16th November 2022, Week 3: Pacing

Chapter 2 The Discoveries “What the?” I asked, more confused than a polar bear playing (or trying to play) tennis. “Can’t you see me? I’m literally right in front of ya!” said the deep male voice. “Uh… no…” “Oh yeah! I totally forgot! I’m a ghost!” the voice said, and a misty figure appeared in front of me! “AARRGGHH! Who in the name of Taylor Swift are you?!” I screamed. “Why, I’m David S. Mitchell, the founder of this magnificent library!” the ghost announced proudly. “Riiiiight… why are you still here?” “I got trapped in the freezer,” David said cheerfully. “Okay…” “Yeah.” “Right.” “Uhh, why are you here?” asked David, more curious than a beaver in a hotel. “This,” I said, pulling the note from Tobias out of my shirt pocket and showing it to David. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. I’d go home ASAP if I were you.” “Why?” “All people who have entered this library because of mysterious notes requesting them to come here, are in their graves!” said David, creepily. GULP! “A…a…are you sure?” I stammered. “100%.” “Oh, help me LORD!” I said, falling to my knees. “Um…okay…” It took what felt like forever for me to get over it, yet it was only 20 minutes. “Um…would you like me to guide you through this glamorous library?” David said, his voice raising proudly. “Uh, sure!” I said, my hopes raising a little bit. “Alrighty, so first…” *** 30 MINUTES LATER *** “…And here we have some ancient diaries from well known people, such as Dorothea Mackellar, Henry Lawson, Roald Dahl and more!” “Hold on! Can I please have a look at one of these diaries?” I asked, more excited than the King on his 105th birthday. “Knock yourself out! Not literally.” “Thanks!” I walked over to the diaries and picked up the one marked ‘Elwyn White’. I flicked it open to a random page. In unusual cursive writing, it read: ‘YOU’RE DEAD MEAT! Signed, Tiobas’ I read it out loud to David. “Who’s Tiobas?” I asked. “Who knows? It could be Lady Ga-Ga for all I care!” said David. “Tonight, I die!!” I cried. “Stop being such a baby!” exclaimed David, as he pushed me into the wall. Suddenly, I was at Tobias’ house! “What the…?!” The old building looked heart-stoppingly creepy in the moonlight. How did I get here? I turned around and walked forward. Then, I was back in the library! “Where’d you go?” asked David. “Tobias’ house!” I said, a little dazed. “Aaahh…how?” “The wall.” “Riight.”

As people from the nearby towns come streaming in the library, i desperately search for a place of refuge. Panicking as I become surrounded by people with blank eyes I dash underneath a desk which happened to be D.S. Mitchell's ancient desk, I hoped that the monster would not find me here. Hearing running feet coming in my direction, I hurriedly shifted closer to the wall. Suddenly I felt a knob in the wall, I turned it and before my astonished eyes a dark passage yawned out before me. But I didn't have time to think, without thinking I jumped into the Ominous passage as I heard voices. I closed the trapdoor not knowing my surroundings and not knowing how to open the door from the inside.

I peered through the corner as I captured a glimpse of silence. BANG! The doors slammed shut behind me. I lept in the air as I bounced off the roof. “Haha! You’re scared!” Ghoala snickered. “Yeah! We’ll just remain a mystery forever because you’re too scared to tell the tale!” Ghangaroo added showing off smirks at me. I hid my face under my hands as I steered away the ship. The ghost guide and the ship didn’t give a peep on the entire journey out. Suddenly, a memory flashed through my brain! To break the silence I decided to tell them what had happened earlier on. “I noticed Ghoala crashing a ring and Ghangaroo ripping a diary. Do you know anything about that?” I questioned. “I dunno. I just died last week.” he answered. “Are you serious!?” I cried. I quickly told the ship to pace around the library as I stopped steering the boat. I placed a foot forward as I lunged for a stool. I knew things were going to get rough as I stared into his transparent eyes. Growling, I leapt for him as I swooped right through his chest! In fury, I put all my might towards him as I fell face first. “Yeah. I’m a ghost so you can’t hurt me. Being a ghost means no touch, smell and worst of all… No taste in pepperoni pizza.” he explained carefully. Struggling up, I plopped back into my seat to continue my ugly relationship with a snobby ghost guide. Instantly, the strangest thing happened. “For your information, the ring is a stamp which was worn around the royal messenger of the colonial people. And the Ghoala experienced terrible treatment from that person. The diary contains secret plans to destroy and capture the people who lived in Australia. Ghangaroo got captured and killed by the person who owned the diary.” the ship piped up. It was as if a soul lived inside the ship. Its musical voice vibrated across the deck. “You can talk?!” I screamed. “Yes. I am not a normal ship you know.” she replied (yes it was a female). Smiling at the guide I reached for the wheel as I gripped tight ready for our next destination. I steered the ship around the room as I passed an unfamiliar door creaking side-to-side. I ordered the ship to go through as it revealed a room of doors and stairs. Some were even upside down! Winding passageways filled the alleys. Doors of all sizes surrounded us, as the stairs led to unexpected places. The entire room just took my breath away!

