You remember the way the ghoul's claws clung to the leather cover of the book for a little too long.
"Remember, bring this book back on its due date. Not a day early, and not a day late." They'd said.
You promised you would before you plucked the book from their stiff grip and hurried off. And now... You're a day late. You wave your golden ticket hurriedly in front of the portal's door and step through as soon as it opens. It's raining in the Other Realm, large drops of water that taste like tears.
You don't have an umbrella, but that's the least of your worries. You run all the way to the library, only stopping to catch your breath when you see the stately building appear over the tops of the colorful trees that line the street. A right turn takes you to the large wooden doors that swing open at a mere touch and close behind you on their own.
The floors alternate between soft carpeting and glossy wood, so you leave your muddy shoes by the door. You seem to be the only one here today, which is not great. Maybe you can leave the book by the front desk and sneak out? You turn and almost walk into the ghoul, who is looking down their nose at you—what's left of it anyway—with an expression like someone put a whole lemon in their tea. Their tall stature only makes them look more intimidating.
"Hello!" You squeak out.
Four eyes, the color of milk tea, observe your breathless state.
"You were in a hurry to get here."
"Yes—"
"You could not have hurried yesterday? You are a day late."
"I lost track of the time."
Pale eyebrows raise. "Is that so? Then surely a week of sorting through books will be nothing to you."
"A week? That's the punishment?"
"Is it too lenient?" They pluck the book out of your hands and walk away in a flurry of black silk.
"No! I can't afford a week!" You spout.
"Time moves differently here. If you are worried that you will be missed."
"I don't think anyone would even notice if I fucked off for a month," you grumble, hurrying after the ghoul who walks in that meandering, halting way they have, like they're not sure where to go.
"Then what is the issue?” They ask.
"I just don't think I can spend so much time here—"
"—with me?" The ghoul finishes, peering down an intersection of shelves.
"Um." You feel bad for admitting it. "You're just..."
"Hideous, I know."
"I was going to say scary."
"It has been a very long time since I indulged in human flesh. You have little to worry about." The ghoul pauses, their sigh causing their bone white hair to flutter, their expression growing despondent.
"Are you lost?"
Your question rouses them from their stupor, and they give a dry, raspy laugh.
"Why would you think so?"
"You look like you don't know where you're going."
"So you've noticed it. Heavens curse me." They sigh and tuck their hair behind pointed ears. Silver bangles jangle lightly on their delicate wrists. "Yes, my memories have been deteriorating of late."
"Do you know why?"
"I am an undead being that has been alive for centuries. I only have so much capacity for remembering things before they start to wash away, to be replaced with something new."
"Like what?" You prod.
"I don't know. This library is my life, little lies beyond it."
"So that's why you're always lurking in the shelves when I visit."
The ghoul sniffs. "I do not lurk. I observe."
You laugh. "Okay. Give me the book, I know where it goes."
They relinquish the tome and follow you down the long aisles.
"You know where to go," they comment. "Since you come here so often."
"I do, don't I?" You slide the book into the correct spot on the shelf and watch the protective seal light up around it before you turn. "I'll stay for the week, but only if you can guarantee food and a place to sleep. Unlike you, I can't go much longer than a day without either."
"Wonderful!" The ghoul clasps your shoulder with long, thin fingers, their talons poking lightly through your shirt. "Sorry." They release you.
They aren't half as scary as I thought they were, you think to yourself.
"Do you have a name I can call you by?"
"Vēasal." Their eyes light up like they're remembering something half-forgotten.
"Fasal? What does it mean?"
"Hope, but if that word once had meaning, it is now lost on me. Come, I have a lot to show you."
And that's how you became the assistant for the librarian of the Other Realm, because after the week passes, you end up asking to work there as an actual employee, and Vēasal is quick to say yes.
To all of the masculine ladies out there with hairy armpits, bristled legs, big, bushy eyebrows, and “unusual” deep voices, remember you’re extremely desirable in Orcish standards.
you know what, shoutout to the neurodivergent people with "scary" symptoms.
the ones who:
-say dark things without realizing
-talk to themselves
-have homicidal thoughts
-get really, really angry
-make others uncomfortable on accident
-don't tolerate bullshit
-can't/won't mask
-have dark interests
-have genuinely hurt others before
-have been in a psych ward before
-obsess over people
-have intrusive thoughts about hurting people
-have sexual intrusive thoughts
-don't really care about others much
-always choose themselves first
-have low/no empathy
-are seen as creepy or scary by others
this goes out to my folks with autism that isn't "uwu cute". personality disorder havers. schizospec people. ocders. odd and ied havers. and anyone and everyone else.
this post does not support intentionally hurting people. but people who have hurt others in the past and have changed or are trying to change/in the process of changing are more than welcome here.
Hey if you’re schizophrenic/psychotic I just want you to know that you’re a wonderful person and that you deserve so much better than the demonization, marginalization and stigmatization you face in this society.
Please consider reblogging this/other positivity posts for schizophrenic/psychotic people every once in a while. If you have more than 100 followers, odds are that a couple of them experiences psychosis and that they rarely see positivity posts for people with their symptoms.
The meds I'm on are methylphenidate ( I think, I'll have to check tomorrow, there is no way I'm leaving this bed) which is basically a version of Speed.
I can't sleep because I'm too awake because I am currently trying to adjust to drugs.
Fml
I started them Tuesday morning all good, night-time was OK bit of a struggle not to bad.
Wednesday morning was good, come night-time I couldn't get to sleep till 1:30am... And I had to get up at 6:30 and had to be home in the early.
This morning was a bitch because I was so tired but I had to take my meds anyway so my body was a sack of potatoes whilst my brain was acting like I chugged 5 cups of coffee one after the other, and now I am going to have to battle with my pillows to try and actually get some sleep tonight.
