Hi everyone! I've been neglecting to write in my usual little chapter intros for this story so far, but I think I'll try to do that from now on...unless it bothers anyone? :)
I'm really excited that I've moved on to a different story and I'm really eager to get it all written down! Please don't be afraid to review or message me with any questions or comments you may have! Like I said in my other story, I love to hear from you guys!
Keira stood behind the large desk chatting with one of the regular library visitors when she heard a loud crash from the lower level of the building. She flicked her gaze to Cindy who had been assisting another woman with a stack of books. Cindy flashed Keira a flustered look as she shifted uncomfortably with the books and Keira quickly excused herself from the girl in front of her.
Keira ran through the library, darting past confused students and visitors. When she reached the stairs, a figure emerged from the now darkened lower level.
"Mr. Zeddemore! What is going on down there?!" She asked shrilly. He coughed and struggled to catch his breath.
"Ray says you've got to evacuate the library."
"Ray? Dr. Stantz?" Keira asked confusedly. "But I thought Dr. Spengler said there was nothing here!"
"That's what we thought. But it was just laying low until Egon just happened upon it. It's pretty bad."
"I don't understand…" Keira said slowly. Winston gently shoved her back in the direction she'd come.
"Just get everyone out of here! Oh! Hey!" He said as he pulled her back. Her blue eyes were wide as she attempted to peer over the man's shoulder to see what the sudden commotion of flashing lights was down in the room below.
"Mr. Zeddemore?" She asked. Winston rolled her eyes.
"First names please, it'll make everything easier. Winston." He said as he gestured at himself. "I want you to get everyone out of here but…do it in a manner that's quiet and orderly. Ray thinks we can contain it down here with no trouble but in the off-chance we can't…we don't need this thing getting riled up with hundreds of people screaming and running."
Keira stared at the man in front of her, contemplating what was really happening. She glanced once more at the descending stairs over Winston's shoulder and could see a bright flash and sparks hitting the ground. One of the other three Ghostbusters yelled, which was followed by another loud crash.
"I'll do what I can." Keira said as she rushed back to the large open reading room. She scurried from table to table, relating that the library was closing early on the Ghostbusters' orders and to most everyone she confronted, that seemed to be explanation enough. Cindy noticed what she was doing after a few minutes and rushed over to the young librarian.
"Keira, what's going on down there?!" She squeaked.
"I don't know. They just told me to evacuate the building." Keira said as she helped a young elementary school boy to repack his belongings into his backpack and gave him a gentle push towards the exit.
"They found something? Keira, you were right!" She said almost excitedly. Keira frowned.
"I didn't see anything, just flashing lights and what could have been special effects. I still don't know what to think." Keira said. Cindy gave her a frown but then hurried to the other side of the library to find other people to warn.
Cindy called her mother when the library had been cleared out, which seemed to have been a terrible idea because that caused the elderly former librarian to worry. When Cindy had hung up the phone with promises to come right over to her apartment, Keira tried to hide her reluctance.
"Keira…would you mind waiting for them to finish down there? It shouldn't be long…just lock up after them." Cindy said with an apologetic smile. "I'm really sorry, but I need to go."
"Sure, I'll do it." Keira said, following Cindy out of the building. She watched as Cindy hailed a taxi and disappeared down the busy afternoon street. Keira plopped down on the paved stairs to wait out the Ghostbusters' return.
She didn't have to wait long.
Keira could still hear the loud crashes and they sounded like they were on the ground floor now. She could hear the four men shouting at each other as they ran through the library.
"Look out!" Someone shouted from behind where Keira sat on the library steps. She leapt to her feet as a flash of green erupted through the door, shattering bits of glass which tinkled to the stairs below. Keira's eyes widened as she saw the spirit flying towards her.
Even in the afternoon bright sunlight, the thing was glowing with a bright shade of green. The dark eyes of the creature darted around as it rapidly considered it's escape route and then it spotted Keira. The girl let out a terrified scream as she spun around and rushed down the stone stairs in front of the library.
"Keira!" One of the Ghostbusters called out from behind her as they ran down the stairs in pursuit of the ghost.
Keira had almost reached the bottom of the stairs when she felt a strong force shove her off her feet. She was airborne for all of three seconds before she skidded to the sidewalk below. The breath was knocked out of her and she gasped uselessly for air until she felt a cold presence surrounding her.
"Don't move…" A voice hissed in her ear. Keira, still on the ground struggling for breath, froze and opened her mouth in shock as the cold presence seemed to fully overtake her. Her sight grew cloudy but she finally caught her breath and she gasped in lungfuls of air and pushed herself to her knees.
"We lost it! Where did it go?!"
"I don't know! My eyes were still adjusting!"
"Hey, Keira! You alright?"
Ray was the first to reach the downed librarian and he placed his hands under her arms to help her up.
Keira struggled to reply, but her head was swimming. She could see the Ghostbusters in front of her gazing into the sky and surrounding areas for the disappeared ghost. She flicked her eyes back to Ray who was looking her over worriedly.
"Hey, it slimed you! You feeling okay?" He said gesturing to her knees and arms. Keira looked down at her arms and could see that nearly her whole body was coated in a strange cold green slime. She frowned and looked back up at him confusedly.
"I feel…weird…" Keira said, blinking through the glaze in her eyes. She suddenly felt a wave of dizziness flow through her and she stumbled slightly.
"Yeah, that's normal for someone having just been slimed. It's not pleasant but so far not dangerous." Ray explained as he helped her stand once more. "Hey, you're bleeding too. Let me get you to the car where we can check you over…"
Keira slumped against him weakly but then suddenly felt herself draw back away from him.
"No, no…" Keira found herself saying. "I'm fine, Dr. Stantz, thank you."
Ray took a step back as she shoved him away. He blinked as she scraped some of the slime from her arms and clothing, not flinching when she looked down at the blood on her elbows and knees.
"Okay…" Ray said.
"Ray, the readings are still present." Egon said as he approached the two people, meter in hand. Ray glanced down at the device in Egon's hands and shook his head in awe.
"We'll have to keep looking. It's gotta be hiding around here somewhere." Ray said. He glanced back up at Keira who was watching them with interest. "Miss Jackson just had her first encounter with a ghost. Now how do you feel about us?"
"I guess I'm just…amazed that what I had always thought of as fiction was just proven to me to actually exist." Keira said slowly. She was still feeling dizzy, but her body seemed to be more steady now.
"Glad it was you and not me." Peter said, joining to group and taking in her slimed outfit. He had made a quick run around the outside of the building, but had returned finding nothing. Winston had gone with him and was equally baffled.
"The day's not over yet." Winston said. Peter shrugged.
"We'll get someone to fix the doors, Miss Jackson. You go on home and shower. Call us if you feel or see anything again." Egon said. Ray nodded and then led the group back towards the strange ambulance parked near the curb. They seemed to be rummaging around in the back of the car for other equipment and then after finding what they must have decided they needed, they headed back up towards the library.
Keira stared after them and then slowly headed on her way back to her apartment several blocks down from the library. She figured no cab would be willing to stop for her in the condition she was in.