The Cypher by Julian Rosado-Machain

was very heavy and he had to make an extra trip to retrieve it.
    He piled the books on top of his desk. “Ready.”
    “Almost.” Killjoy pointed to his screen with the coffee mug. A note appeared on his screen that he needed to read aloud to Killjoy.
    “Are you planning to use the items in the reading room or take them to your primary uhm… commorancy?”
    He looked back at Killjoy. The pile of books was gone. He looked on his side of the desk but they hadn’t fallen. He hadn’t heard anything either, no scraping or shuffling. The books were simply not there. They disappeared.
    “What the…” he began but Killjoy interrupted.
    “To my commorancy, Thomas,” she said still smirking. “Apartment, abode. I’m taking them home. Thank you.”
    His computer beeped once, all the screens closed, and the surface of his desk turned off. Killjoy turned around and walked toward the exit, swaying her empty coffee mug.
    Thomas leaned over his desk to see if she had dropped the books but they had simply vanished.
    “Please say hello to your grandfather for me,” Killjoy said as she left the room.
    “Sure,” he said scratching his head. His job at the library was officially under way.

The Work of an Assistant Librarian

    With the exception of the life and death requests Mrs. Pianova told him he would get sometimes, Thomas’s work over the next two weeks at the library had been exactly as she had foretold. The people that came to the library were as varied as the books they requested. Not all of the visitors spoke English. Sometimes, guests would hand him a printed page to input into the computer and the software let him know what aisle the books were stored. So far, every single book, newspaper, or map had been easily reachable and he had not needed to call Mrs. Pianova for help. But, she always showed up to check on him a couple of minutes each day.
    Just to make him aware that he was on her radar.
    Thomas’s desk didn’t light up for everyone as it had done with Killjoy. Most of the badges people handed him only filled his screen with limited options and he had to read aloud the choices for his customers. The colored badge system reminded him of the colored belts he used in Tae Kwon Do. His own badge was black, but with a wide vertical green stripe. He’d seen almost every color with stripes. But Killjoy’s badge had been the only solid black so far.
    He’d used the special books drawer only once. A young wiry man, wearing thick glasses, handed him an orange and black badge and requested Sonnets 262-267, For a River Nymph , by William Shakespeare.
    When Thomas entered the title of the book, questions popped up on his screen and the computer began to record the conversation automatically.
    “Unabridged, translated, or original pronunciation?” Thomas asked.
    “Original pronunciation, but with accompanying rituals,” the man said tightening his belt. He wore his pants high, straight up to his bellybutton, and his belt buckle was large and etched with a dragon about to take flight over a rock bridge.
    Thomas entered the information and read back what appeared on screen. “Um, only repelling rituals are allowed with your clearance.”
    “Oh…” the man sighed. “Do you think I’ll need them?”
    Another pop-up appeared. “With seventy two percent probability.”
    “Ok then,” the man tapped on the counter. “Just in case.”
    “Reference or take-out?” appeared on screen, and Thomas felt as if he was in a fast food joint after all.
    “Take out,” the man answered sharply.
    As soon as Thomas entered the information, there was a sucking sound and a thump on the right drawer, as if the book had been dropped in by some unseen mechanism. He tried opening the drawer, but it was locked. A flashing warning appeared on the screen informing Thomas that he was supposed to read it aloud.
    “Rituals effective for Western Europe’s rivers only. Ireland excluded. Guardians Inc. is not responsible for misprints