What Hides Within (Open)

[Levi Alexander Wolfe]

Levi had decided to take a trip downtown. There was a store he had passed almost everyday and had piqued his interest. What better time than now to go explore the mystery that was hidden within it. Alright, maybe he was being a bit dramatic. Nevertheless, he had never been in there so he honestly did not know what to expect. Had it come to this? That a book store was his new found form of adventure and excitement? Pathetic.

He entered the store, A Novel Idea, clever. He chuckled quietly to himself. Levi’s head panned around the quaint shop. It seemed to be inhabited by only one person, which he assumed was the only employee here. He nodded politely to the worker, who had seemed surprised to see another human being in the store. “Let me know if you need any assistance.” The clerk said in a rather robotic, monotonous tone. Levi simply nodded once more in response to the insipid employee.

The shelves never seemed to end. It looked like a small place due to the overflow of books everywhere. Levi’s fingers traced the spines of each book as he walked down each of the isles, waiting for something, anything to catch his eye. Ever since he had been back to Kalispell he hadn’t read anything, nor had he gone to visit his once favorite place, the library. It was odd, although he had been back for a while, two years to be exact, he could not help but feel out of place. Almost as though all of the things he had once enjoyed about his hometown had vanished, just as he had. Was there no way of getting them back?

Levi paused. His fingers were pressed up against the spine of a book whose title had caught his attention. What Hides Within. Interesting. He pulled the book from the shelf and ran his fingers gently over the cover. There was a huge black widow spider on it. He didn’t know why, but he was drawn to it. Levi began to read the back quietly to himself, “What Hides Within tells the story of a man held captive by an unknown evil...” He stopped after the first sentence, he was sold already. Levi flipped the book back over to the front, and opened it, slowly flipping to the first page and began to read.

[Amara Kingston]

    Amara made her way to the bookstore and cautiously stepped inside. It looked like they needed serious help with organizing the place, but other than that, it was kind of cozy she supposed. She ignored the singular worker that seemed to be just as happy to pretend she didn’t exist. As he made her way through, she didn’t see anybody, so she focused more on the books than on who could potentially be around the corner.


    She made her way to what looked to be a section containing mystery books and started her search. The darker stories, while sometimes depressing in and of themselves, were also something that she could more easily connect with. Life wasn’t as fluffy as some of the genres seemed to like to pretend, and she just couldn’t get into tales with a rainbow filled happily ever after ending. She didn’t mind realistically happy endings sometimes, but it was always a close call.


    Then again, pure tragedy was just as uninteresting to her because she didn’t care for all of the dramatics, so she had to find something in between, which could sometimes prove difficult. She reached up to a top shelf to pull down a book that looked promising, but she couldn’t quite reach it. She was so close too. Amara looked around, unwilling to ask the clerk for help as she had an idea she wouldn’t get much without grumbling or a dirty look, and she really wasn’t feeling up to dealing with that right now.


    She paused as she saw a man reading a book, and felt a bit guilty for interrupting him, but then again, he looked taller than her and she had hope that he would be a good deal easier to work with than the useless employee, “Um pardon me sir, but would you mind helping me reach that book?” she asked as she pointed to it.

[Levi Alexander Wolfe]

Kill the doctor! Kill the doctor! Levi’s hazel eyes were filled with excitement and wonder. So many questions already. He wanted to know more. He stood statuesque, his heart beating slowly which matched his breathing. He felt fully immersed in the new world he had just discovered. Everything around him had dissolved to absolute nothing. To him he was no longer standing in the bookstore in Kalispell, Montana. No. He was standing over Clive, in the hospital, watching just as the other nurses were.

Levi was about to turn the page when suddenly he heard something that wasn’t the sound of his own voice. He shook his head slightly and blinked at the pages in front of him. Damn. He was slightly annoyed. With the book still opened, he turned his head to face the person that had snapped him back to his pathetic reality. Well, it wasn’t pathetic. He shouldn’t complain, nor should he have pity for himself. Wow, he was reaching all sorts of new levels. Not good. “I’m sorry, did you say you needed help?” He asked, slightly louder than he had intended to. It was almost as if his ears hadn’t adjusted to the silence of the store. He was still hearing the chaos from the hospital. That was weird. He noticed the girl pointing at the book on a higher shelf. That answered his own question.