The dark inky sky hung over the peaceful village. The lamps flickered violently casting shadows onto the the slimy cobblestones. As the first flakes of snow fell, a girl arrived at the library. She was no ordinary girl. She was a girl with a mission and her name was Raven. Raven stood at the doors of the library as she admired the architecture. A thin sheen of white covered the windows. Its sandstone pillars loomed above her. Raven pushed open the creaky mahogany doors and sat down in a chair. The library was eerily quiet. Raven was about to pull a book off the shelf when the hairs on her back shivered. Someone was watching her. Slowly she turned around. In front of her was a figure in a khaki jacket with a belt and a rifle. That was the last thing Raven saw before everything went black. The moment she regained consciousness, Raven could tell something was wrong. A haunted feeling had crept into her chaining her feelings. Raven remembered the glowing figure and looked around to find a trace of where it went. She was horrified to find it had been watching and waiting all along. Suddenly, it began to speak. If you put yourself in mortal danger, you shall meet a prowling stranger. Diamonds and opals are known as nobles. To kill this creature, use your feature. A glinting object, you must protect. It'll save your life, the silver knife. The ghostly poacher reached out towards me. It was as if I was in a trance. Hypnotized. His icy cold hands gripped me. Memories of the past came flooding back to me. I was part of the legend. The legend of the Umbre Anima. The shadow wolves had wispy shadows for fur, claws as black as obsidian and eyes as red as rubies. It would let out haunted hollow howls to let their victims know their fate was sealed. The poachers had hunted them down one by one but perhaps they missed one. Raven shook her head trying to get the spooky image out of her mind. She slowly walked over to the glass cases of artefacts chilled by the lifelike encounter. She saw a ring emblazoned with the royal crown and curiously, she slipped it on her finger. She tried to open the catch but it was jammed. As Raven took a leather case, she asked the poacher if anyone had tried to kill the umbra Anima and made it out alive. One person had and that was her great grandmother. Raven opened the case and a bright aura of light flooded her eyes. It was the silver knife. Captured by the beauty of the blade she wasn't prepared for the blood curdling scream. Raven was unsteady on her feet. Together, all these events made sense. She had finally realised that her destiny was entwined with the legend and she may lose her life trying to kill the beast. Raven heard a light click come from her hand and she saw the ring had opened and from inside fluttered a sheet of paper. It was a diagram from the book of animal anatomy. To a normal person it was rubbish but to Raven it was the key. Raven ran to the shelf that had the book of animal anatomy and pulled it out. She heard a metallic grinding sound as the shelf pulled away becoming a doorway. Raven stepped inside clutching the silver blade. The creaky hinges of the shelf were closing. Now there was only one way to go.

