Creepy Library

Tables sit in the middle of the room, a light hanging over them. I run my fingers over the small plaque on the side of the table. ‘Property of the City Library’. Bookshelves line the walls, casting eerie shadows from the light. I shiver and wrap my arms tightly around myself before plopping down in one of the chairs.

Just stay in the light and there’s nothing to worry about. Go to sleep and you can leave when the librarians come back in the morning.

I glance around the room suspiciously before letting myself doze off. Several minutes later, I hear a scratching sound. I leap up from the chair, sending it flying behind me. It clatters to the floor and the sound resonates around the room. Wincing, I listen again for the sound. Nothing.

With caution, I pick up the chair and set it down again facing the table. Looking around, I see there is no way to turn it so that only my front is exposed. If I face the table, my back is open on that side. If I face away from the table, my back is open to the other side.

“Great,” I mutter to myself.

I plop down in the chair, deciding it’s a better idea to face the way the noise came from. I stare out into the darkness, mentally challenging something to come after me. The library air conditioner kicks on and before long, the building starts to feel much cooler. Cars pass outside every few minutes. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I pull out my cell phone and set it on my leg. I throw the hood over my head and zip it all the way before grabbing my phone again, accidentally pressing one of the buttons as I grab it. The display remains black. My heart starts to beat faster and I push down the power button, hoping that it will turn on. Again, nothing. It’s dead.

Another scratching noise comes from the direction of the bookcases. I stiffen and sit straight up in my chair, clutching at my dead phone until my knuckles turn white.