He shifted the book over to his left hand, leaving his index finger between the pages as a place holder. Not that he needed to, he was only on the third page. He smoothly moved over to the girl, reached up to the shelf with his free hand and grabbed the book she was pointing to. “Here ya go.” He said rather apathetically, he was still in a slight daze.

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Tag: Amara Kingston

[Amara Kingston]

    Amara smiled at him, “Thanks,” she responded simply. She was slightly amused at how out of it he’d seemed to be. “Must be good,” she offered as she indicated his book with her hand. Judging from where he’d appeared to have left off, he’d only just recently started it, and he’d definitely been fully immersed before she’d drawn his attention. She knew that feeling well, and she was interested in just what it was that had caught his attention so adeptly.


    It wasn’t a book she’d read before, but she might just decide to pick it up sometime. Her own book appeared to be what she’d been hoping for: a sci-fi/mystery story with black lesbians in space. She would be happy for a few days with this, besides the tone of it was what she’d been in the mood for as well. Not a tragedy, but also not rainbow decorated… or at least not in the way she’d originally been thinking. Besides, one of the main leads had a chronic illness like Amara did, and well-written stories involving that were so difficult to find.


    Amara then looked back at him, “Sorry for interrupting you, but I didn’t want to disturb the hardworking clerk,” she said with a slightly mischievous smile lighting up her features. Usually she wasn’t one to criticize people in the retail industry, as she knew from personal experience how hellish it could get, but this particular employee wasn’t one she found herself sympathizing with.

[Levi Alexander Wolfe]

Slowly, Levi felt the world he had just been apart fully disappear, with no trace left of it for him to cling to. In attempt to remain optimistic, he brushed his annoyance off. The solution was simple, he’d just buy the book and continue it at a later date. Preferably, somewhere where no one could disturb him. Not even his dogs. It wasn’t the girl’s fault, nor should his own issue be taken out on her. He offered a smile, as some sort of solace to his somewhat indifferent behavior. “Not a problem,” He said simply. “It is pretty good from what I’ve read so far. The author did not hesitate to pull you in with chaos immediately. And what can I say, I’m a sucker for chaos.” He said with a slight smirk and a shrug. “As long as I’m not involved that is.”

Levi’s eye’s shifted from the girl’s face to the book he had just assisted her in getting. “Is that any good?” He asked, motioning to the book in her hand. Even though Levi was a one book at a time kind of guy, he was still slightly curious. Perhaps it could be his next read. He thought back to the first book he actually read. He had stolen it from his brother’s room. The Catcher In The Rye. Ever since then, he wanted to get his hands on any book he could. He read everything that was available to him. Books from all genres. Although, he did have his favorites of course. His love for reading he had kept from his family, for a few reasons. One, he wanted to maintain his nonchalant, bad boy character. Two, he could not imagine the torment and ridicule that would ensue if anyone in his family, especially his father caught him reading.

“Not to worry. He’s too busy trying to keep his title as Employee of the Month.” He said a bit louder than usual, in hopes that the clerk would hear him. Levi wasn’t one to start trouble, but at this moment, he couldn’t help it. It was funny. Not to mention, the girl, he felt, had the same thought as he did. There is no way that working in a bookstore could be that draining for someone to come across so humdrum.

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Tag: Amara Kingston

[Amara Kingston]

    Amara laughed, “I can understand that well enough,” she admitted. Chaos was always so much more fun to read about than it was to experience in real life. “It’s why I picked out this book as well,” she added. Sci-fi and adventure stories always reeled her in despite the fact that she preferred her peace and quiet when outside of the pages of a book. At his question she nodded, “I think so. I’ve heard some good things about it from people I trust at least,” she told him.


    Her sister Toby had recommended this one especially for her, so she was looking forward to seeing what happened. “Spaceships and intergalactic drama have always been weak points of mine, particularly so when two ladies are the main characters,” she told him with a grin. It was incredibly difficult to find good sci-fi with well written women, particularly women leads. And black lesbian women on top of that? It was almost unheard of. That was probably why Toby had sounded so excited when she’d recommended the book. That and she said there was a particularly interesting plot twist that Amara would appreciate near the end of it.


