The Little Girl in The Aisle

Joshua let out a long sigh. He had signed up for overtime and now had a mountain of paperwork and late books. He knew what he was getting into from the start, that doesn't mean he enjoyed it. In fact, he hated his job a lot. It was boring, he should've chased his dream of being a doctor. Joshua brushed off his want for another job, instead deciding to make the best of his current job.

But as Joshua finished up another long paper, he heard something. It sounded like a thud, which immediately alarmed Joshua. No one else was in the building.. right? Joshua got up, holding a ruler, his weak, and only form of defense. When he got to the little kids aisle, he saw it. A children's book had fallen onto the ground.

Joshua immediately debunked it as a simple mishap. A little girl probably picked it up, but then changed their mind, and didn't put it back all the way. "That's probably all it was," Joshua said to himself, "No big deal." He picked the book up, sliding it back into place, and walking back to the front desk.

But as he sat back down, another book fell, this time Joshua felt scared. Not a single book was poking out anymore, at least not when he left the children aisle. He went back, finding that same book on the floor. It was opened to the same page as before. Joshua was confused. He was never a firm believer in the supernatural. But he felt like this wasn't something that science could explain.

He picked up the book, looking at it. It was an older book, in fact, it was probably older then him. He took it with him to the counter, trying to lock the whole thing in some chamber deep in his mind, where he'll never find it. He set it down on the counter, sitting down. He couldn't stop eyeing it. What made it fall? Or.. who made it fall?

Then out of nowhere...

Flick, Flick, Flick.

His eyes darted around the room. "What's going on?!" The lights flashed, he started to stand, about to run. That's when he saw it. A silhouette. Of a little girl..? How?! The handle to the doors were all higher then she could reach, and even if she did reach it, they were locked! He backed up, tripping over a power box, falling to the ground with a hard thud.

The lights stopped flickering, staying on. When Joshua got up, he looked at where the girl once stood. She was gone, and no where to be seen anywhere else. He sighed, looking at the computer. He decided he had to do research, to find out if he was seeing things, or there really was something going on.

He stayed till morning, researching, until he finally found it. An article told of a young girl who went missing in the library. She was last seen 10 years ago.. There’s no way she’s still that young! Unless.. She died? “No, that can't be right,” Joshua assured himself, looking at the book. It came out a year before the girl went missing. 

Why did that book keep falling out? “What is so special about it-”

Ding

Joshua looked at the door, an elderly woman walked in, looking around.

“Oh, Hello.” Joshua greeted the old lady, who waved back. “I was wondering if you had an older book for children.” The old lady said, “It was my little granddaughter's favorite, and i’d like to check it out.” Joshua nodded. “What's the name of the book?” Joshua asked, the old woman quickly responded, “Little Amy’s Dollhouse.” 

Joshua's eyes landed on the book on the counter. It was the book she was looking for. “We do have it. Tell me, you said it was your granddaughter’s favorite. Is it not her favorite anymore?” The old lady sighed, explaining how her granddaughter went missing near the library 10 years ago. Joshua felt a chill go down his spine. Did he see her, or did he see her ghost? Joshua shook his head, denying what he thought was happening.

Joshua picked up the book, taking it under the scanner. And when he handed the book to her, he felt a strange feeling, like a weight off his shoulders vanished. He waved to the old lady as she walked out, which he followed shortly after. He had a plan, but he was too tired. Far too tired to do any more.

Later in the day when Joshua woke up, he immediately got ready, driving to the library. The night shift he dreaded was about to have meaning, and he wouldn’t be interrupted. Or so he thought. Joshua immediately checked camera footage, but not for that night. He checked the footage from 10 years ago. The day the girl went missing. He watched, growing bored at the fact nothing was changing, until he saw a shadow.

A young girl stepped into frame, looking around nervously. The girl walked around the library, until she found the attic hatch. It was wide open, so she went up. Unfortunately for her, a worker who forgot to close it, came back, realising he didn’t close it, he shut it, with the girl inside. The hatch couldn’t be opened from the inside. But when he continued to skip forward in time, the hatch was opened by another librarian. The one that quit his job, the one Joshua replaced. 

The other librarian stepped up, quickly running back down and calling his manager. Later, that next day, some plaster workers arrived, Joshua watched in shock, as the plaster workers covered up the hatch, removing it from people's sight. Joshua immediately knew the reason, they didn’t want to do the paperwork, or go through any trouble. 

Joshua wouldn’t let that happen. He grabbed a hammer and a step ladder, using the footage to find the hatch. He beat at the plaster, and slowly a hatch started to appear. The chain knob used to open it fell, dangling in the air. He grabbed it, bringing it down, the hatch slowly opened, he peaked up. Even though he knew what to expect, he was still saddened. He saw the skeleton. He called the cops, showing them the footage, then the body.

They took the body away, as he watched. Then it all stopped, his life went back to normal. Still remembers what happened, he forever will.