Encounters with a Library Phantom
This was an assignment I had to do for English class. It's called 'historical fiction' and I got a 97 on this so I was pretty pleased. Of course it has to do with Phantom of the Opera...hehe. Enjoy!
The cool, crisp, and fresh autumn air filled Teresa's lungs as she walked towards the library. The building was now seventy-two years old at the beginning of the 2000's. The building had just been given a huge addition in '87 and the place couldn't look more beautiful. Teresa stopped at the front entry and gazed up at the 'Baker' library sign. She could remember when she was just a small girl; her mother would bring her to the library. She'd always get a couple children's books from the basement and then her mother would let her play on the computer. She took a glance through the windowpane and saw that now there were a few more computers. She smiled when she walked up the side ramp and into the library. The building looked exactly like what it did those many years ago. The librarian looked up from the desk and smiled at her.
"Good afternoon, Miss Teresa I presume?" The librarian said in a thick French accent.
Teresa nodded. "Yes, you can call me Terry if you like, and what is your name?"
"Megan Flyergold. You are part of the Library Volunteer's of America right?"
Terry nodded. "Yes I am."
The Library Volunteer's of America Association, or the LVAA, began in the late eighty's as a group of young people who would travel across the United States to help low-budget libraries. Terry had been with the association for about seven years now and she was finally glad to be back in her home town.
"Have you been provided with lodging yet?" Flyergold asked.
Terry shook her head. "No, when I got this assignment I was told you had prepared a place for me to stay."
Flyergold nodded. "Indeed I have. If you don't mind you'll be spending the nights in the library."
Terry did a double take. "The library?"
"Yes, we have furnished a bedroom in the basement across from the children's room. If you'll follow me I can set you up."
Flyergold led Terry to the basement and they went into backroom and that room led off into the bedroom. It was fully furnished, including a TV with cable. The room was decorated in crimson reds and the room had an aura of mystic surrounding it.
Terry put her bag down on the bed. Flyergold left the room with Terry close behind.
"Now at night I assume you will treat this like any house. You're more then welcome to use the computers at night and if you leave the library please remember to lock it up." Flyergold stopped short on the plush staircase leading back upstairs. She turned to look Terry right in the eyes.
"But remember, after seven o'clock computer four in the children's room is off limits."
Terry gave her a confused expression.
"Why is that?"
"My child! Haven't you heard about the phantom?"
"The who?"
"The phantom of the library!" Flyergold replied.
"I've never heard of such a person." Terry said.
Flyergold turned back around and headed up stairs.
"We mustn't speak of him at night. I will explain in the morning." Flyergold said.
Terry nodded. The two re-entered the upstairs. Not a soul was in the library while Flyergold gave Terry the rundown about what goes on in the library. The clock on the wall chimed that it was seven o'clock. Flyergold picked up her jacket and put on her black cap.
"Wait, where are you going?" Terry asked.
Flyergold turned around at the door.
"My dear the library closes at this time. I will lock the door behind me. See you in the morning Teresa."
Terry nodded as Flyergold left the library locking the door behind her. Terry glanced around the vacant library. She had never been in a library all by herself at night before, even with her work with the LVAA. A cold breeze swept past her and she involuntary shuttered.
Well maybe now I can check my e-mail. Terry thought. She walked over to the computers and then she remembered Flyergold's message.
Do not use computer four, in the basement, after seven o'clock.
Flyergold's message rang through Terry's ears. She pushed off the thoughts of any such phantom and checked her e-mail. She got on her AIM messenger and a few of her international buddies were online. She caught up with them while she surfed the web. She wanted to stay up as long as possible. She did not want to go down into the basement in case she bumped into the phantom.
Nonsense! She thought. The phantom does not exist!
She began to nod off at the computer. She checked the time and saw that it was around ten thirty.
Time flies when one is scared of make believe phantoms. She thought with a smirk.
She logged off but still did not want to go downstairs so she curled up with a book on one of the big comfy chairs in the back of the library. She only got three and a fourth of a page in when she fell fast asleep. The book dropped carelessly to her side with a muffled thud.
Terry woke up the next morning in her bed in the basement. She looked around confused and wondered how she had gotten down there. She silently got out of bed and her bare feet touched the cold floor.
What in the? I know I was wearing socks!
She left the bedroom and walked upstairs. She was about to enter the bathroom when the computers caught her eye. One of them was still turned on. She looked at it perplexed.
I know for a fact I turned that off! She said walking to the computer. Nothing else except a lone AIM message shown on the screen. It was someone by the name of 'Angel of Books'. The message was a simple hello. Curiosity overwhelmed Terry and she sat down at the computer and typed back a hello. She waited for a few seconds for a message to come back.
Good morning Teresa. I trust you slept well? The message read.
She furled her eyebrows and typed a message back.
Who are you? She asked.
My name is the Angel of Books.
Oh great, so I'm talking to a complete weirdo at 7 o'clock in the morning. Terry thought.
Please do not be frightened. A new message said.
Not be frightened? Just who in the heck are you? Terry typed back.
I am your angel.
Terry stared at the message for a few moments before even reacting.
My angel? She thought.
The library door swung open. Flyergold has arrived for the day.
"Good morning Teresa!" She exclaimed.
Terry twirled around in her chair.
"Good morning." Terry replied.
Flyergold glanced at Terry's screen. She saw the screen name.
"I see you've been conversing with the phantom." She said.
Terry glanced back at her screen.
"Oh that? I think it's just some weirdo calling himself the 'Angel of Book's." Terry said.
"That's the phantom's screen name." Flyergold said matter-of-factly. "He must like you if he's talking to you so quickly."
"Err ok." Terry replied not believing any of this.
"Tell me, what did you do last night?" Flyergold asked.
"Well when you left I went online and talked with my friends for a while. I then went in the back of the library and fell asleep on the chair reading a book. I woke up in my bed this morning to…" Terry replied.
"What were you reading?" Flyergold asked.
"The Angel of the Opera." Terry responded.
Flyergold nodded. "That is his favourite story."
"Who is this man?" Terry asked.
"We believe he is Alven W. Inman. Inman was the contractor for the library and he always loved it. We believe he's never left."
"But…that was over eighty-seven years ago!" Terry exclaimed.
Flyergold smiled.
"Phantom's work in mysterious ways my child."
Terry got a fleeting glimpse of a shadow of a man in the back of the library. She instantly knew who it was. Flyergold turned around and caught sight of Alven as well.
"Maybe he'll let you talk face to face with him." Flyergold said nudging Terry in the back.
Terry glanced at Flyergold and she nodded. Terry walked to the back of the library and watched a man dressed in black with a pink hat shelving books. Terry sighed. She knew she forgot to do that last night.
"I'm so sorry I forgot about those." She said walking over and shelving some of the books.
Alven gave a nod and continued putting books on the bookshelf. Terry continued to look at Alven.
"Are you really Alven Inman?" Terry asked.
Alven nodded. He finished putting the books on the shelf and then in a blink of an eye, he vanished into thin air. Terry looked around for him but couldn't find him. She walked back into the computer room and Flyergold sat at one of the computers typing in the day's library information.
"He vanished." Terry whispered.
Flyergold nodded. "He always does. Alven is a nice man. He always helps me shelf books and he does a heck of a scaring at Halloween."
Terry nodded. "Will I meet him again?"
"Of course you will. But remember; keep your hand at the level of your eyes."
Terry did a double take. She snapped her head back and stared at Flyergold.
"What?"
Flyergold smiled. "Never mind, it's a joke between Alven and myself. After all, Alven is the Phantom of the Library."