I was here again. The thought ricocheted in my brain as I stood in front of the train station. The lights flickered time to time giving the station an abandoned sense. Paint peeled from the walls and the railway was rusted and cracked. Benches lined the pavement beckoning you to a world of boredom. The monotonous sound of the clock ticking filled the room. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. It was enough to drive you mad. I turned and walked up the stairs eager to be released from the gloomy prison of the dark station. The wind smacked me in the face making me gasp. It stung my cheeks and made my eyes water. What now? I had gone all this way yet there was no reason. The sun had surrendered to the moon and now an inky blackness crept across the town. The warden approached me slowly. Desperately, I looked for any form of escape. Behind me was a fence that lined the pavement. I quickly scrambled over it, tumbling onto the road. I ran as fast as I could and when I reached an alley I stopped. The warden's shouts had reduced to almost quiet murmuring. Catching my breath, I slowly walked through the dark path. Each breath rattled in my chest like coins in a tin box. At the end of the alley, a silver gate stood. Behind was the library. The moon showered light onto the sanstone pillars giving them a silver glow. Everything else was webbed with shadows. I slowly walked up to the gate and pushed it. Creaking, it swung open. I shivered, not from the cold but from a foreboding sense. It was like someone was watching me. I slowly walked towards the heavy doors of the library. Each minute seemed to pass like an hour. Finally, I managed to yank the doors open. I stepped into the library surprised at how warm it felt. My spine prickled yet I was sure that no one else was there, right? Venturing deeper inside, the sense that someone was watching me intensified. Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. A voice was talking, but where did it come from? It was chanting a song like it was a spell, and as I stuggled to hear the words I felt goosebumps snake up my spine as I listened. Tendrils of smoke curled around me making my eyes water. I sat up and immediately surrendered to a bout of coughing. I could see shelves of books in front of me and concluded I was still in the library. My hands were tied to a flat bed with ropes of a dark material. The smoke rose around me creating a barrier from the shelves. On further inspection, I realised that the books were all black and the titles were written in gold ink. A particular one caught my eye. It was a thick book around five centimetres. Instead of black, it was pure silver and decorated with gold symbols. The symbols were sharp and angled like broken sticks. The title was written in red ink and I squinted to read the letters, 'Umbra Magicae'. A figure crept into the room silently. It lifted its head as it entered and I let out a soundless scream. The head of the figure was deathly white like wax, and where the eyes should have been, there were sunken holes of black. The figure was neither human nor monster, it was a skeleton. Bones clacked as it walked closer towards me. I felt its hand wrap around my skull and I gasped as bones dug sharply into my skin. I was paralysed to the spot, the menacing aura holding me in a tightening grip. I tried to scream but no sound came out. The shadows engulfed me and I was thrown back at the force of it. The glowing purple light intensified and my arms tingled as the light brushed them. Nowhere to hide now. A voice spoke in my mind, slurred but enticing. I leaned in. No one will remember. I have come. A powerful blast of light threw me against the wall and the room glowed white, pure white that danced in spots across my eyes blinding me, then it turned black. It hurt to look. Every light seemed intensified and sharp colours blinded me. Rubble and loose books created a nest around me, and I turned around painfully to see that a chunk of the wall was gone. I lay there in the rubble when something caught my eye. A shadow danced across my vision and I reached out to grab it. Though it was small, a shiver went down my spine as I held it, unnaturally cold. I quickly let go of it and it flitted around my head before retreating into the shelves. I stood up slowly, digging my feet into the ground as I wobbled. I was about to leave when something shimmered in my next. I bent down and pulled it out. It was a medal rusted with age. It shined a dull silver and it was tied to a thick rope. I held it in my palm and stood back up. The shadow had returned and it was now examining me curiously. A book on a shelf caught my eye. It glowed a deep purple and floral emblems covered it. Reaching out I pulled it, but what came out was not the book, but a passage. Cogs whirred and the mechanism twisted into a door. Where the shelf was, there was now a stone archway with the words 'Umbra Regni' engraved onto it. I looked at the shadow and as if a cue, it disappeared into the archway. Taking a breath, I followed it into the unknown darkness of the passage.

