Maya wandered through the library, her fingers trailing along the spines of books that stood like sentinels in long rows. The scent of aged paper and ink filled the air, a familiar and comforting aroma that had always drawn her in. With her wired earphones snuggly in place, she was half-listening to a playlist of soft melodies while her mind danced between worlds crafted by the authors who populated the shelves around her.
Today, she was


