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| Dusty Books |
Its placement in the
sixth shelf of Psychology and Mental Development, 157.391** knew very well that
few sought its information. Dust, in its
layers, marked it as one book doomed to be culled and recycled.
Suddenly, 157.391 started
traveling. One young woman checked it
out, kept it unread for days, and slipped a discreet note between pages 146 and
147. Soon 157.391 was refiled to its
former spot, where dust had been removed.
Again, only days later, a
slightly older man checked it out, repeating the woman’s pattern, only placing
another discreet note between pages 258 and 259. What is
happening here? It wondered, experiencing a thrill unto fore known.
Back and forth. Back and forth. And then one day…
157.391 was filed in the
wrong spot, and not by the librarian.
No, the young woman filed it, hidden in the shadows behind 854 HI***, The Story Road by Gertrude Hildreth. What the…. It wondered, anxiety
building quickly as days went by.
Pages 364 and 365 possessed nary a note. The pages were adhered as one. No, not with glue, but with blood, now dried
and brown. Other pages had been soaked with blood with a dagger pressed down into them.
Oh, well. It was
fun while it lasted.
** and*** may or may not be in a library. The 100 section is for psychology and philosophy. The 800 is for stories, etc. There is a book called The Story Road published in 1947.
** and*** may or may not be in a library. The 100 section is for psychology and philosophy. The 800 is for stories, etc. There is a book called The Story Road published in 1947.
Not sure I'd want to know what happened to that book
ReplyDeleteI hope it can stay hidden until at least the blood dries.
DeleteNow there's a book with some history. Where did you say it was again?
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned a sale "friends of the library" the other day...Maybe there. Not sure, but best to check.
DeleteNow that is awesome! Great story.
ReplyDeleteDoes it make you want to check out the 800 section?
DeleteOh wow...great story indeed! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteSarah Allen
(Writing Blog)
Libraries can be filled mystery and murder of the literal type.
DeleteI did not expect that. Halloween is closer than I thought.
ReplyDeleteVery good, Susan.
The stores are already stocked and ready!
DeleteOoo. I like the idea of a story told from the POV of the book!
ReplyDeleteIf you think about it, books see everything, everyone with a library card.
DeleteAnd my endlessly curious self want to read the notes slipped into those pages. All of them. Yes, I know, I am a sick puppy.
ReplyDeleteEven the bloody pages?
DeleteYup. They are part of the story too.
DeleteA mystery in the library...and outside.
ReplyDeleteNow, I have to think about what can happen in the library next.
DeleteOoooooo you have definitely peeked my curiosity!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Joanne
Glad you are curious as to what will happen next? Will the book ever be found? What then?
DeleteAwesome story - would make a good Halloween story :)
ReplyDeleteWould the bloody knife be a bit awkward?
DeleteI need to know more in the life of this book. Is he doomed now to forever sit hidden? Will the dagger and blood mystery ever be discovered and solved?
ReplyDeleteIn my thinking, it is doomed. It is behind some older children books. And, from experience, I know that books get shoved back there.
DeleteWoe to the book! And I laughed at the anxiety of being filed in the wrong spot. 'The life of a library book,' you could write a children's book from that too. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat is a thought in my head.
Deletegah, you should delete my comment so no one steals the idea. I think it's a great one, I'll buy it if you publish it. Not sure if it'd help sales at all, but I'd review it too (if you wanted). :) I've got four children, and we read a lot of books. We've never once read one with the perspective coming from the library book. #cool
DeleteThe source that made me head into the library book world was a book and movie called "The Page Master". Made long ago, it was an event that involved a boy (Macauley Caulkin?) getting a library card, falling down in the library, and then going into an animation to discover the loneliness of the books. Voices done by Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Stewart, Whoopi Goldeberg...Ed Begley Jr.
ReplyDeleteWorth looking at, despite the aged animation of the early 90s.
Anything can set my mind wandering off in all sorts of tangents.