Ghost: Books of the Dead - Fantasy Best Seller and Supernatural Teen Book: (Ghost, Occult, Supernatural, Occult and Supernatural) (8 page)

He had pity in his eyes and Emily could see that. Perhaps he could sense her inner turmoil. It was obvious that something was bothering her and the lack of sleep for the past two days had left her looking almost gaunt. 

“I think your friend was searching for a person,” he said very quietly, as if he didn’t want anyone around him to hear him say that.

“She was looking for someone in the criminology section?” Emily questioned back with an exasperated expression plastered on her face.

“After that she went over to where the year books and old college magazines are stored,” he went on to say. “When Mr. Gallagher came looking for her, I directed him toward where Grace was, but soon after, I followed him to see if they needed something,” he said in one breath.

“And you heard them talking? Please tell me something, Mr. Mitchell. Grace has not been home for two days and I am rightfully worried.”

“Well, it was not right for me to pry, but as I went near, I heard Grace say that she was looking for someone. Mr. Gallagher said that it was not important or something in those lines.” He waited for Emily to say something, but continued on, “I think they saw me and stopped talking. I shouldn’t be saying this to you; it is not my business.”

“Mr. Mitchell, I cannot thank you enough. I won’t tell anybody that you told me,” Emily assured him and left.

She headed back to the dorm to take lunch and ponder this new information. She debated if it was right to confront Mr. Gallagher directly, but what would she ask him? “It could be nothing and I might just be thinking too much into this, but what if it is something to worry about? Should I keep quiet about it?” She questioned herself aloud and paced the bathroom floor. Emily tried to frame the right questions in her mind that would be appropriate to ask Mr. Gallagher. There were so many questions piling in her mind and she could sense a mild headache rising in the back of her head. The only thing that would make her feel better was getting to the bottom of this whole matter once and for all.

Mr. Gallagher was absent in class that day, so that implied that Emily would have to go looking for him elsewhere. She couldn’t delay it anymore. She inquired about him to a few students and teachers, but everyone said that he was absent that day and probably resting in his quarters.

It was getting near five thirty p.m. and a day wasted again
, Emily thought.
Who was Grace looking for?

Emily couldn’t sit without doing anything, so she went back to the library again. She had to see if there was something she missed. She went to the section where the criminology books were placed. If there was something strange going on, then those books knew it. How Emily wished that they could speak. The books were a silent and motionless spectator, but held so much information. She shifted to the section where the old magazines and the year books were stored. She started scrambling through the magazines and tried to see if there were any year books that were left out in the open. Emily saw that there was a thin layer of dust settled on the top shelf of the books and from there, one of the books was missing.

Could it be a coincidence that Grace had taken it? Or is it just my imagination?

It was indeed a yearbook that was missing from the row of books. It was her good fortune to find it and now she was closer to resting all the questions that were bubbling inside her. She tried reaching for the top shelf, but fell short of it. Then, she climbed up the ladder and reached up to see what was there. She looked closer and saw that there was another book that was missing from the row. Emily dusted off a layer of grime from the top of a book. Then, she took out the first book from where one of the books was missing. It showed the batch of 1972. She flipped through the pictures and didn’t see anyone that she knew of, and then she flipped again. She saw nothing.

Who was she looking for?

She sighed and then turned towards the section where another book was missing. She took out the book on the left, and it was the class of 1966. Hence, she concluded that her friend was looking for someone from the years 1973 and 1967. That’s assuming that Grace was the one who took those books out.

Who was it that Grace knew from 1967 and 1973?

Emily stood motionless on the ladder for a moment and was puzzled beyond doubt. She saw Mr. Mitchell walking towards her and she had a feeling that he would probably know. After all, he worked in the library for so many years and must have some idea if anyone significant studied here during those years.

“Mr. Mitchell,” she called down to him. “Did Grace take the year books from the batch of 1967 and 1973?” she asked.