    Amara chuckled at his comment, “So I noticed,” she agreed with a wry smile. “Although, I suppose the variety of people willing to work in a bookstore in this tiny corner of the world is rather lacking,” she added. Kalispell was quaint and quiet, and she knew that in the long run she’d always prefer the country to the city, but at the same time, there were definite drawbacks to being out in the middle of nowhere. As happy as she was to be back in school, and to have the particular support that a school dedicated to mutants like Bellefonte had to offer, Amara also wasn’t one to look at things through rose-tinted glasses.

[Levi Alexander Wolfe]

It was gone. The world he had just discovered and found himself apart of for a brief moment was gone. His annoyance faded as he shifted his attention fully to the girl who was physically present as he was. Levi nodded in response to her, while his eyes locked on to the book she was holding. His ears continued to listen to her talk. Spaceships and intergalactic drama? Interesting. “Ah, so like Star Wars or Star Trek?” Levi questioned, “But with female leads.” He added, making sure to include that. It was something clearly important to her solely based off the fact that she even bothered to mention it. Perhaps she was a feminist? Even more interesting.

Levi’s facial expressions lightened. He smiled at the girls comment, “I’d probably be a better employee than him.” He said as he let out a small chuckle. Although that was meant as a joke, he couldn’t help but feel that there was some truth behind that statement. He would be a better employee. He wouldn’t mind helping people. He may not know details of all the books but he’d know some. More than this guy probably knew. Plus it would allow him to read all the time, and get paid for it. Hmm. Maybe a job here would be a good thing. Maybe, that is.

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Tag: Amara Kingston

[Amara Kingston]

    Amara nodded, and smiled as he added the bit about female leads, “Exactly like that. They're lesbians too,” she added with a slight glint of mischief in her eyes. Amara was merely tired of reading the same thing over and over with a straight white male hero, so she always looked for books that differed from that particular trope. It wasn’t so much that she was a feminist, as it was that she just wanted to read about people that she could relate to. Being bisexual meant it was even harder to find something to relate to, so she's been really happy when Toby had told her about this book. “Who kickass while falling in love, all the while being in space. Really, it’s quite fascinating,” she offered with a grin.


    Amara grinned, “You definitely would,” she agreed easily when he mentioned being a better employee. The store employee wasn’t someone she’d have ever felt comfortable asking for help, but this man seemed to be relatable at the very least. “I imagine this store might even get business once in a while if you worked here,” she said. Perhaps she could get a job here herself, so long as she didn’t have to work with the monotone bore up front.

[Levi Alexander Wolfe]

Star Wars with lesbian female leads. What an interesting book that would be. He chuckled slightly at the thought of it. “That does sound quite fascinating.” He said, reiterating what she had just said. “As much as the kicking ass in space sounds interesting, I’m not one for romance novels.” He shrugged slightly. He had read a few a while ago, but he found them to be either too sappy or unrealistic, but perhaps that was just his excuse to cover up the real reason why he didn’t like them. Whether he was aware of it or not.

“Perhaps,” He started. “Although I’m not sure if the lack of business is due to the employee or the fact that people tend not to buy actual books anymore.” He said simply. He shrugged and twisted his mouth. It was a sad reality. They would be gone soon. Physical copies at least. Everything was digital. Bookstores will be obsolete just like video stores and record stores. Why bother going out and buying something that will take up space and collect dust once you’re done with it when it can be bought and stored digitally from the comfort of the couch. The thought irked him.

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Tag: Amara Kingston

[Amara Kingston]

    Amara laughed as he mentioned romance, "Neither am I. The relationship they have isn't the focus of the story. The plot revolves around defeating a colonizing force that's attempting a violent take over. It's actually pretty dark and gritty. I don't really do sappy and sweet. It's just not my thing," she said with a wry smile. "Though neither is complete tragedy, so I have to be careful about which books I pick out," she admitted. 

