[Photo ID: a screenshot of typed prose reading to following: âDown in the archives the faint, frail shimmer of magic swirled in the air around him. Down there, Knox had convinced himself it held the secrets of the universe. That any problem could be solved â or, at the very least, loosened â by sifting through the numerous, catalogued treasures. Hell, Knox could even fix this whole Depression and failed stock market situation if given enough time, hot black coffee, and sandwiches. Time, however, was of the essence. There simply wasnât enough. The academy seemed not long for this world. Since the previous spring, it had been faltering, teetering around the sink-drain of true insolvency. Furniture was being sold to compensate for the tuitions of students who did not or could not return. Instructors were dwindling, their reliable conversation and diversion going with them.Knox could hear his own positionâs death rattle.If the music and Greek professors were packing their trunks to return to who knows where, then he would be going as well. It seemed silly to believe a singular librarian would be able to hang on when nothing else golden could stay.Knox couldnât solve this. He couldnât buy his way out of this predicament. He had resigned himself to that knowledge, that reality, the afternoon heâd sat across from Headmaster March to receive his sentence; and if he wasnât so damned ashamed of the outlook, Knox would be making arrangements to return to Louisiana. There was security in that, but he couldnât bring himself to purchase passage, make the phone call, subject himself to the fear of his parentsâ disappointment. He was approaching 30 and knew he would never claim to be brave.He took a long drink of his coffee, massaging his temples while hunched over a bowl of oatmeal. His elbows were on the table as he willfully forwent the manners heâd been raised on. There wasnât anyone left to scold him over it anyway. The dining hall was as empty as heâd ever seen it. The kitchen staff and weekly meal budget had been the first thing the administration slashed a full year earlier, putting on a good show at being decisive and uncompromising. He missed sugar in his coffee. He missed real coffee. He missed scrambled eggs and tomato. He missed conversation reverberating from all sides.â End ID.]
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