text: [Themes: grimdark fantasy, female protagonist]
  
  You are NOT going to risk telling Miss Olga anything, but you're struggling to think of what to say.
  
  "Um..." you say.
  "Well?" Miss Olga asks as Chloe looks at you.
  "I...well...okay...I found a rabbit in the park and it was so friendly it let me pet and play with it. That's why Chloe was late, since she was playing with it too."
  "Um...yeah...it was soft and fluffy." Chloe stammers.
  "I was going to try to go back and get it to sneak it in here since I didn't think you'd let me keep it."
  
  Miss Olga looks at you and at Chloe and gives a side eye to both of you, like she isn't sure if you're telling the truth, but ultimately she does believe you.
  
  "Well you're certainly right that I wouldn't allow you to keep it. We don't have the space to shelter pets and I won't have one pooping all over the place. Still, I'm glad that you admitted the truth to me. Shows you aren't completely delinquent. A bit unusual that a rabbit would willingly come up to you though. Usually they are timid creatures."
  
  You and Chloe say nothing to this statement.
  
  "Bah, probably something to do with that magic college, never know what's going on there. That's why I want you to stay close by; I don't drag you from that park because I like being mean. I just want you to be safe. Do you understand?"
  "Yes, Miss Olga." You respond.
  "Hm. Of course you understand. I think you always have, but you're determined to be stubborn. I know you don't like it here, and that's why if you behave better you'll be more likely to get out of here quicker and go to a proper family that can provide a better life for you."
  
  Again you don't say anything and just eat your food, Chloe follows your example, while Miss Olga just shakes her head and tells the pair of you to stay inside for the rest of the day, especially since it'll be getting dark soon.
  
  You and Chloe both obey and go back to your room which is empty since the rest of the children are playing outside or elsewhere. Last thing they want to do is be around their beds if they don't have to sleep.
  
  Chloe hasn't said anything, though given that she didn't tell on you, you do appreciate it.
  
  "Thanks for not telling Miss Olga." You say.
  "...you're welcome...but what are you going to do now?" Chloe slowly says.
  "I dunno. All my practice isn't working. Maybe I need a magic book."
  "Aren't those all at the college?"
  "They can't all be in there. It's too far from us anyway. Have a hard enough time sneaking off to the park. Hm. Hey, wait there's a bookstore a few blocks from the park on Conjure Street. Maybe they would have something."
  "They sell used books don't they?"
  "Yeah so? Still might have something."
  "I mean you don't have any money, how are you going to buy it?"
  "I dunno. I guess I could..."
  
  Chloe already knows what you're going say.
  
  "No. You can't seriously be thinking about stealing a book!" Chloe says.
  "Actually I was considering taking Miss Olga's coin purse and buying the book."
  
  Chloe looks at you in disbelief.
  
  "That...that's even worse!" she exclaims.
  
  While stealing from someone you know is worse than stealing from a stranger is debatable, you were just thinking it would be easier to steal from Miss Olga since you know where her coin purse is.
  
  While you're pondering if it wouldn't be quicker to directly steal a book, you hear a familiar annoying voice.
  
  "What are you two doing in here together? Probably planning to sneak out again like you did before! You know if you do that again, Miss Olga will just send you both to that place for bad kids. You both will probably go there anyway. Especially you pig face!" Patty says.
  "Shut up Patty! Nobody was talking to you!" Chloe snaps.
  "I'm telling Miss Olga, you called me a name!"
  
  Patty runs out the room, leaving you and Chloe alone again.
  
  "Ugh. I hate her. I know the rest of the kids don't like me, but Patty always makes it worse." Chloe says.
  
  You nod and agree that Patty is indeed very annoying and go back to pondering what you're going to do about advancing your magic situation. Chloe of course still is advising you against any sort of stealing, so whatever it is you ultimately decide, you'll probably have to do it without Chloe's help.
  
  > steal a book
  You have to admit, stealing from Miss Olga does feel a bit wrong. If you're going to steal, you'll just steal the book itself. Assuming the book store you're thinking of has one.
  
  Still, you need to calm Chloe down before she gets all upset.
  
  "Hm, I guess I'll just continue to practice in the park. I have to get better at some point." You remark.
  "Good. I don't want you to get into more trouble, you're the only friend I have here!" Chloe says and suddenly hugs you.
  
  You weren't expecting a hug, especially that strong of one. You aren't exactly sure how to act, except you give a minor pat on her back.
  
