I had grown beyond desperate by now, things had not gone quite how I had hoped they would for my adult life. Calling it a mess.. well that would be an understatement, not to mention things only seemed to be sliding further downhill as of late.

There was no sign of it letting up anytime soon, of course, most of it was of my own doing but that hardly made me feel any better about the whole situation.

My credit wasn’t great at all as a result bills were stacking up to an unprecedented height. Everything seemed so expensive now, when it came time to pay for it. The struggle of routine appeared to have no end.

Day in and day out it was the same story, I applied to dozens of places and received nothing in response. I was desperate for work but that just didn’t translate to any new opportunities.After searching and applying anywhere I could find, I would end the day by sitting in a stupor in my room, staring at the walls as if somehow they held the answers to all of my troubles.

Then a bit of good fortune came my way.

A lunch with an acquaintance was how I first heard of Willow Village. A friend of a friend mentioned to me that he had gotten news of a place that’s hiring upstate and needed someone immediately. He told me it was out in the middle of nowhere, but it still presented a good opportunity. He had heard they were looking for a full time librarian, I was skeptical to say the least.

Even more unbelievable to me, he proceeded to state that this particular library was not only seeking a librarian, but that they also offered room and board. Supposedly it came with pretty decent pay, as well.

That was all just a little too good to be true. What the hell kind of Library covered your rent and provided food? Was there even such a thing?

It all sounded strange to me but times were desperate. A paid position that covered the massive bill that was rent? That definitely had my attention… I would be out of debt before I knew it!

I laughed at how insane it all seemed. He shrugged then gave me a phone number, telling me that they wouldn’t recieve any calls until after six pm. It sounded like odd hours for a library, but maybe there was some reason that required them to begin late? So later that evening, I was so excited that it was barely a minute after six before I had dialed the number.

The man who answered the phone… he was ancient. I could hear his voice rattle weakly, as if his bones were about to break, It was as if his entire being was about to collapse in on itself. Existence seemed to be a great ordeal for him, even though he had only posed a single question to me…

“Do you want the job?” His voice rasped hoarsely from over the line.

I was taken aback by the directness of his query. I didn’t quite know what to say at that moment. He blindsided me with his sudden approach, so I said the first thing that came into my head.

“Yes.” I replied.

“Instructions will be sent…”

Then dial tone. It was over and sealed just like that. That was the entire length of the phone call. A simple question followed by a simpler answer.

I found myself laying awake for hours that night, unable to find sleep no matter how much I tried. I had felt… different somehow…

No, that was ridiculous. It’s just a simple job, dusting off old books in an out of the way town. I reassured myself it would go well. This was going to be my big break.

It was almost sunrise before I finally fell asleep. I got a few hours of rest and by the time I finally woke up I had almost forgotten about the entire thing actually. I moved through the motions of my routine with the event not even present in my thoughts.

It was around noon on that very next day when I received a crimson envelope with no address on it. Someone had slipped it under my door without me noticing. It was a bright red that almost offended the eyes. I carried it to the couch whilst giving it a little shake. It definitely had an item in it.

Upon opening it I found that the envelope contained a train ticket that promised a trip to Willow Village. The small object I had felt was a small, unmarked and yet remarkably ornate key that I had assumed was to the library that was to be my new place of employment.

The whole situation seemed suspicious now, but I was desperate. So I sat down and began to think about the pros and cons of taking the job, another thing to consider was the strangeness of the entire hiring process. Did this friend who I barely knew expedite this for me somehow?

No one here would be a part of my life anymore, that was a plus. I hadn’t made any friends.This new place was so remote and obscure… and I was feeling like I could use a fresh start. I was tired of being trapped, both financially as well as just in this city. Never had been one for the outdoors, but perhaps that was about to change.

All this had happened under such mysterious circumstances. But I must admit, I found that part particularly intriguing. I had always lived a dull life and now that adventure was knocking, was I really about to turn it away? Not only that it was an adventure that came with an excellent monetary opportunity.

So that was that.

