"You know, it's not all bad." Sharon smiles at Marissa. "Being dead and all."

That was easy for Sharon to say. She had been dead for a long time. A very long time. Marissa was just breaking into her second week. And if Sharon thought dealing with teenagers when they were alive was hard, it was even worse when they were dead. They couldn't even moan and groan about wishing for death. Death had come and gone. And guess what? Death sucked too.

"Yeah." Marissa rolls her eyes. She had heard this speech before. Even though she was well past the 'I shouldn't be here' phase and the 'this isn't fair' fit. She had finally come to accept the fact that she was dead. Which was a relief to everyone still wandering this in-between realm.

"I mean it." Sharon carries on with her positive energy, "the autumn equinox is coming up."

"Woo hoo." Marissa says sarcastically. "Shame, I didn't die with my party hat on." More than just a sarcastic remark. It was also conveniently relevant considering all the spirits currently still wore what they had died in. Sharon still wore her summer dress. A day at the beach that ended in bitter tragedy. She knew she didn't know how to swim, but she was still going to try. A lesson learned in hindsight, really. If you can't laugh at yourself.

"Oh, come on." Peter chimes in. He had been dead even longer than Sharon. He had sort of adopted everyone as he took on the role of being the grandfather of the group. "She doesn't know about the equinox. Gather round, gather round!" He calls out to the small crowd around them.

"Why do we need to gather?" Craig asks. "You're only informing one person. The rest of us know about the equinox already."

"Because, Craig." Peter sneers, "I don't want to have to repeat myself just in case anyone has questions. Let an old man ramble and mind your elders."

Marissa really had to fight the urge to roll her eyes in front of everyone. Who knew dying would be so annoying, and you'd still have to deal with people.

"We live in what you would call the 'in-between'." Peter tells them, "A realm that lies somewhere -"

"Somewhere in-between." Marissa finishes his sentence for him.

Peter seems flustered. "Yes." He folds his arms. "Did you want to finish the exposition dump, or are you going to let the professionals handle it?"

"By all means." She waves her hand for him to continue. "Have at it."

He lifts his nose higher into the air before carrying on. "There are days where the veil between our spiritual world and the physical world is very thin."

Sharon adds her two cents, "Halloween is a wonderful example." She nods to Marissa.

"Yes." Peter gives her a stern look. "I was right about to say that. Give an old man time to finish."

"And the autumn equinox is when the veil between worlds is thin?" Marissa guesses with no amount of enthusiasm in her voice.

"And the autumn -" Peter stops again. He grumbles to himself, "Why do I even bother?"

Sharon takes over from the pouting old man, "And on the autumn equinox, The Library opens!"

"Library?" Marissa perks up a bit now.

"That's right!" Sharon cheers, "a special library for the dead! Where we can interact with the books. Books of our lives. Other's lives. You can read about the living as well!"

"We can actually read books?" Marissa's tone softens. In life, books were her only friends. Now, she would be able to surround herself in a whole library full of them. She smiles now for the first time since she had been dead. Maybe things really weren't so bad.

....................

The crowd in front of The Library was fierce. In the afterlife, there wasn't too much to do, so the dead leaped at a change in scenery. Marissa, seeing the mystical library, was filled with awe, its rich burgundy complemented by a gold and silver trim, two quartz pillars towering over the entranceway. Marissa smiles, and Sharon pats her on the back,

"See? Told you it's not all bad." Sharon smiles, and Marissa rolls her eyes, but deep down, she agrees with her.

As they enter The Library, Peter leans down and whispers to Marissa, "Now don't be alarmed, but the Librarian isn't what you'd expect." Peter smiles, and Craig and Sharon chuckle, nodding in agreement.

"Certainly shocked me my first time." Craig laughs, and Sharon nods.

As they move through the line, Marissa finally sees the Librarian in a heated conversation with one of the dead. Her eyes widen, realizing what Peter meant. The Librarian is a small Gnome with a little blue hat and long black beard. His eyes twinkle like the cosmos. Marissa leans in to hear the conversation.

"Sorry, I just thought -" The person tries to cover their tracks, but the Librarian interrupts them.

"What, huh? You thought I should be an angel or something like that? Am I not good enough?" The Librarian yells, and the person throws their hands up in defense,

"No! No! You're amazing! I just wasn't expecting...you" The person responds and walks off ashamed. Marissa chuckles softly at the encounter as their group walks up.

The Librarian perks up and smiles, "Peter! Sharon! Welcome back! Oh, and Craig, right?" The Librarian smiles, and Craig nods, "Got a new face here too. What's your name?"

He looks over at Marissa, and she quietly responds, "Uh, Marissa." She tries her best to smile, but it comes out forced.

