Chapter 1
Mary’s Point of View
“*I hate the fact that you burned down my house!”
“I burned down your house for a reason! Because there was someone who is living with you!”
“Then you could have told me earlier!”
“Annie! Keep it strong! Fight the spirits!”
“I’m sorry, James, Annie is not here! She went to hell with me! And you know what? I’ll bring you too*!”
“Ugh!”
I quickly turned off our television as soon as James and Annie died in the movie. I hate these usual horror movies when the characters gets killed by spirits who just wants peace. I’d rather write a comedy story instead of those.
“Mary, it’s 12:00 in the midnight!”
My mom shouted outside my bedroom door. I ignored her and focused on my newly-bought phone. I turned it on and tried to send a message to my friends in a group chat. All of a sudden, an unknown contact number sent a message to me just now right after turning my phone on.
I clicked it and saw the message.
‘Dear lucky customer, you are picked as one of the several customers who have the opportunity to go to Historic Books Exhibition on July 23! Just show this message to the receptionist and you are ready to go! Make sure to bring friends as they’re free to go inside too! We hope we can see you there!’
My eyes got wide after seeing the message. July 23 is tomorrow! I always loved books and I’m bound to go there if my mom says so. I really hope I can go there. I’ll bring my friends there as well. From excitement, I laid down on my bed with my eyes full awake and my lips smiling widely.
It’s 8:00 in the morning, and my schedule for today’s class is until 2:30 P.M. I went outside the bathroom with great hygiene from scrubbing my whole body from head to toe.
“Mary, here’s your burger and fries for your lunch! Are you done?”
My mom greeted me with a cheerful presence. I politely received the lunch and went upstairs to pick for my casual attire. I prepared my things to bring and put it inside my backpack and took a selfie. This is going to be a great day!
My name is Mary Chin Lim, 19 years old and a perfectionist. I’m a book enthusiast, and a lover of cats. I’m not that intelligent but I still manage to get high grades and all, as I have an aspiration. I love and hope to be a great investigator someday where you fix and solve problems.
That was my dad’s dream for me, but now he’s gone, and we all don’t know how he died. That is why I want to pursue to achieve and be an investigator to atleast find informations about my dad’s death.
As I arrived at the school gate, I saw my friends waving and smiling at me. I waved back and ran to them cheerfully.
My friends, Lillie, Nathan and Ricky are very friendly and love to joke around. They are kind of bullies but when it comes to academics, they are not a joke. Lillie even got the highest grades among the class
“Guys! I received a message that I got invited to a book museum and I would love to go there! I hope you guys could come along!”
I shared the news to them. They all look at each other, thinking if they should come.
“Well, I love too!”
Ricky smiled and gave a high-five to me. Ricky is a very adventurous person for she’s down to everything. It wouldn’t be a surprise if she was put in a forest.
“Well, if both of you are coming, then I would go as well”
Nathan jumped and raised his voice to make it more cheerfully. Three of us jumped from joy together. After a few seconds, we looked at Lillie who isn’t happy.
“Sorry guys, I don’t want to come unless that organization that invited you is a very legit organization”
Lillie explained while her arms wrapped in front of her chest. Nathan laughed at her and tried to convince her
“Lillie, you should be hanging out. All of us deserve to relax in these days full of pressure and stress! Right?”
Me and Ricky nodded at Nathan’s statement. I looked at Lillie who is giving a worried eyes.
“I’m sorry guys, but I don’t trust this. I can relax at home”
Lillie responded turned around to go in the school gate.
“Well, I foremost think that this organization is legit. Plus I can’t put this down especially it’s about books!”
I talked to Ricky as we held hands together while walking through the school gate.
“Lillie is just a killjoy! I don’t know how she became our friends! She didn’t even get to hang out with us in the past years except for that boring prom!”
Ricky replied. I chuckled from her response while we look at Lillie who is at the distant from us. I mean, Ricky is not wrong but she isn’t right as well because you can’t just assume someone. Lillie could have a strict parents or Lillie’s parents is so busy that they don’t have time to secure and watch their home so they gave the job to Lillie to watch their house.
“Oh, look, it’s your crush! Hi, Mark!”
All of a sudden, Ricky shouted and waved to Mark, who is basically my crush. Why do friends have the courage to embarass someone?!
I looked at Mark who is waving at us as well, and slowly walked towards us.
“Good morning, Ricky, good morning, Mary!”
Mark politely greeted us with his cheerful and orderly face. His voice is so manly that it fits his gentle personality. No wonder I have a crush on him.
“Good morning, Mark, good morning Lian!”
Ricky greeted Mark and Lian back. Lian is Mark’s bestfriend. They always hang out together from day to night, since they are in the same neighborhood.
“Are you guys going to play basketball later?”
Ricky asked. Ricky is very talkative, she loves to gossip to anyone and anywhere.
