Chapter 4
SOPHIA
“Who's there?” I replied the frightening knock, my voice trembling.
The knocking stopped. Silence. And then, a single sentence, spoken softly. “Sophia? You there?”
I tiptoed to the door and flipped on the light switch.
Audacious, I held the door, slowly creaking it open and a shadowy figure was waiting in the doorway. It appeared to be Blackwood.
He stepped into my room and seemed out of breath, like he had been running.
“Um, Professor... What are you-”
He grabbed my arms in his hands, with a look of concern spread across his face. “Are you okay, Sophia?”
My eyes widened in panic. “I'm- okay, Professor…”
He was being weird but even more surprising was how he knew my dorm room.
I wiggled out of his hands and he let go seeing how uncomfortable I got. He put his hands on his head in a dramatic fashion and let them back down, ruffling his hair.
“I see you've been busy…”, he said, pointing to my bed with the mythology book open. He walked past me toward it, “...so uh, h-how's it coming along?”
I was still flustered and was gradually growing impatient.
“What's going on?” I asked, fighting to hide my unease.
Blackwood hesitated, his eyes kept scanning my room as if he was searching for words.
“So, I... I just wanted to make sure you're okay,’’ he said finally, his voice sounding uncertain.
I frowned, feeling there was more to it. “But you know my room… sir.” I stated with a straight face, trying to keep my tone neutral.
His gaze snapped back to mine, and he looked guilty.
“I... Yes, I do,” he awkwardly admitted.
“And why are you here?” I pressed, keeping my tone firm. His eyes were back to scanning the room again, as if searching for a way out of it.
I crossed my arms, trying to appear confident when he looked back at me. "What then is the problem?"
“Hm, Sophia, I…” He stopped again, frantically pacing.
It had become awkward now, and I watched in bewilderment as he stood by the shelf and ran his fingers over no book in particular.
“What's going on!?” I demanded, my voice harsh and patience thinning out.
Blackwood turned, his eyes burning with an intensity that made me step back. “I'm trying to protect you, Sophia,’’ he said, his baritone reverbing fragile and urgent.
My heart skipped a beat and my folded arms loosened. Protect me? Did he know about my vision? How did he?
I dismissed the questions and forced myself to ask one.
“Protect me from what?” I asked, my voice shaky.
“I... I don't know if I can, I'm sorry.” he muttered, his hands were back on his head but he soon dropped them again.
This conversation kept going in circles and I now had enough.
“Sir, please stop.” I raised my hands, with my palms out. He halted, his back to me. “I'd like you to leave now. Please.”
I couldn't take it anymore. Slowly, he turned. He stared long at me, before finally walking out of my room, closing the door behind him.
I exhaled, my heart still racing. What just happened? I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion.
I locked the door after him and looked over to the open mythology book. I crashed behind the door, completely lost in thought. What did Blackwood mean by 'protecting’ me?
My displaced mind struggled to hold on to a single thing.
I finally got up and picked the book to look at what page it was on. I quickly closed it and dropped it on a desk beside me in paranoia. I didn't want to take chances.
“I need answers.” I muttered to myself.
THE LIBRARY.
I grabbed my bag and left my room, resolute to find answers to the dream I had earlier. A part of me considered talking to Blackwood, but his little drama overnight had me shook. I wasn't going to.
The library's silence enveloped me as I stepped in. I curiously browsed the shelves in the “Mythology” alley unsure of what I was looking for. I picked out two books, both texts on dreams and visions.
Uncertain, I resigned to reading through both texts before judging them useless. I started to walk away from the alley before suddenly noticing a dusty tome at the end of the column. I backpedaled toward it and picked it up, blowing the dust off the back with my mouth.
“The Prophecies of the Silver Wolf,” the cover read.
For whatever reason, my heart raced. Still, I was going to read it. I sat on the closest seat to me as I eagerly opened the book.
The bold words leapt off the page:
“The prophecies of the Silver Wolf, born of noble blood under the moonlight…”
A cold shiver ran down my spine. What was this about?
“Noble blood…” I mumbled, reflecting.
I was glued to the page and I continued to read, studiously devouring the words.
As I read, the library room seemed to grow darker and the shadows deepened. I felt eyes upon me. Still, I didn't look away from the pages.
I turned to the next page to see a drawing. It was a picture illustrating a white wolf under a bright full moon. The wolf howled at the moon and was surrounded by what looked like black furry rocks.
I took a closer second look at the picture and discovered the 'furry rocks' were actually wolves that laid lifeless. I yelped in fear, throwing the book away.
My hands covered my mouth by reflex. This was literally the vision I had last night. I stood to recover the book from the floor and I saw the ugly glances from other people in the library room.
I couldn't continue here. I needed somewhere private. With rising conviction, I headed to the librarian.
“Excuse me?”
“Can I help you?” a plump looking woman answered, her eyes fastened on her computer.
I sharpened my tone. “I wanted to borrow this for the day.” I said, raising the book.
“Only if you'll be back in… two hours.” She said, briefly glancing at her watch.
“No no, I wanted to-”
“Library policies, kid.” She cut in, finally looking up. “All materials must be returned before the close of day.”
“Right.” I replied, masking my disappointment.
I looked down at the tome, pressing its edges. Two hours.
A strange urgency had overwhelmed me and I needed to know what came next.
“Okay.” I snapped, “I'll be back!’’