A heavy gust crashed against the building, shaking it up. Josh woke up, his saliva stretching from his mouth to the book.

“Jeez man. That’s so disgusting,” Josh groaned.

He cleaned up his mess and looked at the words he wrote down for the last time. He had only written a way out and left his future to the library. He knew he could not be too greedy. He carefully placed the book in his backpack and took a moment to gaze at the bookshelves where lied his parents’ memories, and that of Ava’s. He gave out a sign of pain and regret as he gazed at Ava’s book lying so distinguished among her victims.

“This is it. No looking back, ever. Time to move on with my life. This is me, honouring my parents’ legacies.” Josh mumbled under his breath.

Josh slowly closed his eyes. His racing breaths echoed in the library. He leisurely erased all negative thoughts and cleared his mind, his conscience. The echoes soon became a relaxed breath, until silence regained its reigns in the Night Library. He was now ready on his journey out.

He clutched his backpack tightly to his spine, securing it. Josh locked himself into a pre-running stance and stared into the soul of the library, a grin escaping his lips. His hairs stood up as the library deployed its cold temperature in retaliation against Josh. But the latter was now focused on his goal. Nothing and nobody could get him off-track. A sweat trekked down his face, splashing with force on the ground. With a surge of electricity, Josh ran off into his new destiny.

Josh ran with so much speed that he felt that he was Barry Allen: The Flash of Woodberry. He just needed enough speed to overcome the magical barrier veiling inside The Night Library. This is how he chose to rewrite reality. All sensory details blurred in his ears as he pushed forward. As he came closer to the magical barrier, he had to push harder, put all his will and energy to overcome the barrier. He screamed his lungs out as the barrier boiled his skin. All his memories clashed sadistically in his mind like colossal tidal waves. He could feel his mother touching him softly like she used to, his father smiling with pride at him, his parents hugging him whenever he would bring a prize home…

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH”

Josh fell heavily on the ground as he passed through the barrier. His collapse to the ground thundered throughout the space. He raised his head up, using what little energy he had left to get up but his face kissed the ground again. But this time, for a longer time.

“Mmmm…Mhmmm….” Josh moaned as he turned around in his sleep. Drool made a mess on his face. His hand reached out to his face as he tried to brush the goo sticking off his mouth. The interaction with his saliva made him woke up with a disgusted face as he realised what he had done.

He rose up from the ground and examined the new unchartered territory around him. There were old books laying on dilapidated shelves on the side of the library. This area looked so much ancient compared to where he was. The room felt as if he had gone back in time to centuries ago.

More cobwebs dangled down the ceiling. The lighting was ever worse.

Josh shivered as this new space was even colder. He removed his hoodie from his bag and was about to put it on when he noticed an old sturdy door out of the corner of his eyes. He quickly put on his hoodie and moved forward towards it to investigate the new mystery before him.

“I don’t remember writing this door down,” Josh muttered as he touched the door. “Well, what harm could it do?”

He turned the knob and entered a so unrecognisable alienated atmosphere. It did not look a library nor felt like one. It was a storage room filled with a ridiculous number of boxes and cobwebs. Bursting with curiosity, Josh checked the boxes one by one but all of them were empty. Disappointed, he searched for a way past this room. But there was no other way except through the door he came in. He wrecked the place up, knocking the boxes in all directions.

Just as he was about to make the last box fly in the air out of frustration, Josh noticed a little piece of metal shining out its radiance.

“Finally something.”

Josh pushed aside all the boxes separating him from his goal and saw a metal grate guarding a vent in the well.

Josh was always impulsive by nature. Without any thoughts about his actions or its consequences, Josh entered the vent, crawling through the tiny space.

“Ahhhh CHoouuu”

“This place is so dirty man,” Josh complained.

The vent was swarming with spiders, making Josh facing a living nightmare. He had to push forward though. It was his only way out.

He could soon see light emanating from the end of the vent. He crawled faster, eager to escape from this hellhole haunting him for what were days to him.

Josh pushed the grate and moved quickly forward but seconds later he screamed as he realised that he was falling several inches down.

He lost consciousness as he succumbed to gravity during his free fall.

The next time he woke up, a family of strange faces hovered over him, muttering quietly into each other ears.  He raised quickly, shifting to defence mode but then a smiling girl touched his arm, soothing him down.

