Stuff of Books

Ryan made his way across the commons. On the far side of the campus was a small independent bookstore, where he spent most of his time, aside from eating near the cafeteria. He wasn't enrolled in the school, despite the owner's urgings. On this day, the wind was especially strong. As he walked, the gusts whipped around him like a foreboding force—a warning he chose to ignore. He was running later than usual, and he knew his boss would likely scold him for it. Which made him more anxious than normal.

Running a hand through his shoulder chestnut-length hair, he glanced around while trying to keep up his pace. Students and staff moved about as they usually did, some laughing with friends and paying him no mind. It was then he began to hear soft whispers, barely audible at first. They were bothersome but gradually grew louder. Someone was calling his name. The voice sounded urgent, as if it needed help immediately.

Ryan stopped in his tracks, pausing to listen. He didn't typically have anything interesting happen to him. His outward appearance was unremarkable; he wasn't overly attractive, didn't have friends, and lacked a social life or any bragging rights. This was the stuff of books. Ryan had read enough to know characters often had intriguing qualities, but he couldn't think of a single one for himself. Bland was the word that came to mind. Now, out of all people, this was happening to him. The whispering escalated into a scream—something he couldn't ignore.

In an instant, he found himself falling on the ground, his back hitting something hard. "Get up! Come on!" His entire world tilted. Was he on something metal? His vision blurred, making it hard to tell. It took him a moment to gather his senses. "Get off of me!" Who was speaking? The voice was the same as before, but it now held a tangible urgency. When he finally moved to climb to his feet, he noticed what—rather, who—had been speaking: a wolf surrounded by flames which had not harmed him. Looking down, he realized he had landed on a metal-grey cage, one he had just crushed.

"No time for introductions," the creature insisted. "We need to move before she gets back!"