is this the beginning of the end?

[no_timewasters]

Setting: Library
Characters : Dylan and someone likely...seriously, I need someone to be there.

Comments

[greenmeadowes]

I had been in the library doing a little work that afternoon. Let's hear it for afternoons off! Wandering about in the stacks was rather nice, I could actually hear myself think, that is until I heard someone enter the library. Pince mumbled something and I poked my head around the shelf to see who had come in with a mind to either say hello or run far away.

It was McHafferty, and boy did he ever look confused. I decided to stay and watch to see what happened, out of sheer morbid curiosity of course.

[no_timewasters]

I shifted the books back, still confused what was going on, until some young lass stuck her head from around the books. And...did she wink at me? I had a nasty feeling this was another vision. I heard a very familiar voice again, more smoke rising. This wasn't Pince, I was sure. "Can't keep time, can you? Can't even keep women around." I heard the smirk, as the girl disappeared back behind the books, "Then again, I know what it's like, falling for women you can't have."

"What the fuck are you on about, mate?" And why couldn't I see him. What was he doing behind that pile of books?

[greenmeadowes]

McHafferty looked really off. Ill, even. Pince got up and moved to go do something in the stacks, but he was still there, looking at an empty desk. I thought I recognised the look on his face, and when he turned to look at me but didn't see me I finally put it all together. He was having another hallucination; he was seeing things. Just like he had been seeing things when he nearly attacked me. I was tempted to just leave him be, but how could I? He was talking to himself and who knows might happen this time around? I had seen him be violent before. ...well, almost. Before I brought him down.

"What the fuck are you on about, mate?" Who was he talking to? What was this all about? I stared at him intently.

[no_timewasters]

I finally got sick of this and pushed the books aside. I had a sudden urge to smoke. Not that this was unusual, but I did have standards. I felt like I ought to be breathing nicotine. I already had felt lightheaded, but now, it was like I'd had two bottles for breakfast, nevermind. Wait. I was behind the desk now, on the other side of the books. Looking derisively at myself. Laughing. "This wasn't fucking funny, Dylan." I heard myself say. Who was I talking to? Myself? Which me? Oh...what? I took a long drag off the cigarette and turned to that girl beside me, the one who kept popping her head around the books to see what I was laughing at, because "Oh, yeah, because going out your mind's really fucking funny." Shut your face, me. I gave her a smirk and...did she just kiss me? She really did, too. A proper, dirty, filthy kiss.

I saw myself go incredibly white and fall forwards onto the desk. I winced as I hit my head, then all of a sudden, that pain was very real again and...dark. Nice. Better than all that, by any means.