Something I found hidden away in my writing folder from yester-years!
My eyes water and the words on the page in front of me become blurry. I wipe the few tears from my cheek, covering up a yawn. The black watch that sits on my wrist tells me it’s just past midnight, and I’m no way near finished my paper.
Sighing, I sit back in the wooden chair, flinging my pen onto the book. I blink, trying to get back the vision that has been slighted from reading too many small printed books and lack of light. The library is dark and empty around me, shadows dancing around the walls and bookcases from the two lamps that sitting on my table, the only light source save from the green Exit signs.
This is the third night in a row that I’ve stayed late at the New York Public Library. It’s beginning to be a bad habit, but I can’t work anywhere else. The apartment that I share with my best friend Ellie is always too noisy - the result of her insisting that Katy Perry helps her to study. The library is like my second home, and I’ve become so familiar with the staff that they let me stay after hours, just as long as I let the security team know when I’m in and out.
Outside there's a storm brewing and it's raining somewhat heavily, and I dread having to make the journey back to Williamsburg. The large bay windows are taking a battering, the wind throwing the rain against them loudly, the only sound apart from myself.
I slam the heavy book in front of me shut. Packing everything away, I consol myself in the fact that tomorrow is Saturday, and I don’t have to work or to go into the NYU campus. I threw my tote bag across my shoulders, stacking the books up in my arms. I left the lamps on, using what light they threw over to the shelves as my sight.
Putting all the books I had taken out took a bit of time. I moved around the shelves, listening to the rain against the windows, the sound somewhat comforting while I was inside.
I was trying to shove A Modern History of Irish Conflict back in it’s rightful place when a loud crashing sound came from somewhere within the library, causing me to jump back in fright.
I left the darkened row. “Hello?” I looked around, trying to see in the dim light if there was anyone else in the main room apart from myself. “Anyone there? Harry?”
I couldn’t see any of the security guards around, least of all Harry, the head of the guards. Silence followed within the library walls. I put the noise down to my over-reactive imagination. I was tired, and with the weather now gathering into a storm outside, my brain would be going into mental overload.
I made my way back to where I had been sitting, weaving my way through the rows of wooden tables when there was another crash from somewhere behind me. I spun around.
“Who - who’s there?” My voice trembled and echoed across the room. I walked back to where the staircase lead up to the second floor. Another crash trembled around the room. It sounded like someone was banging saucepans together. I took the stairs two at a time. Technically I should be the only person here.
“Hello? You know, the library is closed. You shouldn’t be in here!”
If one of the security guards was playing a prank on me, there’d be hell to pay. I was way too tired for this.
I walked slowly along the darkened second floor, scouring the shelves as much as my weak human eyes could. I tilted my head to the left, peering down one stack before continuing on. I didn’t get very far, however, as I collided with the person that was making all the racket.
I screamed, stumbling and falling onto the carpeted ground as something solid straightened itself up from the floor. Whoever - whatever - it was clanked and banged a great deal. I couldn’t really see very well, but from what I could the…thing was gleaming silver, like metal. I scrambled backwards, hitting the balcony as the thing lifted its metal arms to its head. The thing seemed to take its head off, and I blinked, trying to look closer.
It was a person - a man to be exact. And he hadn’t been taking his head off, he’d been removed a helmet of sorts. I didn’t say a word, but watched the man. For some reason, I was more curious than fearful that a man was dressed in metal in a library late at night.
The man looked at me, a fierce expression on his face. "In the name of King Arthur, I order you to stay where you are!" His voice echoed through the library.
"I - I'm not going anywhere," I said, confused. Was the library renting the space out to some sort of role-playing club and had forgotten to mention it to me.
He took a step closer, and I felt myself press up against the balcony a bit harder. All his clanging was giving me a headache.
"A lady! Forgive my impertinance! Are you injured in our collision? May I be of assistance? Where is your steed, I can lead the way back for you.” His metal hand came up to my face.
I knocked it away. “Steed? As in horse? Are you mad? We’re in a library.” This guy was mad. And dressed like a knight, I realized, as a gleam of light was thrown across his body. The man stood up and away from me. I took the opportunity to stand up also, angling my body away from him in case I needed to make a quick escape. The man looked around him, obviously taking in his surroundings for the first time.
“This is not Camelot,” he said, surprise in his deep voice. I laughed.
“No,” I choked back with a shake of my head. “This is the New York Public Library.”
The man looked around him again. He took a couple of steps back, clanking along the way, peering down the rows of book shelves.
“There is a Camelot near my apartment on Fifty Third Grand Street,” I pointed out, thinking that the guy was heading for the nightclub a couple of blocks away from where Ellie and I lived. It was the only place I could think of where this guy was going - it tended to attract weird people who’d obviously sniffed one too many Cokes and dressed up in fancy costume. This particular guy must’ve gotten lost on his drunken merry way.
“Yes, I am headed for Camelot!” the man cried, clanking as he pushed past me heading for the stairs. I watched him with hesitation and awe. “I have an important letter I need to convey to the King,” he explained.
I shook my head. Obviously one too many Buds tonight for this one.
“Right...come on, I’ll show you the way, it’s on my route home.” I ran down the staircase, switching off the light. Looking around me, I could see the man still standing on the bottom of the staircase, looking around him in wonder. Sighing, I grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the library. How’d I get stuck with the crackpot anyway? Where was security when you needed it them most?