Packing my bags fairly quickly. It did not even seem strange to me that it had been less than twenty four hours since I had received the phone call. That should have concerned me, it should have frightened me.

Also I failed to put together that I had never even given the mysterious man on the phone my address… Perhaps the lunch friend was a solid reference.

I didn’t have anything in the apartment which I really cared for. I did take a few knick knacks that I did like however. Nothing big, just an old Hackysack procured during college and a small clay bird received from an old friend.

I called for a minicab that arrived a few minutes later. I threw my luggage into the boot before taking up a spot in the backseat. I remember feeling particularly relaxed, even after having just made a crucial life decision. Felt as if all my problems were simply vanishing behind me.

As I sat in the comfort of the car I found myself wondering about what it would be like to work in this library. The way the books would smell, the way I would go through dusting shelves and making way for the new arrivals. I would probably even get to make library cards. What a wonderful thing that would be.

As I daydreamed, I became quite weary. Something about the way that the car coasted along the road. It was the perfect amount of motion to make my eyes relax. The rumble of the engine may as well have been a fan, gently but steadily ushering me to rest.

The time stamped on the ticket let me know that it was going to be a roughly eleven hour journey, and that was only after my journey in the car would end. And so I settled back and relaxed into my seat. It wasn’t long before the sound and the steady reveberation of the vehicle moved me into dreams…

I awoke with a sudden jolt a few moments later, noticing instantly that it was now incredibly dark in my transportation. I could tell we were moving, although it felt different…

It was completely quiet and the sound of the vehicle that had put me to sleep was no more. I stood up and opened my compartment door to try to see what was happening.

Wait…

Compartment door? I had fallen asleep in the car. Hadn’t I? My memories were all a blur, I realized I was having trouble sorting through my recollections of the days events. I definitely don’t remember getting on a train and I couldn’t even remember whether or not I had paid the driver.

How long had I been asleep for? Did the driver help me on the train? No, that didn’t make any sense. It’s not like I had taken any medication or anything, I had never blacked out once in my life, yet obviously there was a stark gap in my memory, unable to account for who knows how much time. A sense of unease came over me.

I needed to find someone to help me.

Staring out into the hallway, I could see that the entire train was filled with an odd blue light that shone softly in the darkness. The captivating blue was a color like nothing I had seen before. It seemed to glimmer before my very eyes in an unsettling manner.

My mind was still mud. I felt like I had been drugged. I grabbed my bag then walked out of the compartment.

Moving down throughout the corridor slowly, a shiver ran along my spine. Desperately I wished to at least see one other human soul, but there was none. What kind of train operates with a sole passenger aboard? That couldn’t possibly be what happened I thought to myself…

There were no noises at all. No trash in the aisles. No other signs of life whatsoever. There was just me and this ominous blue light guiding my way. I walked through the train cautiously trying to wrap my head around what was happening. I warily followed the trails that lit up the way.

Finally getting to the exit sign at the end of the carriage, I watched as the door opened. Standing there for what felt like minutes I finally stepped out onto the quiet platform, why they hadn’t announced our arrival when we arrived to the station?

As soon as I had got off, the doors closed behind me. The train seemingly came to life and began on its way, slowly. As if it was dutifully awaiting my exit.

Curiously for a minute or so, I observed it moving down the track as it disappeared into the vast and empty night. I remember never feeling more alone than I did at that very moment.

Having only just arrived, I was already scared of this new place that I was supposed to call home. Having up until this point foolishly assumed that the library would be easy to discover. I prayed that I would find someone who could direct me.

I had expected some strange backwards town. This turned out to be quite the opposite. It appeared to be stuck in an era at the least one hundred years prior, yet distinctly touched with the modern world. It was all very clean and meticulously maintained.

In fact I hadn’t see any litter at all, which was a first for me after having spent most of my life in a large metro. No filth and no people. It’s like humanity had never found this place. A little town tucked away and untouched town by the countless fingers of all too many tourists.

I still had no idea where to go. A small ticket window was present, but even that was derelict. There were some benches waiting outside, spotless as if they had never been sat in. If this town were truly abandoned, surely nature would have taken its course?