The Librarian frowns, "Yeah, don't do that again. Well, since you're new, this is how it works. Step into one of the Thought Elevators, and it will take you directly to your book. If multiple people are in the elevator, then it will send them all to whoever speaks up first." The Librarian points to an old ornate elevator, and Marissa nods, muttering a "Thank you" and walking to the elevator.

The group steps onto the Thought Elevator. They all look at Marissa, allowing her to go first since she's the newest here.

"Marissa," she says. As soon as the word leaves her mouth, the elevator dings, bringing them to a bookshelf. Her book starts to glow, and she picks it up, sifting through it, smiling at the memories. She reaches the end of the book, and she raises an eyebrow.

"Wait... This isn't how I died. I died at 18, but this book says I died at 15." Marissa looks up at the group, and they all walk up and look.

"That's strange, are you sure?" Peter asks.

"I'm pretty sure I know when I died," Marissa snaps back.

"Something is wrong here," Sharon mutters.

"Oh, it must be the wrong book." Peter suggests. "Somehow, you must have gotten a different Marissa."

"That can't be right, and you know it." Sharon corrects him. "Surely, the Librarian would know if there was an issue?"

"Issue?" The little, blue-hatted gnome pops up from seemingly nowhere.

"Ah!" Craig jolts away in a startled jump. "Should put a bell on this guy,"

"What issue in my library?" The Librarian pops around so fast around them that they can barely see it move.

"My book." Marissa holds the book open to the end. "It says I died at 15. But..." She pauses, her eyebrows creasing in confusion, "It's wrong."

"How is that possible?" Sharon asks, "They've never been wrong before."

"According to my book, I was 15." Marissa shrugs. "Maybe I have the one broken book around here."

"Does she look... younger... to anyone?" Craig is the first to notice how short Marrisa is now from her older self. "And shorter?"

Marissa's eyes get big. "Wait a second... I am definitely shorter! I can see it!"

The rest of them gasp as they notice it, too, now.

The Librarian zooms up to peak over the pages within the book. Which is a wonder since his hat seems to cover his eyes. He looks over at Marissa, then back to the book. "I see no issue." He grunts. "I'll have you know I keep my library in order!"

"But... she changed." Peter tries to point out to the gnome.

"I saw nothing." The Librarian shrugs.

Useful, that one.

"Really?" Craig looks around to his friends. "Is this little guy seriously going to gaslight us or...?"

"Let me check my book." Sharon offers. Together, they all climb into the elevator to find her book next.

The whole way to the very shelf that contained her book, Sharon's insides felt tight. She dreaded reading about her death. Each year, she avoided that part of her book. She remembered the strangle hold the cold water had on her throat. How her hands flung wildly above the surface while below, she fought to break the water's edge. She remembered the burning in her lungs. How her tears were lost with the mix of the sea and her screams were hollow bubbles that took away the last air in her lungs. It gives her a cold shiver to remember it. Dead right after she turned 30. It was supposed to be a good year.

She snaps out of her daze when she pulls her book from the shelf. She slowly flips to the very back. She can feel all eyes on her, waiting for her response. She hesitates only for a moment but needs to see the end for herself. Finally. There it is. Drowned in the ocean.

Of course. She remembered it like it was yesterday. But the book said she died at 24...

"Sharon, your hair just turned blonde." Peter looks absolutely stunned.

"Hm?" Sharon says, "I am a natural blonde." She looks her hair over and gasps, "I didn't dye it brunette until I was 30!"

"Did you see it this time, Mr. Librarian Gnome Man," Craig points like he is accusing the next victim of being a witch at the Salem Witch Trials. "Or do you wanna gaslight some more?"

"No, no." The gnome sounds almost frightened, "I see now."

"I... I have to go inform the Council, " The gnome hops into the elevator, and the group looks at each other following after him.

Marissa turns to Sharon, "What's the Council?" Marissa asks.

She shrugs, turning to Peter, who also shrugs, "They must be old. I have never heard of them before. This sounds serious if they're getting called in," Peter says as they all step into the elevator teleporting back to the main desk.

They see people ringing the bell at the front, all complaining about the same thing.

"I lost 10 years!" Shouts one man.

"Count yourself lucky. I lost 40!" Shouts another who appears to be a 10-year-old boy.

Sharon looks around for the Librarian, but he's nowhere to be seen.

Craig groans, "Little guy must have turned tail as soon as people started to complain," Craig says, shaking his head.

At the same time, almost in response to Craig's statement a PA system crackles to life, and the voice of the Librarian is heard, "Due to unexpected and unexplained circumstances, the Library is currently in quarantine. Please stay put and do not attempt to leave the premises. The Council is working on solving this issue." The Librarian finishes and the speakers start playing classical music. The crowd of people in the library starts to shout and argue with each other.

