03.VERDOUX
1197 Words
"Where is your library here?" Xiandra asked a student walking alone in the hallway.
"Over there at the end," the student replied, pointing to a large, wide door.
Xiandra let out a sigh of relief. She had thought she had taken the wrong hallway.
"Thank you very much," she responded with a smile before proceeding toward the library.
With anticipation, she grasped the door handle and gently turned it.
THE SCENT of paper was the first thing that greeted her senses, but what truly caught her attention was the sight before her.
Xiandra beheld a vast and extraordinary library.
Unlike the other libraries she had visited, this one was unparalleled. From the ceiling, walls, and furniture to the floor—its design resembled a palace fit for a king and queen in England. Everything was made of luxurious wood and stone.
The entire library was bright and airy, thanks to the grand chandelier hanging above and the few windows that allowed fresh air to flow inside. Meanwhile, the towering bookshelves surrounding the room resembled staircases leading to the roof, filled with various books and reading materials.
"Do you need anything, miss?"
She froze and searched for the source of the voice.
Xiandra saw a woman sitting at a rectangular table piled with books.
"If you don't need anything, you may leave this room," the woman said coolly, busy wrapping a book.
Xiandra was momentarily speechless. She wasn’t sure who the woman was referring to. She glanced at a student searching for a book on a shelf to her left before turning her gaze back to the woman. She stiffened when she realized that the woman was staring straight at her.
"I'm talking to you, miss," the woman said. "What do you need?" She scrutinized Xiandra from head to toe, as if assessing her entire being.
"You're clearly not just a mere student here, and you're certainly not a teacher—you’re not even wearing a uniform," the woman added before lowering her glasses. "Tell me, what are you doing here, and how did you get in?" she demanded.
Xiandra offered a small, polite smile before stepping closer.
"Good morning," she greeted respectfully. "I am Xiandra Moyer. I am temporarily filling in for Mrs. Lopez."
The woman hesitated at her words, but her stern expression remained unchanged. She sat back, her scrutinizing gaze never leaving Xiandra.
"What do you need?"
Only then did Xiandra remember the document, Mr. Gvariano had given her earlier. She retrieved it from her envelope.
"I was hoping to borrow books for the subjects listed here," she said as she handed over the document.
The woman briefly glanced at the paper before raising an eyebrow and looking back at Xiandra. She snatched the paper from Xiandra’s hands, put her glasses back on, and read its contents.
"So, you're teaching history subjects," she remarked.
Xiandra nodded. "Yes. I handle third and fourth-year classes."
"I already knew that. That room over there," she gestured toward the lone door on the left side of the library. "Go inside. The books you're looking for are on the farthest shelf." She handed back the document.
"Thank you," Xiandra replied courteously.
FOUR BOOKSHELVES filled with books greeted Xiandra in the four corners of the room, which was about the size of a classroom. In the center stood a large round table surrounded by chairs. The room had an aged appearance—its design seemingly dating back to the Spanish era. Thanks to the open windows, the space remained well-lit as Xiandra observed her surroundings.
She stepped closer to the shelves.
Finding the books she needed was fairly easy. She had four subjects to teach the next day, and a single book per subject wouldn’t suffice. To be certain, she took every history book related to her upcoming lessons. The more, the better.
XIANDRA BECAME ENGROSSED in reading, her attention fully fixed on the books—especially the last one she had picked up. The cover was damaged, but the title was still legible.
The History of Citta Miasto.
The title sparked her curiosity, but she hesitated for a moment. She wanted to read it but couldn’t bring herself to open it.
"This is far from what we'll discuss tomorrow," she muttered in disappointment. "I’ll just borrow it next time," she added before returning the book to the shelf.
"Ow!" she yelped.
A thick book suddenly fell, unexpectedly striking her left shoulder. The impact was strong enough to make her groan in pain.
Clutching her aching shoulder, she picked up the book lying on the floor with a puzzled expression. Perhaps it had fallen from the topmost shelf.
The book was large and thick, its faded pink cover worn with age. As she flipped through its pages, she noticed that all the text was handwritten, though she paid little attention to the content.
She took it to the table and dusted it off with her palms. It was incredibly dusty—it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in ages.
"What kind of book is this?" she wondered as she continued inspecting the cover. "Maybe it could help with my lesson tomorrow."
But she found no title except for the small engraved words at the bottom of the cover.
"V-Verdoux."
Xiandra squinted at the unfamiliar word. She had no idea what it meant. Overcome with curiosity, she opened the book again. The silence in the room was deafening, and the air seemed to grow heavier with every page she turned. Her confusion deepened when she noticed that the Latin script on the pages was gradually fading.
She suddenly heard the sound of hurried footsteps echoing in the room, prompting her to look toward the door.
It had swung open, and standing there was the same stern woman from earlier. Her expression remained unreadable, her sharp gaze fixed on Xiandra.
"Miss Moyer," she called in a cold tone.
Xandra discreetly covered the book with the other books on the table.
The woman glanced at the clock. "You've been here for almost two hours." Then, her gaze returned to Xiandra. "Is it really that hard to find the books you need?"
Xiandra snapped out of her thoughts.
"Oh! My apologies! I got carried away with reading," she stammered, hurriedly stacking the books on the table. "I'll be out in just a moment."
"Make it quick. I don’t want my schedule disrupted because of you." She turned away. "I can't believe I'm being made to wait…" she muttered before shutting the door with force.
Xandra exhaled heavily. She felt like she was about to have a heart attack just from the woman’s sheer grumpiness. Does she have a husband? She even wondered.
She refocused on the books, but then she froze. Something was off.
The book she had placed at the bottom of the stack was gone.
"There's no way it just disappeared," she whispered in disbelief. She blinked in confusion. She was certain she had placed the book there. But now, it is missing. She swallowed hard and glanced around.
Was someone else in the room? She thought.
Without wasting another second, she swiftly gathered the books and hurried out of the room.
- Writer
