"It's reading time," Uma announced, skipping into the library. She observed the tranquil atmosphere, appreciating the vines and plants that adorned the space; their presence contributing to an earthy scent that relaxed her.
She looked around at all the books and genres, none of which she could make out so she just started grabbing
When she had a fat stack, she found a corner and sat... then she realised she again couldn't read as she open what she assumed was a dictionary and the words hit her like a psychedelic trip
"I don't understand anything" Uma thought as she put the book down "Ok maybe the next will be easier". It wasnt and as Uma flipped through her stack she threw her head back and ruffled her hair
"Dammit! I can't read any of them," Uma's eyes flickered over to the children's section that she could tell purely based on color "It cant be that bad," she flipped through more books
"Its that bad" she thought as she returned to her seat with a pile of children's books and flipped open the first one
and thanks to Uma's frontal lobe being slightly more developed, she managed to grasp the basics of the book she was reading, granted it was almost entirely pictures something about a knight and a hollow man, whatever that is
Uma picked up the next book this one had the cover of a dinosaur and without the entire thing in pictures Uma then spent the next 3 hours deciphering this book she even resorted to reading Outloud which drew some glances from a man and a woman who were clearly judging her
whether it be because to them a grown adult was struggling with a kid's book or her strange outfit Uma couldn't tell or notice as the fact she couldn't read a kid's book was starting to tick her off and she got more and more heated
After a few more books and a lot more anger, the sun had set then after a short time after that, a woman barged in, startled uma and said something in a tone that gave urgency and even fear uma couldn't quite make out though she could hear all she got was "Home, Hollow man"
The man and woman seemed to get it as they nodded and stood up with urgency as they left Uma got the memo as she stood up and left also she looked at the book she didn't read and grabbed it
"Its a kids' book, how important is it" She thought as she walked out the library outside seemed sorta like chaos as guards she could tell by the weapons on their back were moving with a purpose and people were rushing into their homes
She even saw people taking in strangers. "What the fuc-" someone hit her and cut her off. When she opened her eyes, she saw the red hair again. This time, a slightly older looking woman looked at Uma and said what she assumed was an apology as she offered a hand which Uma took
The woman said something again and offered a hand, which Uma took but before she could even get a word, out the woman shot, off "She's moving, shockingly fast for wearing a dress that nice"
When she finally made it back to the barn, she settled peacefully onto her hay and pulled out the book "The Moonlight Maiden" The title somehow came to Uma
"Hmm, that's a cool name," As uma flipped the book open characters popped out and it told a tale
"There once was a star oh so far away"
"That star came crashing down one faithful day"
The book showed a little star tumbling and looking rather scared as Uma flipped
"One day the star went out to play, then suddenly the star lost its way"
"The little star rumbled and tumbled and in the end lost its glow"
The book shows a little star playing, then tumbling down a mountain.
"After a day or so the star rose"
a star surrounded by a planet and a moon
"Surrounded by a family that it barely knew"
"Yet somehow the little star let out a coo, for it knew it was home"
Uma, engrossed in her book, either didn't hear the scraping sound or missed it as she read.
"So little star continue on your way for you have a path to light the way"
"What a weird book" Uma thought as she closed it just in time to see a horrifying sight
A man standing there in the darkness, a farmer, sickle in hand Every instinct in Uma told her to dodge a instinct which she followed
The man swung not as a normal strike, unnaturally practically throwing himself at Uma as the man hunched over, being illuminated by the filtered moonlight
And that's when she saw the man or to be specific the mix of a man the face that was being illuminated was no one thing there was a nose too big, for it an eye that was more than just lazy, skin that didn't belong to one person
"Holy shit what the hell is that thing" Uma thought as she ran for the door which the creature soon followed running like a puppet on shitty strings as it lunged at uma tripping her and clawing at her leg
"GET OFF GET OFF" Uma yelled she knew no one could understand her but fear took over logic
Uma tried kicking the thing off but all that did was dislocate its jaw, which only horrified Uma more as the man ripped a chunk out of uma leg and shakily stood up going for another attack which Uma barely dodged
She tried to run for the door, but as blood trickled down her leg, Uma lost her footing, her leg losing all sensation
Then it swung and hit; it hit Uma's throat she tried to scream in pain but all that came out was a wet gargle the beast raised again to swing but suddenly the barn doors barge open two men in leather armor rush threw one with a pitchfork that pinned the beast against a beam and another with a sword that slashed the beasts head off
Uma didn't care it hurt. hurt real bad like if pepper went down the wrong hole a hundred times she tried again to call for help but blood splattered from her mouth
A woman's voice, gentle in sound, reached her ears. Uma, losing consciousness, felt herself being turned onto her back. The murmuring of people chatting faded in and out as a faint green glow, originating from her, captured her attention. It emanated from the red-haired woman seen previously.
"She..looks angry i wonder if-if this was her barn" is all uma thought as she lost conscious