Marissa groans and looks at Sharon, "Oh yeah, this is just loads of fun.!" She says sarcastically.

Sharon sighs and looks at the ground, "It usually is" Sharon sounds defeated and Peter walks over to her and puts his hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"Hey, it's okay, the Council must know what they're doing right? I mean if they know to quarantine, I'm sure they'll have this sorted out before you know it." Peter smiles and Sharon returns the smile.

The moment Sharon relaxes Craig opens his mouth, "Or we're all going to die...again" Craig sighs instantly bringing the mood down with his remark. Peter shoots him a glare and Craig shrugs.

After a few hours, the PA system cuts the classical music, and the Librarian is heard again, "All those who have been infected please enter one of the Thought Elevators. We are working on a solution, but we need to run some tests. We ask for your patience and understanding in this trying time." The Librarian says and a collective groan erupts from the crowd.

"They act like they have anything else to do." Peter rolls his eyes and continues, "I mean the afterlife is pretty boring, at least this spices it up a bit." Peter chuckles trying to lighten the mood and Sharon smiles and nods.

"Yeah, I guess you have a point there. But this whole thing is freaky still." Sharon says.

"I should've stayed home," Marissa groans regretting ever tagging along.

"Well, you two should get in the elevator. Craig and I aren't infected so we'll wait here for you! Good luck!" Peter waves and Sharon waves back, Marissa as per usual groans and rolls her eyes as they both walk into the elevator.

"Testing?" Marissa looks at Sharon. "How are they possibly going to test us? Isn't it obvious we're "infected"?"

"I don't know." Sharon looks worried, "I just hope this can be reversed. I mean... what happens if we lose all our years?"

"Everyone! Everyone! Please!" The Librarian awaits the sea of angry spirits.

"I want my years back!" A child screams.

"Have Patience!" The Librarian is surrounded by a group of fellow gnomes. All with various colored hats and beards. All with their round noses and hats covering their eyes.

"What's happening to us!?" Someone else cries out angrily.

"It appears we are experiencing an infiltration or... an infection." The Librarian announces, "Please send one person forward for testing."

Everyone looks at each other. No one seemingly wants to take that leap without knowing the test.

"Oh, please." Marissa steps forward through the crowd. "Hit me."

The Librarian requests her book from her. She hands it over and folds her arms, looking impatient.

"Please." The Librarian now takes a handful of glitter from his fellow gnome in a yellow hat. He turns back to Marissa and, without warning, blows the handful into her face.

"Hey!" She chokes and coughs up half a lung, trying to clear her throat from all the glitter she just breathed in.

The gnomes all bundle around each other in heated whispers, and the Librarian joins in with them nodding. "Yes, yes." He mumbles in agreement to their hushed whispers.

"Why'd you do that?" Marissa is still choking and wiping the tears from her eyes.

The Librarian turns to face the crowd, "The test has been concluded. "No one is "infected" here."

"What?" Marissa snaps, "You just blew glitter in my face for that?"

"Silence." The Librarian scolds her. "That was no mere glitter."

"Then what was it?"

"Magic glitter." He says as though that justifies his wild actions.

"So, what's the issue then?" Another random person yells.

"There is, in fact, an infiltration." The Librarian sighs in annoyance. This is the second time this decade."

"Of what?" Sharon asks, looking concerned.

The Librarian pauses for dramatic effect before hissing, "Time imps. The pesky little rats. They scuttle into my library and feed off the years in my precious books."

"What do we do?"

"How do we get our years back?"

"My whole life was practically erased!"

"I lost valuable moments with my family!"

"Silence, silence!" The Librarian calls out over all the voices. "Do not fear! This is but a minor inconvenience. Your time shall be restored! After we take care of those annoying little pests!"

"What do we need to do?" A woman asks.

"Absolutely nothing." The Librarian assures her. "I'll call pest control right away. Should resolve all the issues. Whenever they can make it here."

"How long with that take?" Someone asks.

"I can't say." The Librarian shrugs, "I suppose you'll just have to take comfort in the time you still have."

........

Although it took a few more hours, pest control did arrive and reverse all the damage the time imps caused.

At first, people were mad at The Library and all the fear and panic the pests caused, but over time, it became a fond memory.

People would ask, "Where were you the time those pesky Time imps attacked?"

And those who didn't know of the Time imps would ask, "What is a Time imp?"

And boy, were they in for a story!

In the following years, Craig, Sharon, and Peter would continue to visit The Library. Not Marissa, however.

Whenever they would ask her to join them, she'd always roll her eyes and give them the same snotty remark, "I would like to stay an adult thank you." She would then return to whatever book she was reading, and they'd go without her.

As for the Council, they wouldn't be called on again for troubles at the Library...

Well, there was that one time they were called upon, but that's a story for another time...