Leonard didn't take long to find the book.
There it was again: the same old, battered leather-bound volume, just as he'd seen it before.
As fate would have it, he stumbled upon it while digging through the pile for The Brothers Karamazov. The strange book had slipped out and landed on the floor—revealing itself as though it had been waiting. Who knew how long it had been buried there, forgotten?
"Uh... There it is," he muttered, barely audible.
"I'll deal with that later... Time to take this one to the gentleman."
He returned the strange volume to the stack, slightly set aside so he wouldn't forget it, and headed back with Dostoevsky in hand.
"Here you go! The Brothers Karamazov. Anything else I can help you with?"
"No, just this one."
"Alright, just head over to Liam at the counter and he'll ring it up. Sorry to bother you, but... what's your name?"
"My name? Dante. And yours is... Leonard?" he asked, glancing at the name tag pinned to Leonard's chest.
"That's right! Nice to meet you, Dante. Hope you enjoy the book!"
Leonard wasn't sure why he'd suddenly taken interest in the man's name. But something in his gut told him this wouldn't be their last meeting.
Once the store had emptied and closing time arrived, Leonard remembered the strange book. He walked over to the used section and found it without much effort.
"Well... I guess it's fine if I buy it, right? I'll check with Theo first."
As he picked up the book, a cold shiver ran down his back. A sharp, unnatural chill swept through the air. He slipped the book into the pocket of his apron and went to switch off the lights in the used section and storage room.
When he approached the counter, he found Theo still there, the cash register computer glowing while he scribbled notes into a small pad.
"Hey, Theo. I found this book and I'm kind of interested in it, but there's no price tag. I think it got missed. Could you check the system for it?" Leonard was already pulling the small book from his apron pocket.
"Sure, let me see..." Theo took the book and turned it over, checking the sticker on the back. "That's odd... This book isn't in the system. No title, nothing. And it doesn't seem like the cover's just faded—it's like it was never entered at all, even though the barcode says it was."
"I see… So, how do we handle this if I want to buy it?" Leonard asked casually, not fully grasping the oddity of the situation.
Theo paused.
"Well… You can just keep it. There's really no way to price something like this. It's in poor shape and ancient—I doubt management would care."
"Thanks. Could you put it in a bag for me? It'll be easier to carry it home."
"Sure, go ahead and change. I'll wrap it up and leave it here for you—don't forget to grab it before you leave."
After changing out of his uniform, Leonard stopped by the counter, took the bagged book, and headed out into the snowy streets. He walked carefully, the moon—thin and crescent—watching silently overhead.
As he approached home, he noticed a light on through the window. James was already there. The thought comforted him.
He stepped inside, and the warm, familiar scent of their home surrounded him.
James was on the couch, studying. Not wanting to disturb him, Leonard went upstairs, placed the bag with the book on the nightstand he shared with Calli, and then headed to the shower.
Under the stream of hot water, he could feel the weight in his body—a quiet exhaustion, one he knew well. He wasn't strong like others his age. Not physically, anyway.
"I still have to cook dinner... and prep the lunch boxes for tomorrow."
After drying off, Leonard wasted no time. He made dinner for himself and James, and packed three lunch boxes for the next day. They ate in silence, the television playing softly in the background—broadcasts glorifying the feats of powerful organizations.
"This is all so pointless... Everything revolves around the strong. But what about us? We live in the cracks—just trying to get through the day…"
His thoughts were broken when James looked up and asked:
"Do you know anything about Mom? Is her trip almost over?"
It stung. Lying always did.
But telling the truth—that Sophie had left them—would leave a scar in his younger brother that might never fully heal.
"She called me… Said she's staying away a bit longer. Business stuff."
Leonard reached over and ruffled James's hair gently, trying to offer comfort.