old books. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I remembered was a soft nudge on my shoulder and a delicate voice urging me to wake up. I cracked open my lids and saw this ... thing. I sat up, my hand automatically wiping at the damp spot my deep breathing had created. I tipped the chair backwards, with me still on it, and crawled backwards til my back hit the wall. Since I had put some distance between myself and the thing, I took time to study it. It had a vaguely human, female shape, like an extremely smudged pencil sketch. "Uh?" I said, my throat unable to communicate the more advanced, almost brave statement of 'Explain yourself'. The thing held out a blurred hand, and drifted closer to me. I bolted upright, and just as I turned to run, a crushing feeling of lethargy and indifference hit me. "What do want?" I slurred, feeling drowsy now as well. The thing swept closer to me, and I felt my conscience fail. Aw hell, I though as I slipped into unconsciousness.
I fell through a large cavernous tunnel, my stomach turning just as fast as the rest of me. The tunnel ended in what looked like a seven by seven square space. A kind of peach-colored bar lay in the middle, about 5 and a half feet long. The middle had black and green stripes, and so did the ends. As I got closer I saw it was a girl, laying totally still. Her eye were open and blank,and I started to worry that I would smash into a fresh corpse to cushion my fall. I got closer... And smashed directly through her. Reread that. Through her, not into or next to her. Through. And then all of a sudden, I was her. I rolled over to see where she had went, and realized I was wearing her dress, which was black with a green bow in the middle. I ran my fingers through my hair nervously, which felt...kinda ... straight. I gasped and looked around for some kind of explanation. The only thing anywhere was a softly glowing rectangular light, which morphed into a door as I watched. I stood and clumsily grasped the knob and turned it...
And stumbled into the most glorious manor I had ever seen.(I had only seen one manor before this, but this one primarily took the cake.) "Wow..." I said, stepping softly onto the gleaming smooth wood floor. My feet made no sound, and only then did i notice that I was wearing what appeared to be satin black flats. Me. The girl who had worn nothing better then leather boots (not that it was that important). The place seemed eerily still, like the air had petrified. I felt that stupid breath of warm air again and I whirled around. The thing was there again, and it seemed as shapeless and dreamy as it had in the library. It held out a limb, I'm guessing am arm and opened its hand (I think). In its crude palm , gleaming silver and purple, was my iPod, fully charged. "Ohhh..." I said breathily, leaning forward in spite of myself. I reached out and took it gently, and slipped it into a pocket on the dress. Feeling more cheerful this time, I said conversationally to the thing "So what is it? Why do you need me?"
"For a favor." A surprisingly soft voice emanated from the creature. "I need you to-" the thing paused and stepped closer- "Retrieve these four items." She gestured quickly, and four holographic images drifted from her hands. I could clearly see each object as it formed- a wooden ballerina doll; looked antique, a decorated knob, a bejeweled egg that more or less the same price as the manor, an- the creepiest thing out of all- a huge, painful looking blade."So, where- and how- am I gonna get this stuff," I said, waving my hand at the images "and why?" "Why?" She repeated, confusion evident in her voice. "Yea, WHY?" I shouted, stepping closer to her- it. "Why did you bring me here? Why did you pick me? And most importantly,what is happening to my world? I'm sorry." I said, after a long dropping my arms. "Since you apologized to me, I will tell you." I waited, not saying anything. "First, I chose you because you have all the merits you need for this journey," The thing said, and I had to ask: "Couldn't there be a person more...eh... equipped for this type of stuff?" "I'm sure there is someone," "- then could you get them? I'm not exactly made for this type of travel, you know." I quipped, "-but there's no more time."