Alex walked down the narrow passageways of the dungeons and into a small cellar. He slammed the door shut and bolted it just in case the monster returned. He then looked around the room for more information. On the right side stood a staff with a blazing purple crystal floating between 4 spikes. On the left was... nothing. Alex sighed and headed towards the staff. He picked it up and saw words cut into the metal. He peered at it more closely. This is what it read: '27, 105, 2974'. 'They're coordinates of the failed experiment' he exclaimed. He looked around quickly for more evidence. Then, he spotted it. A necklace hung around a statue. He took it carefully and studied it. It had a blue rune hanging from it. Suddenly, two cold and clammy hands clamped down on Alex's shoulders. 'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' screamed Alex. 'I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIEEEEE!!!!!!!!!' 'Oh brother,' said the figure behind him. Alex slowly turned around. It was Maya! The girl that had guided him around the library and told him about the monster! 'What are you doing here?' Alex asked Maya. 'What are YOU doing here?' retorted Maya in a annoyed voice. 'Ummmmm...' said Alex. Alex definitely did NOT know what he was doing down in the dungeons. 'Are you trying to find that monster?' asked Maya, exhaling. 'Yes?' said Alex. 'Okay, this is how many people died searching for the Beast of Black,' said Maya. 'One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten...' (I will not write everything she said because she took an awfully long time). 'Five hundred and fifty-five, five hundred and fifty-six' said Maya. 'STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP!!!!!!!!' shouted Alex for the 15th time. 'Fine,' said Maya, turning to Alex. Suddenly, *click*! The floor under Maya and Alex opened and the fell for a terrifying 1 second. Alex screamed all the way down. 'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' screamed Alex. 'Oh brother,' said Maya.

Naomi felt interested. When it got dark she went back to the library to see if she could find out more about David Scott Mitchell and see him again. At night, Naomi stand in front of the portrait of David Scott Mitchell and thought of something. She tried to life the portrait and discovered a secret passage. She walked through the dark gloomy tunnel and saw a dim light ahead. She went into the light and saw a diary. Suddenly, her touch went off at the moment she open the dairy. "Who are you?" yelled a creepy voice. Naomi nearly jumped out of her skin. She turn around and saw a man in a dim light of a candle. She said, "Mr Mitchell?", said Naomi, "My name is Naomi, I read store about you. I just want to know what happen to you" after a few second silent, "Is it your dairy you wrote when you were younger?" "Yes," replied Mr Mitchell. "you can take it if you want to read, but you have to help me to find my case." "A case?", said Naomi. "A case where there is my enchantment so that anyone who betrays me will have misfortune. I don't know where it is now. The new librarians hid it some where." said Mitchell. She fled back home and went to sleep but Mr Mitchell and the case keep appearing in her dream. She woke up and start reading the dairy.

CHAPTER THE FOURTH Ryan huffed in exasperation. He was hoping that once he got to someone else everything would be okay. “Martin! I saw it! With my own eyes! I’ll show you where it was.” Martin smiled at him as if he was a young child who had suggested that atoms were made of chocolate. “Nonsense. Ghosts only exist in storybooks for the weak minded. Silly child.” “Nonsense? “Storybooks?” “Weak minded?” “Silly child?!” Thought Ryan. Since when did Martin talk like a shakespearean poet? He jumped up and grabbed Martin by the arm. “Oh, Lord! Where, pray tell, are you taking me?” He said with a strange flourish in his voice. Ryan felt a surge of bravery rush through his blood. “I’m taking you to prove to you that this ghost is bloody well real.” Ignoring Martin’s classical protests, Ryan dragged him into the Archives of the State library. It wasn’t until he had set foot into the place that he realised he had the same mysterious, pushing feeling at his brain again. His bravery melted away into fear as he realised he had lost control of his legs, which carried him across the floor, deeper into the archives. Martin, obviously not wanting to meet a ghost, yanked his arm out of Ryan’s grip and ran away. “Martin!” Called out Ryan as he took off after him. Oddly enough, Martin seemed to know exactly where he was going, and before long Ryan had lost him. The echoing footsteps had seemingly been swallowed up. All he could do was wander around calling. Ryan was shaking with fear, and his eyes were playing tricks on him. Because of the low light, the weird blobs that form across your eyes looked like monsters and apparitions. The click-clack of his feet echoed across the empty, deafeningly quiet aisles. After a while, he noticed the footsteps were out of timing with when his feet touched the ground. They were much too fast, like he was running instead of walking. He stopped. But the footsteps didn’t. Ryan barely had time to register this before the blackened figure barrelled through a bookshelf, sending it tumbling down a mere few meters from where Ryan was standing. The malevolent burnt child-ghost rustled its spines and