People....
People....
Why so complicated?

When at the library, you see all kinds of people.

The studious,
The carefree,
The let me do it tomorrow,
The fake,
The nosy,
The lonely,
The introvert,
The sleepy,
The young and the old,
And so on...

Being a librarian has its own way of entertainment and also the heaping amount of work that keeps on piling every day.

I got so lost in thoughts that I didn’t notice for how long the part timer has been calling me.

“Hellooo?” He waved his hands in front of my eyes. “Mr. Brynner?”

“Yes?” I asked, putting back my reading glasses.

“You are doing it again.”

“Was I?”

“Yeah! You had that eerily familiar expression that you have when you try to psychoanalyze the readers. You gotta stop it. It’s freaking out the kids over here,” Killian said, pointing to a duo of cute toddlers who looked scared.

One look at them and they ran to their parents’ side.

“Don’t complain later about the headache. You did it to yourself and don’t even try to blame it on the work or me. Now..., wait a minute. You should rather thank me,” Killian said with a cocky expression.

“And why’s that?”

“If I hadn’t intervened, then you would probably have a massive headache and later fall unconscious.” He placed the elbows on the desk and placed his face on the palms, observing my every move.

“Very bold of you to think that. I have it under control now. So, no thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s see. Then you wouldn’t mind if I hide these pills for today, right?” He said, showing me the ibuprofen pills and flashing me a grin.

Brat!

“Of course, I wouldn’t mind because I wouldn’t need them,” I replied with a tone of confidence but still keeping an eye on the pills as he slipped them in his pant pocket.

“Of course!” He mimicked my tone and took off to work, smiling.

Whom am I trying to fool? This fella knows me like the back of his hand. I have to come up with a new strategy to not let him get his way this time of getting an bonus just because he stopped me in between and saved me from a headache.

I had the gift of mind reading and perfectly predicting the future of any particular individual. It got me places, made me famous. All it took was a brutal road accident for me to lose that talent of 35+ years and I’ve never been the same.

2 years in a coma and it took nearly 5 years to revert to my normal physical self. My interest in reading books landed me in this job. I try to use this opportunity to get my ability back.

The first time I tried after years, it took a lot of energy and I ended up fainting. It infuriated me. Not being able to perform something that I was an expert in is sad and depressing.

I kept on trying, but it got me nowhere. Now I attempt little and only do it occasionally when I am bored. Today is one such day where I got bored with the work and got caught by Killian.

Having Killian work here is a plus to me, professionally and personally. He works hard and takes care of me well. He knows about my past and maybe he pities me at my attempts.

Who wouldn’t pity a 64-year-old trying to get back his psychic powers?

The dull aching pain began at the back of my head and I know that’s the queue for me to take in a pill. I rang the bell for Killian. He was before me in a minute with a glass of water.

“I knew it!” Killian said, handing over me a pill and the water.

I smiled sheepishly in return while gladly accepting the pill.

“Take care. I’ll talk to you when my shift ends. Okay?” he gently asked, and I nodded.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

It was time for closing the library and both me and Killian were wrapping up things.

“So, Mr. Brynner,” started Killian. “There’s something I am curious about.”

“Ask away, boy,” I replied, while locking the doors.

“I have been working with you for 6 years already and I only know bits and pieces of your past.”

“Okay, so?”

“I know how you lost your ability, but I want to know how you gained it. If that’s okay with you?”

“Why the sudden interest?” I asked him while signalling him to help carry my bags.

“Nothing. Just worried. You try so hard and it makes me want to help you.”

“Hmmm. But you can’t help me.”

“You don’t know unless you say and try.” He said, keeping in pace with me.

“I gained it the way I lost it.”

Killian was silent for a couple of minutes and then spoke, “So you say that you both gained and lost it by accidents?”

“Exactly.”

“So tell me about your first accident.”

“I slipped from the stairs and had a concussion. When I woke up, boom! I could hear people’s thoughts and see their future.”

“For real?”

“For real.”

Killian was silent after that till we reached my apartment. I took my bags back from him.

“See you tomorrow,” I said.

“Tomorrow, old man,” Killian saluted and left.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

“You can try it on me,” Killian said to me during the lunch break.

I didn’t respond very well, knowing what he was talking about.

“Or… I could help you gain your skill.”

That grabbed my attention, and I looked at him.

“Why are you suddenly interested in it? You never asked me these many questions until yesterday and today you want to help me?”

“Let’s just say I care a lot more about you than you realize and I don’t want to see you sad and helpless anymore whenever you try it, although you know it all too well that you don’t have that power anymore.”

“We’ll talk about this later,” I said and got up from the table.

Having that conversation with him made me uneasy. And I could notice a change in Killian’s attitude. Something is off about him.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

I was closing the front counter when Killian called for me.

“Mr. Brynner!” Shouted Killian from the second floor. “I could really use your help now over here.”

“Coming!” I yelled and made my way there.

I reached the second floor and looked around to find him. I took two steps and suddenly Killian spoke fast from behind. “Sorry, Mr. Brynner. This is to help you and nothing else.”

Before I could register, I was being pushed forcefully towards the stairs.

A sickening crack erupted from my skull. My eyes began to drop heavily.

“Oh no, no, no, no,” Killian’s cry echoed in my ears as my vision completely turned dark and I couldn’t hear anything anymore.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

NEWS FLASH:
Prank gone wrong.
22-year-old arrested for the murder of his employer.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*