  "Okay, you're holding me too tight." You say.
  "Oh sorry. I didn't hurt you did I? I don't realize how strong I am sometimes." Chloe asks.
  "No, I'm fine. Anyway, since we're stuck inside, I guess we could play a game. Tafl is over there, might as well bring it over here."
  
  Chloe goes over to get the game, to which she expresses a desire to play as the attacker. You figured she would since that's usually what she always plays as, while you play the king's side.
  
  Time passes and eventually other children start walking in since Miss Olga has called that it's time for bed. Patty eventually waddles in makes some snide comments to Chloe as usual causing a few of the others to laugh as well until eventually Miss Olga steps in to order everyone to be quiet and get to bed.
  
  The next day you eventually sneak off to the park as you do, except you sneak off to the used bookstore on Conjure Street instead.
  
  You've never been in here, though you've seen it before. You enter the store and see the middle-aged man running the place. He's balding and on the heavier side.
  
  Odd...you can't get a good handle on his face though. It's almost like it's blurred. Sometimes you get glimpses. He has a moustache? In any case, he watches you come in and immediately speaks.
  
  And now you can't quite understand what he's saying. Maybe he's speaking a language you don't know. With some effort you think he's asking you what you're looking for.
  
  You mention you're just looking which seems to agitate him a bit, but then a few others come walking in and ask for something specific turning his attention to them allowing you to slip away.
  
  You disappear into the stacks, not exactly sure of where to look. You just know you have to be quick before you catch the attention of the store clerk again.
  
  Eventually you make your way towards the back of the old shop and see a doorway with a curtain separating it from the rest of the store. You don't think you're supposed to just go in there, but the clerk is still pre-occupied with the other customers, so you nip inside.
  
  You see more books, at first glance of some of them, you realize these are not magic books as the contents involve pictures of...well stuff you're probably not supposed to be looking at.
  
  Still, there's something here. You can just sense it. And that's when you notice that on another wall away from all the naked people books, a couple of shelves of some very old looking books. A few of them are easily in reach, but it's the one on the top shelf that catches your eye. It's big black book lying by itself on its side.
  
  Surely THAT one is the one you're looking for.
  
  It's high up though, you can't reach it unless you attempt to climb on the other shelf. You aren't sure if it will hold your weight though.
  
  > climb to get the black book
  You MUST have that book, that's the one that calls to you! You know everything you will need to know will be in THAT book!
  
  You push the books aside and carefully pull yourself up on the bottom shelf. So far it seems sturdy. You then stand up on that shelf to try to reach the black book on the top.
  
  One problem is you're still too short to properly reach it, the second problem is the book is huge and even with attempting to pull at the edge to get a better grip, it's definitely not easy.
  
  It's not light either.
  
  Eventually you manage to get somewhat of a grip, but the weight of the book unbalances you, combined with putting some extra pressure on the shelf you're standing on and well...it doesn't take long for it to all go wrong.
  
  The creaking groan of the wooden shelf can be heard just before it breaks causing you to fall with all the books following you and the large black book nearly landing on your head. A small fortune since you're already pretty banged up from falling hard on the floor.
  
  You're in a bit of pain, though you try not to cry since you don't want to make any noise, but that hardly matters due to all the noise caused by the fall in the first place. You've only managed to sit up when the bookstore owner comes to investigate.
  
  Even worse is what follows is a deep inhuman sounding voice. You look and the bookstore clerk seems different. You could have sworn he wasn't as tall and you certainly don't remember his voice being that deep.
  
  One very major thing has changed which is his face. You actually can see his face and it isn't human or maybe it WAS human at one time. Or elven? In any case, it's melting before your eyes.
  
  "So little one, you've come here seeking forbidden magic have you? Well you've found you've found death. Now embrace it!"
  
  Suddenly the entire room disappears into blackness and you see images of people you know like Chloe and Miss Olga standing before you and their bodies withering away and rotting before your eyes. Gravewings flutter all around you and you're spinning in the darkness just witnessing scenes of decay.
  
  Finally you see yourself and you begin to also decay. Gravewings land all over you and everything goes black.
  
  You look around and find yourself back in the present, whatever that means in a place like this.
  
  Obviously that wasn't how your life went. You definitely didn't try to steal a book, at least not that early in life and not at some used bookstore. You also doubt some forbidden necromantic tome would just be sitting so casually in said store, then again it wasn't like you actually went there.
  
  After a bit of reflection on what just happened, you realize you'll have to try again to reconnect later. When will that be? You never can tell.
  
  But it'll happen again. You'll reunite with your beloved.
  
  It's only a matter of time.