CURIOSITY

Bianca turned back. I ducked behind the shelf.

Did she see me?

No.

***

It all began when she started making excuses to go out in the night, like sleepovers, shopping etc. But she only arrived exactly on midnight.

My parents had gone for a trip, so they knew nothing about it. But I was suspicious.

So that night, I secretly followed Bianca. Several minutes passed, we kept on walking, but her pace never slowed down, like a robot. My legs were sore, I was thirsty, but I was burning with curiosity. Where was she going?

Dark clouds loomed over our heads. The cold breeze sent shudders down my skin. My glasses were condensed with mist. Silence, except the noise of her heels.

Wait…where was I? This wasn’t my neighbourhood or the mall. I must’ve been miles away from home. Too late to go back now.

In the distance, few dark houses were visible. There was no moon. But Bianca kept sauntering forward, as if she’d memorized the whole path.

The cold wind blew harder. Rubbing my arms vigorously, I stalked Bianca.

After a few minutes, my eyes began to adjust. We were on a deserted road. No streetlights, no vehicles. The shops were closed.

Where was I? And how long were we walking?

I stumbled. My legs were stiff. My throat was dry; I wanted to cough so badly. My eyelids were getting heavier.

Out of nowhere, a man with a shaggy beard blocked Bianca’s path. I abruptly stopped and hid behind a tree. I peeked out.

“Why are you always heading to the banned library?” the man growled. “You can’t be a reporter, it’s–”

The next second, the man shouted in pain, falling on his knees. He clutched his stomach, moaning.

My sister just avoided him and continued to stroll forward.

I trudged behind her but the man stopped me. He looked at me with teary eyes. “Please, wait.”

I bit my lip. I really wanted to help him, but Bianca was getting out of sight.

The man just handed me a scissor, and then fainted.

I didn’t know what to do with it, so I just kept it in my pocket and continued to stalk Bianca, feeling guilty of leaving the man there.

At last, she stopped in front of an empty shop. There was a sign: BANNED. NO ENTRY.

Was this the banned library that man was talking about?

Bianca’s head was tilted, as if in a trance. She went in and disappeared. Without thinking, I tiptoed behind her.

There was no furniture except a few empty bookshelves. At the corner of the room, there was a flight of stairs.

I could hear her heels’ clip-clops; she was climbing to the second floor by now.

I climbed cautiously. I glanced in. It was another room with empty bookshelves. But there was only one book. Strange.

My sister’s back was towards me. She was whispering something. It was so angelic, so melodious…

A spider jolted me back to reality. I yelped and shooed it off.

Bianca raised her hands, and that strange book floated out of the shelf.

I gasped.

The book hovered towards her and stayed in front of her, suspended in mid-air. Was she trying a magic trick?

When I stepped in, the floor creaked. Bianca checked back over her shoulder.

And that’s how I ended up hiding behind the shelf.

She returned her attention back to the book, and resumed whispering. Suddenly, light exploded in front of her. Unfurling slowly out of the book, was an arching, tall, horned and winged…shadow.

I stumbled back. The shadow began to grow, like a nightmare.

Was I hallucinating?

The shadow waved its arm. Bianca flew backwards and landed with a thud. She blinked. “Oh no …”

“So close to freedom,” he hissed. “Now, just a minor touch.”

Bianca’s eyes widened. ‘No, please, don’t-’

He raised his fist. Bianca shrieked, pressing her head.

He was torturing her. I had to stop him.

I tried pushing a shelf. Creaking, it tilted... but it went right through the shadow.

The shadow’s attention was on me now.

I tried to run, but then a sharp pain exploded in the back of my head, as if I was hit by a brick. I pressed it harder to cool it down but then something yanked my leg, sending my crashing to the floor. My jaws clashed with my teeth.

Bianca was still screaming. But she was slowly advancing towards the book. I understood.

I slipped my scissors through the floor. It slid beneath the shadow, unnoticed, as it reached Bianca. Yes!

Somehow, I stood up. “Is that-?”

A powerful force knocked me sideways, twisting my ankle. My forehead hit the floor, bleeding.

That was when Bianca tore the book with the scissor.

The shadow roared. But it was already weakening. It was shrinking. Yes!

Finally, he disappeared.

Before I could stand up, the library was shaking; the roof was cracking.

“RUN!”