Hey there. So, you decided to read my story, did you? Well, It’s a little odd, and based on a single line and illustration from the mysterious Harris Burdick. I just made up the rest.

Please enjoy

Mr. Linden’s Library

There once was a library. It was a huge, brick building reminiscent of a castle with the ivy crawling up its cracked outer walls. Despite the grand building’s size, it had only one librarian: Mr. Linden. He had worked at the library since before anybody in the small town could remember. With pale, wrinkled skin, a hunched back, and silvery bulbous eyes covered with huge glasses on his vulture-like face, he slowly worked away the endless days. When he was young, his hair still thick and blonde rather than the straggly bit of white he had now, people had flooded the library day after day. But of late, the only people that came were the bookworms and the college students. In fact, it was a college student who made the most remarkable impact in the history of Mr. Linden’s library.

It was a hot August day when the bells on the door of the library jangled. Ami, a well-known and ambitious girl within the town, walked in; her thick, glossy dark brown hair was pulled into a ponytail to avoid further discomfort in the sticky summer heat. She had big brown expressive doe eyes, and an air of girlishness that paired so well with her kind, sporty nature. Currently, the girl was attending college. Although she was studying to become a pediatrician, she had a green thumb and held a great interest in herbal medicine.

Smacking her pink lip-gloss, Ami headed towards the numerous bookshelves. As she browsed the many books on herbal medicine, something on the very highest shelf caught her eye. It was a huge old book in cracked leather binding. As though entranced, she reached up to grab the enormous thing. It was heavy, and covered in dust. Blowing the particles of grey off the cover, Ami opened it up, which caused the pages to crackle gently. Her eyes glowed as she silently traced the mysterious runes with a peach-tinted finger.

Ami approached the checkout counter, grasping both the strange book and a rune dictionary. Mr. Linden eyed her suspiciously as she set the books down before him. While she rummaged in her cute Pochacco purse for her library card, he continued his unsettling stare toward the books. At last, she retrieved the card. Mr. Linden, however, seemed not to notice that Ami wanted to check out the books.

“Excuse me, Mr. Linden. I’d like to check these books out?â€