Lochana of the Library WIP Preview (Patreon)

WARNING THIS STORY WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN MY USUAL STUFF

In search of a quite place to read at her college, a young woman named Lochana ends up stumbling into a strange library. As much as the endless number of books entices her, she can't help feeling like something is watching her. Making sure she won't be leaving anytime soon.

This is quite a bit different from what I usually write, less focusing on a specific fetish and more on setting up some backstory for an OC I've had for a while.

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   “Why here?” Lochana whispered to herself as her brown eyes looked through her pair of large, rimmed glasses to stare across the lobby of the university’s library. “They couldn’t let me have a single spot for me to find some peace?”

   The sight that filled the young woman with such despair was something that brought joy to most of the other students. With the big game approaching, members of the football team and cheer squad had made it their goal to ensure everyone was giving their full support. This took the form of them setting up an impromptu pep rally in the lobby. Anyone that had come to study was swept up in the celebrations, leaving their notes behind in favor of joining in with their own cheers.

   It was moments like this that reinforced how out of place Lochana felt at college, or everywhere else for that matter. Glancing at the cheerleaders’ flashy uniforms and comparing them to her own outfit made up of grey sweatpants and a similarly dull, oversized hoodie made this differentiation painfully clear. Fixing the glasses balanced upon her light brown nose, she assured herself that she wasn’t going to find a peace and quiet in her usual spot. Tightly clutching the mythology textbook in her hands, she turned away from the cheerleaders in search of a place to be in silent solitude.

   Though Lochana started to walk towards the exit, she was soon reminded why she had taken sanctuary at the library in the first place. All across campus were similar displays of school spirit that were intended to make everyone feel welcome and included. Everyone, save for her, who couldn’t help feeling out of place no matter how many classes, clubs, or other social events she went to. At the end of the day, the only thing she truly desired was a place where she could peacefully lose herself in her books.

   Slipping out of the lobby without anyone noticing her was easy enough. It was typical for no one to really pay attention to her or her head of disheveled, dark brown hair that reached just below her chin. Avoiding eye contact with every person she passed, she kept walking through the halls to get away from the pounding music and obnoxious cheering. Further and further she delved into the library, partially becoming lost amongst the various shelves.

   Her retreat from the loud noises came to a halt as she reached a set of double doors. The make of the rich, brown wood looked far beyond the budget of a university that seemed to value athleticism over intellect. Across the surface were runes and symbols that she couldn’t even attempt to decipher. Sitting above the door upon a stone plaque was the engraved symbol of an eye with white sclera and a black iris. The unflinching pupil seemed to look straight through her, filling her with a sense of morbid curiosity. Keeping her sight firmly on the carving, she grasped the golden knobs and opened up the door.

   Lochana’s jaw dropped as pushed through the entrance to reveal a long corridor. The typical drywall she had seen throughout the library was nowhere to be seen, replaced with solid, grey stone. The passage way was lite by a combination of electric lanterns along the sides and chandeliers that hung from the high ceiling. Any sign of the typical smell of disinfectant had been replaced with a musty stench that wouldn’t be out of place in a long lost ruin. The question as to how the university could afford such an elaborate wing of the library was pushed aside in the wake of her obsession making her focus on a specific aspect of her discovery.

   Walking past the entryway, Lochana swiveled her neck back and forth in an attempt to glance at the uncountable number of books lining the wooden shelves. The tomes ranged greatly in terms of size, shape, and age. Some were simple, thin paperbacks that could be found at a convenience store while others were made of hard covers that looked meticulous crafted by an artisan.

   Surrounded on all sides by the massive collection, Lochana instinctively began to pull books from the shelves to load them up in her arms. Her curious fingers grabbed at every tome she considered even remotely interesting. By the time she couldn’t carry any more, she was left with a wide variety of literature. With her precious treasures carefully balanced against her torso all that remained was to find a suitable place to read.

   Lochana’s wish was granted as she shuffled further down the corridor. In-between the seemingly endless book shelves were a number of long tables made of ornately carved wood. Each table was equipped with differently sized chairs and dim lamps perfect for reading. Considering how magnificent this placed appeared, she took a single moment to ponder why no one else was around.

   Any questions she had concerning the wing was considered something that could be answered later. For now, her main focus was choosing the perfect place to sit. Selecting a chair at the head of one of the tables, she organized her books into a neat pile before picking one from the top to start reading.

   Lochana’s first pick was a light romance novel, full of corny lines, but with enough heart to keep things interesting. Wanting to make up for indulging in the book equivalent of junk food, she picked her way through the biography of a general from an ancient war. Getting her fill and then some of real world tragedy, she moved on to a fantasy novel to remind herself what it meant to be mesmerized by whimsy and magic. The variety in her readings was a major factor in making her lose track of time as her eyes went through page after page.

   Getting to the bottom of the pile and cracking open the mythology textbook she had come in with, she finally realized that something felt off. Sure she had always been a fast reader, but she never recalled going through so many books in one sitting. Then again, she didn’t have the luxury of a clock anywhere in the room to tell her what time it was.

   Saving her place in her book, she pulled out her phone to see how long she had been inside the library. The only thing she got was a blank, black screen. Repeated attempts to turn the device on defiantly flashed the no battery signal. Though she was sure she had charged her phone before she left her dorm, the lack of any power was a sure enough sign that she should probably leave.

   Picking up her books, Lochana began to walk back along the corridor. She made it a point to put back each tome exactly where she had found it. She amazed herself as she seemed to recall the positions of the books, perfectly fitting them in their former slots. Down to her original textbook once more, she made her way back to where she had entered the wing.

   Retracing her steps, Lochana attempted to head towards the entrance only to come to a stop as she neared a wall of blank stone. Clenching her fingers around her book, she took a deep breath to keep herself calm. At first she thought that she had merely gone in the wrong direction. This comforting notion was disproven thanks to familiar looking books flanking her on both sides. Fighting against the irrational idea that the door had disappeared into thin air, she made her way back towards the reading area to find a different route.