screeched so loudly and sharply it made Ryan’s head throb. Ryan took off with a bang, followed closely by the ghost. The chase was horrible beyond words. Ryan would have been toast instantly if this was a flat out, straight-pathed race so had to constantly to duck and weave and turn. His head was throbbing. The sound of the screeching his and the ghost’s feet pummelling the ground became softer and softer. He turned a corner… And almost ran smack bang into a wall again. He whirled around, but it was too late. The ghost was on him. It grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the floor. It raised its sharpened claws… So this is how I die, thought Ryan. Not in a car accident, not in a bed, but eaten by a ghost. He didn’t want his last look on the world to be such a horrifying image, so he tried to look at it in another way. Look at it in another way. “Mum, I don’t want to go down there! It’s too dark!” Said a younger Ryan. “Try to look at it in another way.” Replied his mother. “Mum, this uniform looks stupid.” Said a younger Ryan. “Try to look at it in another way.” Replied his mother. “Mum, Dad is always annoyed at me.” Said a younger Ryan. “Try to look at it, err, him, in another way.” Said his mother. Look at it in another way. Ryan looked at it in another way. For some reason, he instantly saw a hurt, desolate young boy with red strings coming out of him, flowing into a dark, mysterious force. The boy turned back into a ghost. Then flickered back into a boy. Then a ghost. The strange thing was faltering. It shook and spasmed violently, as if trying to fight something off. “Go.” It rasped, voice erratic and disturbed. “GO!” It screeched. Ryan went.

Secret of the black puss Chapter 1 Unexpected “And this is the sydney Harbour bridge.” I yawned, as my teacher listed all the possible ways to bomb the sydney harbour ( seriously, who would do that?)We were on the bus heading to the state library. The weather was storming. I was excited, not because of the two million books but because I could sneak away to the look at the interesting collection. It reminded me of my dad. When we arrived I was the first one to get out of the bus. There it was, standing solemnly in the rain. The large building looked sinister in the rain and storm. By this time the class should’ve gotten out. I looked back, the bus was not there! Then I looked at my watch, it was exactly 12:38pm. Of all the peculiar things that happened to me this was the most crazy. Running to the entrance I noticed something, a murder of crows. I approached the door. With simple pull of the door handel I was in the library. Chapter 2 Trim Advancing towards the Mitchell reading room I felt scared. Goose bumps were creeping up my arm. This was not good. Every step I took, the courage inside me lessened. After what seemed like an hour of creeping towards the reading room, I finally saw something. It was a shadow of a cat. “Who are you?” Realising cats couldn’t talk I staggered back. “Ahh, another passerby isn’t it?” Said a voice. It was coming from the cat. “I need your help, I have been left here when the time suddenly changed.” “Can at least guide me.” I begged him. “Well you’ve come to the right person, I am Trim Captain Matthew Flinder’s cat.” “I know everything about this place.” “I live upstairs, until…” he shivered. “Something came.” “Well nice to meet you… Trim.” I agreed. Chapter 4 a good fright “Well follow me rookie!” Then he marched up along the staircase. He led me down to the stacks. “Why are we down here?” I asked. “You’ll see.” He replied. I saw a figure in the darkness. Trim led me closer to it. Two bony fingers gripped my neck. I turned around. “Boo!”it was Trim. “Seriously Trim?” “Humans always need a good scare to be proven loyal to their guide.” “But DO NOT do that again.” I warned. Chapter 5 The Globe Theater We arrived in an empty room. With seven stained glass windows. I recognised this as the seven ages of man. A box in the middle opened slowly to reveal a bronze theatre. Several bronze people on the stage were ferociously stabbing a bronze person lying on the floor. But then it stopped. “Stop it Steven the someone has come.” One said in a sharp voice. “I agree, this is inhumane on this stage.” The one on the floor said in a strangled voice. All of the bronze people hurried to the left wing of the stage “Hurry up Steven the defence position, go go Go!” The bronze person known as Steven. Stood in the middle of the stage and said. “Stand forth and tremble before me foul Carbanacle monster!” “I’m no monster Steven.” I said. “Oh” he said in a monotone. “Why do you think I’m a monster?” “We moved the theatre downstairs because of the beast in the gallery.” “What beast?” “The time-nibbling beast” he said. “If you dare its somewhere in the gallery.” Then the box closed slowly. I look at trim and he looked back. We have to resolve this. Chapter 5 The time nibbler As we crept through the gallery the paintings eyes seemed to follow us. The floor creaked and suddenly we fell into the floor boards. Down down DOWN we fell until…. THUMP. I fell hard on a stone cold floor. “This must be the monsters lair!” I gasped. We continued down the narrow passage. “So how did you get here?” “You see when Matthew Flinders died I continued on my voyage and I became immortalised through memories, I found myself here.” I saw his sadness. Losing a friend to mortality forever.

