250. Stamped Out
“Gosh, sir, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m just looking for a book, you see, and, well, you seemed so hostile that I may have overreacted and I’m sorry.”
The look of fear on the man’s face slowly melts into unmitigated rage.
“SHHHHHHHH!”
He reaches behind him to grab something over his head, then slams it into Amy’s face, knocking her backwards. The librarian flies through the air and lands on top of Amy, frantically bludgeoning her with the object.
“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Amy’s vision grows hazy as the multiple blows to her bread buffet her brain. Finally her eyes find their focus just as the librarian musters the strength for one final, killing blow right between her eyes. He’s beating Amy to death with an ink stamp, and as she’s knocked out by the force of the final blow, the only thing she can think of is the word she saw flying toward her in her last conscious moments.
“EXPIRED”
Amy is in no condition to continue this adventure or her life.