Coming from out there in the distance, music had entered earshot. It sounded like… violins? The strings reverberated gently through the nightly breeze. To say I had found it quite unsettling would be an understatement. Why was there music being played, and yet not a single soul around to listen to it?

The air was a bone chilling cold. I hadn’t prepared for that. Everything about this seemed like it would not end well for me. But now that I was here, I had nowhere else to go. I needed to figure a solution out fast. I wished that I had brought a jacket, even though deep down I knew that the chill came from the solitude of this place, not from its climate.

I made my way towards what I assumed was hopefully the front of the station. Keeping my eyes peeled for anyone or anything that could help me my heart began to beat faster. I was scared of this place. I didn’t know why. That’s when I finally saw a comforting sight.

It was one of those older map signs. The ones that you used to see that stated “You are here.” Which is exactly what it said. Just a small black arrow pointed at Willow Village Train Station. At last there was some semblance of a civilized world amongst this strange place.

A vibrant yellow glow illuminated the map.I was surprised by how quaint everything inscribed on it seemed. It was a town from a much simpler time.

I saw an ice cream shop. There was a dance studio. Even a general store. I didn’t see a chain name or franchise anywhere on the map. It was as if everything was done in house.

My eyes scanned trying to find anything that I could use to help me…

There.

The Library.

It was only a couple of blocks away. I memorized the couple of turns that I would need to make. Right, left, right, left.

Seems simple enough.

My shoes tapped against the stone as I brazenly walked down the winding cobblestone streets. Against the unwelcoming breeze that permeated my very being I searched for my salvation amongst the antequated yet elegant architecture.

If I wasn’t so mesmerized that night, then I would have known that this place was wrong right then. I was lost In another world unlike any I had ever seen. The place had captured my mind but it was fear that carried my footsteps quickly through it.

Despite the anxiety this place made me feel strangely welcome. As if I was returning home after a long time away. I found it disconcerting, yet I also couldn’t shake the feeling that I somehow belonged here. Like this was where I needed to be.

There was a light layer of fog that sat at waist level. It stretched as far as my eyes could see, which was quite far considering the street was well lit with the strangest lighting I had ever seen.

The street lamps were peculiarily aglow and seemed to be following a pattern. One dim yellow light, followed by a soft blue one, then a purple one. It was like that on both sides of the streets all the way down. It would perhaps seem festive if it didn’t appear to be quite a dead town.

Soon my direction became aimless and I found myself fixated on the gentle lights, my mind adrift and I blinked as my eyes acclimated to my surroundings.

Then as if coming out of a stupor I looked at a heavy wooden door directly in front of me. My hand already outstretched with the small ornate key finding its own way to the lock.

Click.

I was in the right place, this was definitely it. The Willow Village Library. So I had arrived finally to my sanctuary after an entire day of the most strangest journey I had ever experienced.

I couldn’t see anything at all, not even my own nose in front of me. I set my bag down to the side then began to search on the right side of the wall with my hand. My heart skipped a beat as I felt a bit of panic at the thought of being trapped in this darkness, lost to this place for a lifetime.

I finally found something that felt enough like a switch then gave it a light flick. The world I had stumbled into then changed in a curiously spectacular way.

There was a sound like a strike against stone. The same sound then happened several more times. The sconces along the wall began to lit up and they had the most curious light bulbs. They were a very light blue that burned bright, then dim. Wait a minute…

Those aren’t bulbs at all. No, they illuminated differently. I walked up and realized that I was staring directly into an actual contained torch that was somehow burning a light blue flame. It would burn a vivid bright for a few moments, then dim down for about a second or two before starting all over. It created a remarkable pattern that created a uniquely comfortable glow.

Amazing. This place was still using flames for lighting. I however didn’t detect any kind of accelerant. The only thing that made any sense was the striking sound. It must have been some sort of mechanism that ignited a spark. The engineering at play here was impressive.

As for the blue flame, I hadn’t the faintest idea how they pulled that off. But it was hauntingly beautiful.