Secret of the black puss Chapter 1 Unexpected “And this is the sydney Harbour bridge.” I yawned, as my teacher listed all the possible ways to bomb the sydney harbour ( seriously, who would do that?)We were on the bus heading to the state library. The weather was storming. I was excited, not because of the two million books but because I could sneak away to the look at the interesting collection. It reminded me of my dad. When we arrived I was the first one to get out of the bus. There it was, standing solemnly in the rain. The large building looked sinister in the rain and storm. By this time the class should’ve gotten out. I looked back, the bus was not there! Then I looked at my watch, it was exactly 12:38pm. Of all the peculiar things that happened to me this was the most crazy. Running to the entrance I noticed something, a murder of crows. I approached the door. With simple pull of the door handel I was in the library. Chapter 2 Trim Advancing towards the Mitchell reading room I felt scared. Goose bumps were creeping up my arm. This was not good. Every step I took, the courage inside me lessened. After what seemed like an hour of creeping towards the reading room, I finally saw something. It was a shadow of a cat. “Who are you?” Realising cats couldn’t talk I staggered back. “Ahh, another passerby isn’t it?” Said a voice. It was coming from the cat. “I need your help, I have been left here when the time suddenly changed.” “Can at least guide me.” I begged him. “Well you’ve come to the right person, I am Trim Captain Matthew Flinder’s cat.” “I know everything about this place.” “I live upstairs, until…” he shivered. “Something came.” “Well nice to meet you… Trim.” I agreed. Chapter 4 a good fright “Well follow me rookie!” Then he marched up along the staircase. He led me down to the stacks. “Why are we down here?” I asked. “You’ll see.” He replied. I saw a figure in the darkness. Trim led me closer to it. Two bony fingers gripped my neck. I turned around. “Boo!”it was Trim. “Seriously Trim?” “Humans always need a good scare to be proven loyal to their guide.” “But DO NOT do that again.” I warned. Chapter 5 The Globe Theater We arrived in an empty room. With seven stained glass windows. I recognised this as the seven ages of man. A box in the middle opened slowly to reveal a bronze theatre. Several bronze people on the stage were ferociously stabbing a bronze person lying on the floor. But then it stopped. “Stop it Steven the someone has come.” One said in a sharp voice. “I agree, this is inhumane on this stage.” The one on the floor said in a strangled voice. All of the bronze people hurried to the left wing of the stage “Hurry up Steven the defence position, go go Go!” The bronze person known as Steven. Stood in the middle of the stage and said. “Stand forth and tremble before me foul Carbanacle monster!” “I’m no monster Steven.” I said. “Oh” he said in a monotone. “Why do you think I’m a monster?” “We moved the theatre downstairs because of the beast in the gallery.” “What beast?” “The time-nibbling beast” he said. “If you dare its somewhere in the gallery.” Then the box closed slowly. I look at trim and he looked back. We have to resolve this. Chapter 5 The time nibbler As we crept through the gallery the paintings eyes seemed to follow us. The floor creaked and suddenly we fell into the floor boards. Down down DOWN we fell until…. THUMP. I fell hard on a stone cold floor. “This must be the monsters lair!” I gasped. We continued down the narrow passage. “So how did you get here?” “You see when Matthew Flinders died I continued on my voyage and I became immortalised through memories, I found myself here.” I saw his sadness. Losing a friend to mortality forever.