The Monster in the Library

As I walked into the library, I felt a pungent odour coming from the back. It smelt like rotting flesh and was beginning to make me nauseous. I closed the door behind me as I walked ahead, covering my nose with my hands, not knowing what to expect. At the entrance to the back, there was broken glass all over the floor. I walked around it and, as I reached the back, I saw a dead body lying on the floor with its hands covering his face.

I recognised the body by the clothes it was in; it was Lawrence de Silva, the library’s security guard.

‘What happened here?’ I asked myself.

The smell was even stronger there—almost unbearable. I looked around; there was a grubby beige backpack on the floor and some envelopes which looked like they contained letters. I walked to the front of the library and was about to call the police, but then I heard a noise. It came from between the book racks behind me.

My heart began to race. I reached for my pepper spray as I turned around, but I was caught off guard by a creature out of this world. It grabbed me by my throat, but I sprayed pepper spray into its eyes. It then dropped me down, groaning in pain.

I knew the pepper spray wasn't enough, so I chanted a Vanquishing Spell. It didn't work. I then chanted an Asphyxiation Spell; that didn't work either. I ran off and hid behind the racks, thinking of what to do next while trying not to panic. It came around, sniffing me out. I then dropped a rack on it before running ahead.

“I will get you, you witch!” it yelled in Sozarian tongue—the language of an ancient race of monsters I had never encountered before. But I knew what to do.

I rushed into the open as it chased after me. I stood in front of it and chanted a Firebolt Spell, setting it ablaze. It screamed in agony as it went up in flames before me. I quickly cleaned up the mess before calling the authorities.

I was questioned by Inspector Gavin Daniels. He looked at my neck and asked me what happened and whether I was attacked. I was panicking inside. But right then, my friend and coworker, Janice, walked in.

“What happened, Onella?” she asked.

“And who are you?” the inspector inquired.

“She’s my coworker,” I replied.

“Alright, and what about the attack?” he asked.

“Yes, I was attacked,” I replied.

I suggested that the killer may have returned to the scene of the crime because he had left something behind. Inspector Daniels seemed convinced enough by the end of our conversation. He also asked me what the killer looked like, but I said I didn’t see his face.

I was relieved that he believed my story. He gave me his card and asked me to call if I remembered anything else that was relevant to the case.