Secrets After Hours

A towering stack of hardcovers slammed onto the wooden counter. Kaelen Vance wiped the sweat stinging his eyes and rubbed his aching lower back. He navigated the narrow, claustrophobic aisles, dodging the relentless flood of customers crowding the bookstore. The sheer volume of people made the air thick and stifling.

"What day is it today? Why are there so many people in here?" Kaelen asked. He l