Page 5 - WOTS 59

“The day of the meeting, I A bit of the ceiling falls onto the
confidently dressed myself in my journal and Ryan throws the book
best suit, rehearsed my speech, and across the room in a fright. Looking
marched to the conference room up, he sees nothing, but no longer
with an iron resolve. When I feels safe tucked away in such an
arrived, I took a moment to gather obscure part of the library. He gathers
myself, knocked on the door, and his books and quickly heads down to
waited for a response. The din of the lobby to check out.
voices inside quieted for a moment
and I held my breath. However, The End?
after a few moments, the Ryan taps his foot in agitation while
professors began talking once waiting in line. Careful not to make
more. I was indignant. I decided eye contact with anyone, he moves to
that the matter was important the front and lets his books thud onto
enough that I would simply let the counter. The student worker
myself into the meeting and slowly and methodically checks each
apologize later. book, enters Ryan’s information into
I swung the door open and had the computer, and spits out a due
to catch my breath. All of the date in a slow, droning voice. Ryan
teachers’ heads were popped open checks over his shoulder several times
just as the Chancellor’s had been, during the process and gathers up his
and each had a mangy, diabolical- books when they are done being
looking squirrel sitting at the helm. checked. Quietly thanking the
Thinking quickly, I slammed the student, Ryan catches the name tag of
door—just as they all turned their the student who checked out his
heads to assess my identity—and I books as he turns and heads for the
ran as fast as I could.” door. He can almost feel his blood run
cold as he recognizes the name: E.
Conclusion: Inconclusive WARREN.
Ryan is now too engulfed in Moving as quickly as he can
the story to question the validity of without drawing too much attention,
Edward’s writing. He flips a few pages and skims for any hint Ryan practically sprints out of the library. Pausing for a
of the squirrel conspiracy being solved, or at least some kind moment on the front lawn, books in hand, he turns back to
of closure on how Edward handled the situation. the building, questioning if he really saw what he thinks he
What he finds is that Edward’s obsession was growing. saw. He spies a silhouette of the student who just checked out
Edward continued to journal his thoughts on the matter his books, and for a split second, it looks as if the top of his
including a wide array of possible explanations followed by head is open... almost like the hatch of a submarine.
plausible solutions. The last few pages consisted of Edward
writing down every waking thought for fear of losing his
sanity. Ryan skimmed quickly across the old, yellowed page
about a research paper Edward was writing on the fabled
Inamabilis Sciurus Hirundinis, or Leech Squirrel.
“I know that if I can find the book I am looking for, I can
prove that this beast exists and free the campus from its
tyranny. I am on the top floor of the library in the last row of
books, and I know it is here.”
Ryan gulps as he realizes that he is in the same exact
spot Edward had been when he wrote those words.
“Aha! I have found it! Oh no…I am hearing what
sounds like thousands of feet…thousands of tiny, terrible
squirrel feet scurrying in the ceiling above me. They know.
They know I am close to uncovering their schemes! I fear
looking up, but I know I must.”
The page was blank after that. Ryan frantically flips through
the remainder of the pages, but there is nothing. Suddenly, he
thinks he hears something in the ceiling above him. He holds
his breath, fearing to look up at the ceiling, but knowing he
must.
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