Vision in Red by Sajjad Rasool - HTML preview

Children of Olive

It didn't read it.

It inhaled it.

The paper touched the blank face and dissolved. The ink flowed off the page and into the creature's skin, turning it a shade darker gray. The paper turned to dust and fell to the floor.

"A Librarian," Amal mouthed.

The creature dropped the empty file folder. It reached for another one on the shelf.

It was eating the records.

"It's erasing them," Yasmin whispered, tears springing to her eyes. "It's eating the proof."

Amal felt the key in her pocket turn into a icicle. It was reacting to the Void.

"We have to get to Row 1948," Amal whispered. "Before it gets there."

"It's in the way."

"Distraction," Amal said. "Huda's rule. Make noise."

"We can't fight that thing, Amal."

"We don't have to fight it. We just have to make it flinch."

Amal looked at the shelves around her. Maps of aquifers. Water tables.

She grabbed a heavy binder. Hebron Water Allocation 1980.

"When I throw this," Amal whispered, "run to the right. Flank it. Huda said the Bayt al-Rih ledger is Black with Red spine. Box 48-B."

"And you?"

"I'm going to be the bait."

Amal took a breath. She weighed the binder in her hand. It was heavy with the weight of stolen water.

"Hey!" she shouted.

The sound exploded in the quiet archive.

The Librarian froze. It turned its blank face toward the aisle.

Amal stepped out. She raised the binder.

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