Trapped In Hisstory

He stared at the book in his hands and saw the title Be On With Flames. He recognized it immediately and knew that it was the story about the Lockhart family.

Theo was smiling and humming as he put the other books in the racks. Chance went closer, wanting to have the book. "Uh, excuse me, Theo?" He called out.

Theo turned his head to look at him. "Yes?"

"Can I borrow that book? I need it." Chance said, pointing at the book. Theo looked at the stack of books and furrowed his brows. "Which one?" he asked.

Chance pointed at the book he has his eyes on and the smile that Theo always had on his face vanished. "Oh, that," he muttered. 

Although Theo has not yet said anything, Chance could feel that he does not want to give it to him. 'Why is he hesitating? He was going to put it back anyway, so why not just let me get it?' he thought.

Theo could tell what the historian was thinking. He put his hands on top of the book and slowly pulled it in his direction. "I am sorry, I can't let you do that." he said.

Chance cannot help but to raise his eyebrow and look at him, confused and curious about his reason and sudden weird behavior. "Why not? You are going to put it back, anyway."

"Oh," the guy shook his head, "I was not going to put it back. I just happen to lay it down there for a while," he answered.

Chance felt his energy drop. He really wanted to read it. His report is on Monday, just a bit of time reading it will help him. "J-just for a while, Theo. I just need it today," he said in a pleading tone. He is desperate for that one and only copy in the library. If Theo still refused, he swear he is about to go on his knees.

'Kidding, as if I would kneel.' he thought. He tried to ask for it again, hoping he would let him borrow it. "But you are a helper here, shouldn't you let me have it? I will even rent it if you want."

He shook his head again. "You see, I am the one currently renting this book from the library. So this will be mine until the scheduled return." Theo said.

Chance turned around and started biting the nail of his thumb while Theo returned to his tasks. 'Scheduled return, when? If the return is next week, I would not even have enough time to study and put it on presentation...' he thought.

He cannot let it wait until next week, he has to borrow it now.

He turned to face Theo again, and the latter looked at him, not even trying to smile anymore as he knows what the researcher is going to say, "Can I borrow it even while you are renting it? I swear just for a while." he said and Theo looked away, it was obvious on the look of his face that it is hard for him to decide, but Chance did not give up, "I am not going to take it home, let me just borrow it for a bit."

Theo stared at the historian, and after a few seconds, he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Alright. If it is you, then fine," he said and smiled, extending his hand to give him the book.

Chance smiled and grabbed the book with a huge smile on his face as he sighed in relief. "Thank you, Theo!" he said and headed to his seat. He put the book down on the table and sat down, opening it immediately, 'Time is ticking, I need to get to it now.' he thought.

He kept turning the pages of the book and almost everything is about the family, the duchy, and others that he had already researched. The book is not that thick, it just contains info about the Lockharts and their death so there is not much to put. 

He continued flipping the pages until a word caught his eye, Death. "This is it, this is the page," he muttered and stopped turning the pages as he finally found the one he needs to read.

"I see..."

"Yeah, death of- Eh? Theo?" He was surprised to see Theo sitting across from him, with his cheeks resting on his palm, looking down at the book he was reading. "Why are you here?"

"Why can't I sit here?" he asked.

"That's not it, I mean, don't you have work to do here?" 

He showed Chance his empty hands, saying that there's nothing to do anymore. He pointed at the clean rack with books organized into order, "I am already done."

"I see..."

Chance lowered his gaze and put it back to the book, pretending there was no one there so he could continue reading. His eyes scanned the book until he was in a paragraph about the death of the Lockharts.

The Lockharts were powerful and could easily win the hearts of the people because of their kindness and wise decisions that were made for the sake of the kingdom's people. The King was known to be ruthless, having the citizens abide by the laws he had made for them. On the other hand, the Lockharts use their power to help the people. They were full of grace and their beautiful hearts reached the people, but the Lockharts are known to be loyal to the Howards. Loyal to the king. But even so, they still did all they could to help the people.

One day, in the year 1890, the Antares Duke of the Lockhart Household along with the Duchess and their son died. The servants and everyone in the manor that day died as well.

In a fire.

'I see, so that is why the book was Be One With Flames. They died because of a fire.' he thought and slowly nodded. He took a glimpse at the man in front of him and saw Theo seriously looking at the page he was reading, with a serious look on his face. Chance was curious, but he ignored him and went back to reading.

The manor was huge and could easily be seen by the people. The weather that day was great, but the bright and blue sky turned gray as the smoke spread, engulfing the whole manor in flames. The manor was burnt to the ground while the perpetrator was still unknown and the royal family did not even send an order to investigate the death of the Duke and his family.

"What a prick." Chance cannot help but mutter.

The people were devastated to hear the news about their death, knowing that they are not safe from the King's ruthless orders anymore and it made them become even more fearful.

The image of the burning manor remained in their memory as the big fire danced, turning the kingdom red and gray from the blazing fire and smoke. They could imagine the happy family sitting together with no worries, not knowing the tragedy that will come to them. The people could only imagine them burning, being one with the flames, as it engulfs all of them, slowly turning them into ashes...

"What the hell, their deaths were not even investigated?!" he exclaimed and covered his mouth, almost shouting inside the library. 'Gosh, why are the people who are nice die so fast, and those pieces of crap are not even found, enjoying their life despite killing a great family?' he thought.

He should not let it get to him, he thought. They are already dead anyway, a century has already passed.

"It's sad, huh? For one to die with death they did not deserve."

Chance looked at Theo, who was still looking at the book with a cold look on his face, his icy gaze raised and met with his. "Right?"

Chance nodded as a response. "Uh, yes. Right," he said. He felt strangely weird when Theo asked him that. 'Come to think of it, why does he have this book?' he thought.

"I...have been having nightmares. Every time I woke up, I am covered in sweat. The nightmares just won't stop and I am desperate to know why I keep getting these dreams."

Chance stared at him and continued listening. "What do you dream about?"

"Fire."

Chance and Theo stared at each other and the historian's lip slightly parted upon hearing his answer, 'Fire?'

"Then suddenly, I found that book. Somehow, no matter how hard I try, I cannot let go of that book. I feel connected to it." he continued. Chance was glad that he was able to borrow it from him, even though he was planning not to give it to him. How lucky.

Theo stared at him, and after a while, he extended his hand. "Now that you have read it, can you return it to me now?" he asked.

Chance was startled and snapped out of his daze. He grabbed his phone and snapped a few pictures of the page and gave it to him immediately, "Here you go, thank you." 

The man grabbed the book from Chance and stared at it before looking back at the historian. He stood up and took two steps closer to his seat. He bent down, putting his face near Chance. "There is something they did not know, though," he said, making Chance look at him in curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

"The son," he said and went near his ear, "Did not die in the fire."

He stood up straight from the bend, his cold stare vanished, and he smiled at him like how he usually does before turning to walk away.

Leaving him in a daze.