“Yup! Are you guys going to watch?”
Lian answered and smirked. They are really going to play? At the same time we’re going to the museum? What a wrong timing!
“Good morning Mr. Marky!”
Suddenly from our behind, a voice greeted Mark. All of turned around to see Yuna shouting. All of us noticed the beauty of the girl from beside her, she’s basically Lirah, Mark’s girlfriend, unfortunately.
“Good morning!”
Mark greeted them cheerfully. I felt downcast when I noticed Mark’s voice grew even cheerfully and his face became brighter once he saw Lirah. It’s very sad to see your crush getting in a relationship, but you’ll have to keep it together, Mary.
“Uhh, we’re in a hurry so we’ll see you guys around!”
I responded with a shaky voice. I held Ricky’s voice who is still having a conversation with Lian.
“Aww, okay see you later, girl!”
Yuna waved good bye at me as the rest of the gang just stared at me. Me and Ricky walked faster to get away from the group as soon as we can.
“Woah, don’t worry, Mary, there is a more deserving person out there whom you never meet yet”
Ricky said as I slowed down our walking in the hallway.
“Please, I don’t want to talk about this nonsense, let’s just go to our classroom. We have a quiz in the first period”
I turned back to talk to Ricky and later went inside our classroom.
It 2:40 P.M. as the classes got dismissed 10 minutes late. My heart is pounding rapudly from the excitement to go to the museum.
“Mary, I just want to tell you that I’m also excited to go to the museum”
Ricky tapped me on my shoulder. I’m just glad to know they’re not bored from this.
“What museum?”
All of a sudden, Yuna started to talk to us while we’re taking the stairs to go to the first floor.
She’s not alone. Yuna is with Lian and Mark’s girlfriend, Lirah.
“It’s a book museum. We’re invited to go there for free”
I answered Yuna’s question. Yuna’s eyes got wide as she looks at Lirah.
“Can we come? Pretty please? I promise I’ll treat you guys to the nearest coffee shop there!”
Yuna requested as she jumped from excitement. I can tell she loves books as well.
“Okay sure, the more the merrier”
Said Nathan who appeared from no where holding a cheese burger.
“Thank you guys. As a token of gratitude, we’ll let all of you copy our homework in Science!”
Lirah explained and chuckled a little. Lirah is so cute whatever happens to her. I’m here looking like a tilted rose.
“Than what are we waiting for? Let’s go to the place!”
Lian shouted as he ran towards the outside of the school building. I looked back to see Lillie standing near the window of the school waving goodbye at me with a worried face.
She must have felt sad when she is left out. I wonder what force did stopped her to go with us?
We went outside the school and decided to walk our way to the museum with cheerful and happy souls just having fun singing.
“Are you sure it’s very near?”
Yuna said with a tired look.
It’s 8:20 P.M. and we still haven’t found the museum. The contact sent us earlier the location of the museum and it seems that it is farther than what we expected. It was a mistake of deciding to walk.
“Why is this forest so creepy? Why is the museum located inside this creepy forest?!”
Ricky talked as she push away the branches and leaves away from her path.
“I’m don’t know and I’m very sorry. Fortunately, we’re near”
I responded. It is taking almost an hour to go through this trees and we still haven’t arrived at the museum. I’m having doubts, so many doubts.
All of a sudden, it started to rain. This is very unlucky. My excitement is starting to fade away. This might be one of the worst days I’ve ever experienced.
“Look!” We have arrived!”
Lian pointed to a concrete building. I started to felt relieved as all of us ran towards the door.
“This place is so cool!”
Nathan shouted as he let the raindrops tough his skin.
“We better go inside so we don’t get wet from the rain anymore”
Lirah said as she knocked the door of the place three times.
I look as my phone to send the contact number a message that we have arrived at the entrance.
All of a sudden, the door was opened on its own. The creek of the door proves that it’s very old.
“Wow, high-tech, isn’t it?”
Lian joked around as all of us entered the place quietly. The whole place was very dark and spacious.
“This museum is so cheap, they don’t have electricity?”
Yuna complained while she is holding my clothes. I can feel her sweaty hands.
Just in, the lightings were turned on and the whole structure of the museum was revealed. With weird objects glued on the wall and two sets of bookshelves were in the corner of the place.
“Welcome! Welcome, our dear visitors! Oh no! You guys are wet!”
All of a sudden two clowns went downstairs to meet and greet us.
“They didn’t tell us they are busy going to birthday parties”
Lian whispered to us and joked around. Yuna and Ricky laughed while me and Lirah stayed serious.
“Come! Dry yourselves! There are towles upstairs!”
The female clown says and invited us to go upstairs. All of us walked upstairs with aj awkward smile but suddenly, my phone vibrated signalling that someone has sent me a message.
“I’m sorry but you’re still not here at the entrance. I think you are lost and accidentally arrived at a wrong place”