“I have to check that, but I came by to ask you if you needed something,” he replied.

“I just need to know which books she took with her,” Emily asked.

“I’ll check,” he responded and went back again.

Emily didn’t stop looking herself; she searched the entire rack to see if there was something that she had missed. Mr. Mitchell came back and informed Emily that Grace didn’t borrow any books the other day. Emily looked disappointed. She seemed to be moving further away from the answers every time she came within reach. Either that or someone had changed the evidence.

“Grace didn’t take them?” she asked. “But two of the year books are missing. Someone must have borrowed them. Can you look for the person who took them?” Emily pleaded.

He went off to the front desk again and came back with a glum face. Then, in his usual tone he said, “It was your professor, Mr. Gallagher. He took them, but not on that day. He took the yearbooks out yesterday.”

Emily came down from the ladder and stood there looking at Mr. Mitchell with a confused stare. Her puzzle pieces didn’t fit. The
why
,
who
,
when
and
where
didn’t make sense at all. She was going around in circles and coming back at the same spot. She just couldn’t understand it. Someone knew something she didn’t know about the parcel which arrived at her door and Grace’s disappearance. She felt totally dejected and inferior as an investigator. There was no other way that she could go from here. The situation was just like her dream and she was stuck in the mire of her own imaginings.

Even though she knew that it was Mr. Gallagher who questioned Grace, and it was him who took the year book, she still didn’t have a clue as to why. She needed to ask him directly, but she didn’t know how to approach Dr. Gallagher. With Grace still gone, Emily knew she had to find a way very soon. If she couldn’t confront her professor, then the only way to find out more about him was through the students. This place was a gossip farm. Nothing could be kept hidden within the premises of the university. Even if there was a slight rumor, it spread like wildfire. So if there was something odd about the aged professor, it would be known by someone. Just going about getting that juicy tidbit of information could be difficult. Stalking around campus asking about a professor’s whereabouts could come off as creepy, and if caught by the dean, could almost guarantee punishment.

There was a lot of planning going on in her mind: whom to ask or what would be the right source. She could ask Keisha to help her, but then she didn’t want Denise or Mia to know. Things were already getting a bit out of hand, and Emily didn’t want to make matters worse.

It was getting late and the campus was starting to shut down for the evening. The chill in the air had returned and she hurriedly walked back to her dorm. Emily wasn’t feeling all that irritated anymore, but still wanted to pursue the matter further. She knew that if she tried, the answers would soon become more apparent. The only regret she had was that she was unable to concentrate very much in class. Her mind drifted away from academic matters and she was already falling behind. She liked going to the classes, listening to her teachers speak, but the recent turn of events was providing too much of a distraction. It displeased her greatly and she wanted things to go back to normal as soon as possible. She wished that strange anonymous parcel had never arrived, but there was no use dwelling on what couldn’t be changed. All that was left for her to do was sigh and run over the details again.

Keisha was standing in front of her door when Emily arrived home. She was pushing a fairly large box in front of her door, but stopped short when she saw Emily coming towards her. She looked out of breath and Emily hurried over to help her.

“Someone left this for you. It was in front of our door so I took it in, but it is addressed to you,” Keisha explained.

Emily didn’t take the box inside right away. She took her pocket knife out and cut the tape that secured the packaging. Keisha watched eagerly over her shoulder. There inside the box lay more books on spirits, souls and evocation. Emily harshly pushed the box away and separated herself from it. She almost tripped over her own heels in the narrow hallway. It was just the opposite of what she wanted.

At that moment, there was no peace for Emily, but she desperately craved it. The fact that someone was anonymously sending books to her address gave her the creeps. The incident occurred twice in a row, and Emily didn’t want to take the incident very lightly anymore.

Someone knows where I live and they’re doing it on purpose to freak me out
. And she was sure of that.

