Rolan ran down the hard, polished stairs, the sharp sound of his footfalls bounced off the cold walls and echoed throughout the empty staircase. The fire torches blazed brilliant orange, making the shadows and light flicker across his pale face. He came to the bottom of the stairs and peered down the hallway. The door at the end of the hall was ajar, spilling a warm light across the dusty floor.
Rolan crept slowly towards this door, feeling the dust in the air prickle his neck. He reached the door and poked his head around it.
The room beyond was cluttered with books upon books. The walls were covered with large shelves that started on the polished black stone floor and ended high up in the rafters in the cobwebby ceiling. Silver ladders on wheels stretched across these shelves for easy access. Two oil lamps glowed a healthy golden light as they sat on two long tables.
Rolan stepped into the library and was struck at once by the heavy silence that swirled like the dust outside in the air. He quietly closed the door behind him.
"Peta, sir? Are you here?" Rolan whispered, peering through the gloom. He spotted Peta's pointy hat at the far end of the library and made his way towards it.
He found Peta at a table with a large book in his hands. His small pupils swept from side to side as he read the book entitled, 'Mental Illnesses and Their Remedies.'
"Er... Peta... Sir? It's me... Rol..." Rolan started, but Peta shushed him, not taking his eyes of the page he was reading at an astonishing speed.
Rolan pressed his lips together to avoid any noise from escaping them. Peta let out a long breath and put the book down.
Rubbing his eyes, he opened his gaping mouth and said in a croaky voice, "What is it that you want? Obviously it's something important, as you did just break a rule..."
Rolan flinched. He had completely forgotten that Peta's library was out-of-bounds.
"I'm sorry Peta..." Rolan started, but once again Peta interrupted him;
"Do not apologise, Rolan... It's a sign of weakness."
Rolan blushed furiously. Peta grinned and leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Ur... Yeah... Um... Peta?" Rolan stammered. Peta merely focussed his placid stare on him, grinning slightly.
"Urm... You told me to... report to you when he... Phantom, that is... when he does something that upsets me..." Rolan rambled.
"So... did he?" Peta asked after a long pause. Rolan blushed.
"He acted like a child... He was all... scared..."
"Ah. Then he must've been suffering from paranoia... The second phase must be in effect... When everything will seem a threat to his life in his mind..." He frowned and stared off into the distance as if lost in a deep thought. Rolan stood, uncomfortably shifting from foot to foot.
I wonder what he is thinking about. Rolan started to wonder as Peta sighed heavily and returned Rolan's gaze.
Rolan blinked and looked away. Peta's eyes frightened him slightly. It felt like that if Rolan stared long enough into those blank eyes, he would go completely insane.
"I've been thinking... and reading... up on nervous breakdowns... and I have reached a conclusion..." Peta blinked and smiled. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his desk and resting his head on his interlocked fingers. Rolan stepped back a bit, hating Peta's analysing stare.
"Phantom is a danger to himself... and to his reputation at the moment... I mean, we wouldn't want him to be caught this weak by one of his enemies..." Peta sighed. "Anyway, as I was saying... Phantom needs to be removed from the picture for now... We have two choices; lock him away... or give him a holiday."
Peta stared pointedly at Rolan, who started and briskly nodded, blushing again.
"So what do you think?" Peta asked Rolan, repeating his hidden question more clearly.
"Er..." Rolan squeaked, terrified by being asked such an important question. "I think he should go on holiday..."
"Yes... I quite agree... We can't have him waking up locked up in a room... He would be most displeased..." Peta trailed off, grinning sadistically. "Now... we must discuss... Who is going with him?"
"I will... You can stay here so you can oversee the War Games and manage the Chess... I only need to train... which I can do while I look after Phantom... And plus, it would be an honour to take care of the man that saved my life!" Rolan said, smiling like an innocent child.
Peta shuddered visibly.
"Good. Pack your things... You leave tomorrow."
"Ok! Thank you!" Rolan beamed and skipped from the room, leaving Peta feeling sick.
