"And this...is the restricted section of the library," the old lady said, pointing at a gate, "you must never enter it, nor allow anyone else to go in there. It has been locked for more than a century, and it should be kept that way. Do you understand?"
Leah stared nervously at the gate; it had thick iron bars, each covered with intricate designs and heavy chains wrapped around the lock. Two ugly looking serpents were designed over it, to look like they had slithered from the bottom corners and intertwined at the top. They were made of pure gold no doubt, and shined in the dim light. A strange, dark invisible energy surrounded it, just being near it made her uncomfortable.
"May I ask why it is locked up?" Leah questioned the old librarian.
"Well...I don't really know. It was closed way before I started working here 38 years ago. I was given strict instructions against opening it and I wasn't going to defy the mayor's orders. I needed this job and I loved working here, so I did what was asked of me. It would be wise of you to do the same."
"Thank you, Miss Braganza," Leah said, forcing a smile.
Leah needed this job desperately; she had divorced her husband a few months ago, after she caught him cheating on her. She got married immediately after graduating from college but didn't get a job, as her husband wanted her to focus on taking care of him and their home. She loved him dearly and sacrificed her ambitions for him, only to be left alone and penniless. At the age of 33 and without any experience, no company was ready to hire her. She had seen the ad for the position of a librarian in the local newspaper and applied for it, even though it was not something she wanted to do.
"I can just work here till I find something better," she told herself. Out of 7 other candidates, Miss Braganza had chosen her. The old lady seemed bitter and unhappy and Leah worried that she would end up the same way.
Edith Braganza had no husband, kids or family. She had dedicated her life taking care of the library and was sad when the time for her retirement came. She didn't trust anyone to obey the rules and would have still continued with her job if it wasn't for her deteriorating health. Out of everyone who had applied for the post, Leah seemed to be very quiet and less likely to break the rules. Edith had sensed her desperation and hired her.
It was Leah's first day, she was given the tour by the old librarian, after which she handed over the keys and left. The library was almost empty except for the three students working on their project. No one visited libraries anymore, thanks to the internet. There was no Wi-Fi available so Leah picked a book to kill her boredom; it was about the town's history.
Sanai was a small town in the south part of India. Built in the 17th century by the Europeans, it was considered to be a heritage site and most of the town's income came from tourism. In the late 19th century, Prince Ramanuj had abdicated the throne to travel the world and collect precious artifacts and paintings, which decorated the library till this date. Among his collection, were ancient scriptures from different countries and eras which were stored in the restricted section of the library and sealed long ago due to reasons unknown. Till a few decades ago, the library also served as a tourist spot, but after some people tried to break into the restricted area, the tours were stopped.