    "Well, the employee certainly isn't helping matters either way," she replied with an easy smile. She had her own theory as to why people didn't care for reading, but it involved an in depth conversation about America's education system that she was rather positive he wouldn't want to get into. Amara didn't mind things going digital, as she was well aware of how much it helped people with disabilities to be able to actually access the literature they otherwise couldn't. "There's an entire college full of employable students nearby. It's like the owners weren't even trying with this one," she joked.

[Levi Alexander Wolfe]

“Ah I see.” He said nodding his head slowly. He continued to listen to her talk. His mind was oddly quiet. It was interesting to hear a girl say she wasn’t into the sappy and sweet thing. His mind instantly filled with images of the various girls he had met during his travels. They all complained about how he wasn’t romantic. They all had this unrealistic vision of finding their prince charming. He could be charming, but he wasn’t any prince. That was for damn sure. That whole concept boggled him. “It’s not mine either. But the violent take over sure sounds like it’d be right up my ally.” He said with his head still nodding in agreement. He must have looked like a bobble head. Great.

“So no romance, or tragedy. That limits your options quite a bit huh?” He asked. A lot of books were either romance, or dramas. Obviously there was plenty more available than just that, but many of the popular books tend to fall into that category. Levi has personally been on a mystery binge as of late.

Her comment of the employee made his eyes instantly dart over to him. “No he is not.” He said with a look of disgust. If he got started on that guy, he’d go on a long angry rant, which may or may not lead to some physical violence. He bit his tongue, and left it at that.

“Very true.” He said simply. Not wanting to further explore her comment of the college. Which he assumed perhaps she may be a part of. His stomach sank. Great.

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Tag: Amara Kingston

[Amara Kingston]

    Amara nodded, "Right up mine as well, to be perfectly honest. Science Fiction and action/adventure type things are my weaknesses," she admitted easily. "But I also have a tendency to get too into a book and feel far too much for the characters involved, which is why books heavy with sad events aren't a good idea for me," she added with a smile. Reading had saved her from complete despairs in her younger days, so the empathy had been useful, but nowadays she read more for sheer enjoyment.

    Amara laughed, "Pretty much. Though a little subplot involving them is fine, having the whole book dedicated to those topics is just too much for me." She'd never really been into stereotypical romances to begin with, as she'd never seen much point in them. Codependency was something she'd avoid at all costs, yet it seemed to be a common theme in romance novels, so she looked for something more realistic... in some ways at least.

    His reaction to the mention of the school had her slightly interested, but Amara knew when to let a topic drop so she didn't linger on Bellefonte. For all she knew, he could hate mutants, in which case she should probably be leaving... but something about him didn't strike her as being inherently hateful or dangerous, so she decided to try for a different topic instead, "You come here often?" she asked, wondering if he was an avid reader or if she just happened to get lucky.

[Levi Alexander Wolfe]

Levi gave a small smile to the girl. “Well those are some of the more interesting ones, so I can’t blame you for liking them.” Most of the books he had read were in those genres as well. He let out a soft chuckle. “Yeah well. That’s how you know it’s a good book. The characters, the scenery, everything becomes so real to you.” He said with a slight nod. It was what quite literally had just happened to him right before she had interrupted him for assistance in getting a book. He knew all the well what she was talking about. The dramatic physical effect that a book could have on someone was not to be over looked.

“Yes, exactly. There is more to life than just finding the one.” He said as he put up air quotes when he said ‘the one’. He let out another small chuckle. “Like Nicholas Sparks and his evil plan to make ever girl want the unrealistic men in his collection of books. So now no real man can actually please them.” He said as he shook his head, recalling yet again his time in England. It was pitiful.

Levi couldn’t help but feel relieved at the fact that she didn’t press about the school. He didn’t have anything against the school per se. Just more so a strong dislike for some of the employees there. She however, was completely innocent in the matter.

“No. This is my first time actually.” He said with a smile, glad that he had ventured in here. “But I feel like I may be coming here much more often now.” He looked around the vast amount of books on the shelves. Yes. He’d most definitely be back. His hazel eyes locked on the cashier at the front of the store. “Even if I do dislike the clerk.” He said softly, gesturing to the man in front.

“What about yourself?”

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Tag: Amara Kingston