Page 62 of Clouded by Envy

Brenik had an idea when he woke up late the next day. He headed to the library and found a woman with gray hair pulled into a low bun and a face covered in wrinkles. “May I help you?” she asked.

Running a hand through his hair, Brenik thought about what he should say. “Do you have the Dorian Gray book?”

“The Picture of Dorian Gray?”

He wasn’t sure. “Yes.”

“If we do it will be in the fiction section under Wilde,” she responded with a lazy tone and a flick of her hand.

“Can you spell that for me?” Brenik asked, attempting to sound it out in his head. He knew from the beginning sound that it started with aW.

“W-I-L-D-E,” she said slowly and pointed to the aisle straight ahead.

Nodding, Brenik walked in the direction of the fiction row where she had directed him. Frustrated, he thought the lady should have at least offered to help find the book for him. Brenik probably should have asked her, but he wanted to find it on his own.

Somehow, he passed over it and was in the section containing authors withYlast names, so he scanned his way back and found the black spine. He couldn’t make out the words, but there were five of them—and there were five words inThe Picture of Dorian Gray, when he ticked them off on his fingers. Quickly tugging it out, he stuffed the book into the back of his pants and shuffled past the librarian.

“Couldn’t find it?” she asked, while scanning him up and down.

“I changed my mind on what I want to do my report on. I’ll come back when I figure it out, though.”

“You could doJane Eyre. That is a lovely one,” she suggested.

“Maybe.” He shrugged and looked up at the large clock by the exit door. It was already close to the time school would let out.

Brenik made it to the school within five short minutes. The pickup line was already filled, and he hurried to the front of the building, right as the bell rang.

After a pack of kids rushed out, Luca and his redheaded, freckled friend strolled out, taking their precious time.

Luca lifted his head and noticed Brenik, then lowered his eyebrows in confusion. “I thought you were supposed to come to our house later.”

“I’m here to pick you up,” Brenik stated, needing the redhead to take a hike.

“You don’t have a car.” Luca looked out toward the parking lot.

“Stranger danger?” Freckles asked in a whisper. If only the redheaded kid knew what a danger Brenik really was.

“Nah. This is Bray’s brother.”

“Dude, she is seriously hot.” Freckles elbowed Luca’s ribs, and Brenik wanted to crack off the kid’s arm for talking about his sister.

“Right. Anyway, scurry on now.” Brenik motioned with his hand for Freckles to go away.

Freckles gave Luca a look, and Luca nodded him on.

“What’s going on?” Luca asked after the other kid was gone, not the least bit afraid.

“I need your help.” Brenik waved him away from the school, and Luca followed as they started for his cabin.

“Why me? Can’t you ask Bray?” Luca challenged when they got to the sidewalk.

“No, she is always stuck on being a savior.” Bray had such a good heart, and his was a blackened disaster.

“You do know I’m a kid, right?”

“You do know when I was two I found bodies slaughtered, right?” The kid needed to realize you have to grow up.

Luca’s eyes widened with surprise, but not fear. “We’re learning about World War II in school right now.”

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