Where He Disappeared

She was sure this was where he had disappeared.  There was nowhere else for him to go.  But how?

She had first caught sight of him several nights ago, at the edge of the forest.  Their eyes had met, then he was gone.  The next night, she had looked for him, but to no avail.  This night, she was ready, lantern at hand and when she saw him again, she followed.  It never occurred to her to call out.  He would not have stopped.  She did not feel afraid of him, though the forest at night was not a safe place.

At first, she could see him plainly.  His shoulder length hair moved gently in the evening breeze.  His clothes were that of woodsman, easy to blend in with the surroundings, difficult to tear.  He glanced back, maybe he smiled, then moved on.

Later, she caught fewer glances of him but she could hear his foot falls in the damp leaves.  They moved steadily, without pause, deeper into the forest.  She turned back once, a fleeting thought of giving up the pursuit, but a snapping twig brought her back to the course.

Finally, she was only following the dew track in the leaves.  They lead here.  At her feet was a hole in the ground.  It did not appear to be dug, but more of a sink hole, the earth caving in rather than being moved.  His tracks were gone.

Then, emanating from the hole at her feet, the question, "Will you follow me even here?"

Deck Hand or Librarian

Deck Hand or Librarian

If you were forced to spend the rest of your life as either a deckhand on a ship or as a librarian at a prestigious university, which would you choose and why?

I would choose to be a librarian instead of a deckhand for several reasons.  First, as a librarian at a prestigious university, I would be able to choose the books I wanted to read.  I read a lot and having free access to thousands of books has a strong appeal.  I could check out as many as I wanted and perhaps even read on the job.  Second, it appeals to my organizational side.  Not that I am always organized, but that I desire to be organized.  Third, I would probably have some say in what books were purchased, again going back to reading the books I wanted to for free.

Also, as a librarian at a prestigious university, I would have access to the university itself.  There is always something going on at a campus.  Free access to the gym and racquetball facilities, staff lunches, and the excitement of seeing students struggle through the semesters.  I do well in the academic year, with a nice christmas and summer off schedule.  

Finally, it would allow me to pursue my true calling as a superhero.  The mild mannered librarian is simply a cover for the secret exploits of the Jade Warrior!  My martial artist skills are unparalleled.  My gadgets and gizmos give me a strong tech edge over villains.  But, my secret power sets me apart from all the other superheroes.  When I gaze at a cat, both our eyes glaze over into jade.  We communicate, I can see what the cat sees, and ask the cat to do certain tasks.  This allows me to infiltrate tough secure areas and mess with the enemy's mind in untold ways.  

Yes, the life of the librarian is the life for me.  Mild mannered, never assuming librarian by day, Jade Warrior by night!

* Please note that this was written as a 10 minute brainstorm.  If there is a copy write Jade Warrior somewhere (there must be, the name is too cool), I apologize.