Nothing warmed his heart more than transforming a handful of fabric into a new member of his family team. That morning marked the creation of Igor the Warrior Rabbit—with his penetrating button eyes and brown fur of cotton, there was a good chance Yaron would rather jump off a bridge than transform into a bunny. The advantages of being a ball of fluff, to be honest, were pretty much nonexistent. Still, the satisfaction he gained from Igor’s completion was worth the weekend he lost.

So, in celebration of this momentous accomplishment, he decided to bring him along to his visit to the library. The long-eared stuffie hid in his backpack on the walk, since there was no way in hell he’d reveal him to the public. No amount of love pride could override that personal vow.

As soon as he entered, the sophomore scurried toward an isolated site among the books, hidden from any onlookers loitering in the main area. He cast furtive glances around the shelves. Once the coast was clear, he removed his newest creation from the knapsack and gave it an affectionate pat on the head, a proud smile lingering on his face.

Unfortunately, his moment of peace was interrupted when a figure emerged from around the corner and sat against a shelf an aisle down. His heart jumped as he pulled Igor behind his back, praying that the new arrival saw nothing. But he calmed shortly afterward when he noticed the tense impression this guy was giving, especially the unease of his breathing.

Yaron took a few tentative steps toward him, taking care to keep his body perpendicular to the stranger’s line of vision. “Hey, uh.” Commence awkward, hands-behind-back grandpa shuffle. “You alright man? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”