“Oh My God. She is so pretty,” Josh thought.

Josh unconsciously exchanged a smile with her.

“Hey dude. You just came falling from up there. Who are you? And how in the world did you manage to get up there?” a warm face reached out to me.

Josh: I am Joshua Davis. Josh short for Joshua.

Warm face: I am Ralph Snart. Ralph short for Ralph I guess buddy. This girl you are trying to flirt to is Myla Swan.

Josh chuckled nervously, scratching his head. “I was not flirting with her.”

Myla was 5’6’’ She had brown hair with red highlights that surprisingly suited her. She had hazel eyes. Her skin looked so soft, so delicate. Josh’s eyes could not wander off her for too long. Her black cargo pants and white shirt, perfectly paired, made her look stunning, at least to Josh

Josh: Who are the rest?

Ralph: This is Leonard, Mike, Ethan, Lana, Evelyn, Myra, Ali, Tamara, Bianca, Ben, Thomas, Martin, Terrence, and Ian.

Josh turned and greeted each person in turn.

Ali: So, what is your story man?

As everyone sat down, Josh did some story telling about his life tragedy and Ava’s murder spree in the village.

Ian: That was so bonkers mate. Our experience with the Night Library is not cool as yours.

Evelyn: Shut up Ian. He suffered a lot.

Josh: No really, it’s fine. I have moved on. It was time I did.

Ethan: So, Josh, you think we can escape? We have all tried. All of us had been unsuccessful. You thinking changing your future will help you? We are stuck here! Forever!

Lenoard: I mean, he was successful in coming here, was he?

The fourteen teenagers argued amongst themselves. Ralph, Myla, and Josh looked at each other, visibly uncomfortable with how far the situation dragged to.

Myla: Now kids. Is this how you behave in front of a guest?

The crowd stared at Josh, ashamed of embarrassing themselves and took turns in apologising to Josh.

Then Josh decided to proceed with something he had never done in his life.

Josh: I didn’t come this far for nothing. I know this will be hard for all of us, but we can’t give up now. We’re not losers—we’re survivors. We’ve defied the odds before, and we’ll do it again. Tomorrow, we will stand back in the sunlight.

Everyone’s eyes raised up with excitement as they swallowed Josh’s motivational speech.

Since they had a long day ahead, the teenagers went to sleep while Josh, Ralph and Myla sat next to each other. Josh and Myla dwelled in each other’s eyes so deeply that Ralph had to break the eerie silence.

Ralph: Beat it lovebirds. Get a room already jeez. Can’t you just skip to hook up part?

Myla: We are not doing anything Ralphy. Calm down bro.

Ralph: All right mother. I will leave you two alone. There is a room next door if you ever need it.

Ralph giggled as he went to join the kids snoring in the corner of the room.

Josh and Myla were now all alone. Josh admired her so passionately but then thought how awkward he might had made her feel.

Josh: So, Myla what is your story?

Myla: Nothing much. I lost my parents in a car accident and then four years later I heard about the Night Library. You can connect the dots now pretty face.

Josh blushed as he heard the compliment. They made some small talk and gradually they found themselves engaged in a deep conversation.

An electric connection sparked between them. Josh found himself unconsciously leaning closer. Before he realized it, they were sitting side by side. The distance between them felt unbearable, a quiet pull drawing him closer.  He could not bear the distance anymore. He wanted to be one with her. Josh gently cupped her face and leaned in, kissing her deeply, his emotions pouring through every touch. Myla responded to the kiss, her movements full of warmth as she leaned into him, settling onto his lap. Lost in the moment, they remained unaware of time slipping away.

Josh lifted her gently, carrying her to the next room, where the night unfolded in passion and intimacy.

“Wake up lovebirds. It’s time to get back home”

Josh and Myla woke up cozing in each other’s arms. Ralph was giggling, feeling so proud that he was right about the connection between them. He straddled back to the main room leaving them for a while.

Josh smiled as Myla wrapped in his arms and kissed her lips. “Good morning sunshine. Should it be babe?” Josh grinned at the beauty smiling at him.

“Babe should be just fine I think handsome.”

They woke up and adjusted their clothes, removing the visible wrinkles. They then joined the excited crowd awaiting them next door.

“Shall we move along on our adventure?” Thomas said.