Keisha stood there the whole time and saw firsthand the ordeal that Emily was going through. A layer of clear discomfort was on Keisha’s face upon seeing the way Emily separated herself from the books. She wanted to help. Keisha knew that Grace wasn’t in the dorm and Emily might need someone there to support her. So Keisha invited Emily into her place.

“Leave them be. You don’t need them I suppose,” she said and Emily didn’t contradict her.

Once inside, she saw that Denise wasn’t there and Keisha informed her that she was out with her friend. There were so many things that Emily wanted to tell her, but she started with the basics. She confided in Keisha about the anonymous delivery of the first parcel, the missing criminology books, Grace leaving and about Denise and Mia. As part of the promise, Emily omitted the part about the library and what Mr. Mitchell told her.

Keisha listened to her very patiently. Emily could see there was a change in her expression when she mentioned the growing closeness between Denise and Mia, but she didn’t add anything to it.

“Yes, Mia is my friend and she takes interest in this stuff, but that is all I know.” That was the only thing Keisha said, and then she paused for a few moments. Then, she asked Emily again, “Did Denise return those books to you?”

Emily kept silent and Keisha knew what the answer was.  All the while, Emily practiced in her head ways in which she could inquire about Mr. Gallagher in a discreet manner without arousing Keisha’s suspicion. Keisha on the other hand seemed more concerned about the anonymous delivery of the packages. She questioned Emily more about the details of the arrived packages. She shook her head solemnly after Emily examined the details of their arrival.

Keisha said, “There are crazy people out there. It’s never too late to be safe.”

All of a sudden, Emily asked, “Do you know anything about the teachers? I mean, do you know if any of the professors has a secret?”

The moment she asked the question, she knew it didn’t sound right. It wouldn’t take Keisha much time to realize that there was a connection between both incidents. Keisha was about to say something when there was a loud knock on the door. They both looked at each other understandably and knew who it was. Keisha went to open the door. 

Predictably, it was Denise at the door. She didn’t look surprised upon seeing Emily sitting inside her room and greeted both girls. Then she went inside her room without saying anything else. Emily wondered if Keisha would ask Denise about her newfound friendship with Mia, or her interest in evoking spirits and souls, but Keisha didn’t say a thing. Perhaps she stored it away for some other time.

Keisha turned back to Emily and asked, “You were saying something?”

“Never mind,” Emily said and attempted to leave the room.

Keisha tried to stop her, but eventually let her go. The night was still young when Emily entered her room, dragging the set of freshly arrived books behind her. They were stacked along with the other books in the corner, the sight of which only added to her misery. She cringed at the sight of them and turned her face away. Emily debated whether or not to look into the new box, but couldn’t figure out why the books were sent to her in the first place.

For now, there was nothing she could do. Emily checked her phone to see if Grace had called, but the screen was blank. Grace’s reluctance to call, even after two days, saddened Emily deeply. She gulped it down and called her instead. The response she got was similar to that of the other day. The line was not reachable and the connection was cut off soon after. She couldn’t contact Grace, and that was slowly starting to sink in. Emily contemplated if calling her family was a good idea, but then Grace would get into trouble if her family was unaware of her absence. Waiting for Grace to call her back was the only option left for her.

What do I do with these books?

The anxiety within Emily was genuine. Sitting alone in the glum environment of the room gave her some ideas, but a thousand random things ran through her mind. She decided to ignore them. She rummaged through the new books that were dropped at her door steps, but there was nothing extraordinary about them. Yet, there was one book that stood out from the rest. It was addressed to R. Keaton.

These books must belong to her,
Emily assumed
, but why are they delivered at my doorstop?

Something was not right and the nagging feeling kept lingering in her head. There was no way to get rid of them, other than to find out the truth that lay behind the anonymous sender of the books. Emily pulled out a notepad and decided to approach the situation from a systematic standpoint. She listed a few people she wanted to question about Mr. Gallagher, and with that thought in mind she went to bed.