What kind of Library was this?

At the end of the foyer there were two thick sturdy oak doors. I pushed them open with a soft creaking drone that led me into a world that I had not prepared myself for in the slightest.

It seemed to be a very old library, but it was beautifully decorated. There sat a large mahogany desk in the center of the room. Around the desk was a surrounding maze of shelves that appeared to have been maintained yet also abandoned for quite some time.

I even noticed a fireplace crackling off to the side. The fire danced around the wood dangerously as if letting me know that it was there. Had someone just been here? Someone had to have lit that.

I noticed a small research station featuring those old newsreel machines. Those looked out of place as they seemed to be the newest thing in here, despite being certainly artifacts themselves. I had only recalled seeing them in films actually. I found myself excited at the prospect of learning how to use them.

I walked over to the nearest shelf then grabbed one of the books. It was lighter than I expected it to be. I didn’t see a title on the spine.

Wait… Not a book? It was a journal of some kind that I was now holding in my hands. I flipped through it and I saw scrawled words, as well as messy penmanship. Someone’s journal? Someone had left their journal in a library?

Then I focused on the shelf again. It was all journals. From top to bottom, crammed into the shelving. I turned to look at the other shelves. First to the left, then to the right. From top to bottom… it was every shelf. Journals as far as I could see. I didn’t see what appeared to be a single published book.

What was this place? What was it that was expected of me? What is it that I was supposed to be doing here? I didn’t even know who I could pose these questions to.

I walked over to the desk and noticed a small envelope with simply one word written across it in neat penmanship.

“Librarian”

I suppose that was me now. At least I think that it was? I thought that I would be meeting with someone or discussing my position with a superior of some sort. I guess that was not to be the case.

I sat down on the chair by the desk. I noticed immediately that it was incredibly comfortable, significantly better than the train seat that I had spent the day in. I slid my fingernail up against the sealed envelope before carefully sliding out a single piece of paper, a lone piece of paper that only had one word written across it. It was scrawled in the same neat penmanship that was on the envelope.

“Research”

I didn’t know what that meant. I mean, research what exactly? What is it that I am supposed to be looking for? The scarlet letters scrawling out my one word of instruction looked disconcertingly like blood. My mind was jumping to terrifying conclusions, it certainly must have just been ink.

It had been a long time since I had stopped and just read anything all the way through. Far too long, in fact. Honestly the thought of now hopefully being paid for it… I liked that. There was a small silver lining to all of this madness I suppose. Now was as good a time as ever to get started.

After carrying the journal that I brought with me to the table. I realized it was heavier than I thought it to be. Wait… Heavier?

No. That wasn’t it. It had some kind of energy to it.. It felt almost alive. I felt a tingle run up along my spine. I saw the hair raise along my arms, I felt goosebumps creeping across my skin.

Setting it down on the desk in front of me. I thumbed through the journal from the front to back. I listened to the sound of flipping paper and let it calm me down a bit. I always enjoyed moving the pages of a book, the sound always had a positive effect on me. I did that two more times before settling on the first page. I glanced down at the journal and began to read.

I stared down at the words that appeared almost as a blur. I felt them take their place deep down inside of my being. It was as if they were alive in a way. Reading those words that night may be one of my deepest regrets. Perhaps I would have a chance at escape… But this was always meant to be the way that my story begins.

I heard a noise in the back of my mind that may or may not have occurred in reality. Somehow, I knew that it was a lock. I knew that it meant that I was trapped here now. I was now seemingly captured in a place filled with countless untold stories of violence and terror. I was now living with documentations of the uncomfortably weird, as well as the absolutely terrifying.

I stared around the endless walls and the countless journals that seemed to stretch on for eternity. Inside were stories that belonged to people who were finally about to be discovered. I was finally home… I finally knew what came next for me now.

I was no longer a person that had any other purpose in this world. Something had reached out to me, for better or for worse, offering me whatever this opportunity was. I was stuck here now and with only one course of action left to take.

It was time to get to work.