CHAPTER ONE

❝ WONDER. ❞

THERE WAS A CALMNESS IN THE SILENCE of a library. It was a safe haven, a place where anyone could find sanctuary among the pages of stories. The shelves of books seemed to never end, each row leading to a myriad of different stories that anyone could find.

Sitting at the front desk was a young woman who had worked there for a few years. Her presence became a constant at the library, and all the children adored her. They would flock to her, pleading that she read them a story whenever they could as they loved the way she spoke.

Her words were like milk and honey, soft and sweet. They did not reflect what lurked beneath her skin, the monster she had hidden. The monster she refused to ever let loose again.

So she maintained her impeccable composure at all hours of the day, never once letting the facade crack. It had been years since the walls had been built to protect the world from herself. There were days where she wondered what would happen if an accident were to happen and the walls were to crumble.

Would she destroy the world with the simple snap of her fingers? Would she decimate a continent by simply blinking? There was no telling what she could do, not anymore.

It had been nearly three years since she returned to her mundane life as a librarian, and she wouldn't trade these past three years for the world. They allowed her to find peace within herself and with her family, which was something she had been missing during her time away.

The sound of children from the nearby middle school made her smile as they were visiting the library for a field trip that day. They had arrived a half hour prior, and were browsing the children's section in search of books to read for a book report.

"Excuse me miss?" Her gaze fell upon the young girl standing on the other side of the desk. "My name is Emma."

"Hello Emma, I'm Madeline," the woman introduced herself with a small smile. "How can I help you?"

"I was looking for a book to write my report on and I don't know which one to pick." Emma nodded toward the shelves her class were wandering near. "I've already read most of the books my teacher recommended since they were on the suggested reading list for sixth grade, and unlike my class I actually read them."

Madeline couldn't help the feeling of pride she got from those few words spoken by the girl. Years ago, she had been the same way, devouring books left and right to ignore the rest of the world.

"What kind of books do you like?" She asked, trying to read the young girl. "So I can make sure I suggest something you'll enjoy."

"Uh, I don't really know." The young girl looked down at her shoes. "But not history stuff, that gets annoying some days."

Madeline took a moment to think before standing up from her seat at the front desk and making her way next to the girl.

"Follow me, I think I have the perfect suggestion."

She then led the girl through the library, passing by the young adult literature until they hit the new releases section, which she had set up the other day. Sitting at the center of the table was a blue book that had a drawing of a face on its cover, which had intrigued the woman when she first saw it (and inevitably led to her reading the entire book in one sitting).

"This book is one I read recently," Madeline explained. "I think it's very insightful and would be interesting to write a report on."

"Wonder." The girl looked at the book's cover, trying to determine how she felt. Her thoughts raced through her mind, and Madeline did her best to block them out. "What's it about?"

"It's about choosing kindness in the face of adversity, and I definitely think it will be just the book you were looking for."

Emma nodded, a pensive look crossing her face. "Will you be here next week so I can talk to you about it?"

Madeline smiled. "Absolutely."

And so Emma handed Madeline the book, a happy smile on her face as the book was checked out in her name before returning to her class. Though she may not have been the most comfortable around people anymore, Madeline couldn't deny the fact that she loved the days when the library was full of life.

The rest of the day dragged on slowly, with the few people who had been sitting in the library leaving the building one by one. When the last person exited the building, Madeline insisted that her coworker left, promising that she would be fine with cleaning up on her own.

As her coworker closed the door behind them, Madeline sighed in relief . It had been a long day and all she wanted was to go back to her home and relax with a good book.

The next twenty minutes passed by uneventfully, with the woman cleaning up around the library and ensuring that it would be ready for opening in the morning. She didn't dare make her life easier while cleaning up, purposely choosing to appear as mundane as she could in those moments. As she placed the last book from the return pile on the shelf, the chime on the front door rang and the door swung open.

Not bothering to turn around, Madeline called out to whomever opened the door. "We're closed. Please come back tomorrow morning at eight or drop your book in the drop box now."

"Unfortunately, I don't think this can wait, Agent Summers."

"Shit." Her composure broke, and the glass on the grandfather clock shattered. "What are you doing here?"

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Welcome to the world of Indestructible! This chapter is dedicated to my best friend on earth, Liz as today is her birthday! Anyone have any guesses on who the stranger is at the end of this chapter? I hope everyone enjoyed it! Please be sure to vote and comment as it helps with inspiration!

— Daniella