The Book Lovers

The Book Lovers

Blake Smith walked with purpose down the street on the cold autumn night with his hand in his pockets and the black coat turned full up for added protection. The leaves danced around him practicing some kind of private shuffle. A group of teens nodded his way thinking of causing trouble, but he was gone before they could make a move.

He turned the corner and the library building appeared almost jumping in his face. It was an intimidating structure and looked like a castle where Dracula lived or a creepy mansion that was perfect for a murder.

There were only a handful of minutes left before closing. Blake slipped through the doors as a young couple were slipping out, laughing and talking obviously very much in love. It no longer mattered if they were male and female. All that was important was happiness.

He nodded to the librarian Madeline who barely acknowledged his presence. She had long, dark hair that was piled atop her head like a plop of spaghetti. The glasses hung off her nose teetering like on the edge of cliff ready to fall off.

She picked up the microphone and cleared her throat before pressing the button.

“The library is closing in five minutes. I repeat the library is closing in five minutes.”

There was the daily mad scramble to get everything organized. The staff was already making their rounds seizing up the remainders making a mental note of how many people were left.

Blake was hidden in a corner looking at a book and wasn’t even mentally counted.

The last five minutes were a bit of a frenzy and the checkout counter was overloaded, but the expertise of the veteran staff enabled them to handle everything with grace and style. The designated staff members went around to make sure there were no stragglers and Blake simply faded into the darkness.

Eventually, the doors were all locked and the staff lined up to say their goodnights.

Madeline smiled at all of them and they smiled back although some were a little taken aback. The rumour was that she was a witch or something equivalent in a modern way.

“Goodbye, Madeline,” said the last staff member as the door was locked behind them.

The place was silent, mostly dark. The books stood upright on the shelves, some of them messed up. Tomorrow morning the army of library checkers would arrive all fresh and ready to sweep through and make everything look perfect before the doors were opened for another day of business.

A couple of minutes later, Blake appeared at Madeline’s desk. He kissed her. It was not a smooch of secret lovers or forbidden sex partners. It was more how a brother would kiss a sister just before she left for points unknown.

“I gather the others are here?”

“They are here.”

Out of the darkness emerged Evangeline, a red-headed lady with a fat face and dancing green eyes. She had freckles that were like points on a map. There was something jovial about her. 

Blake kissed her and she and Madeline gave each other a peck on the cheek.

“Where is Suzy?”

“She is already there.”

Madeline took off in one direction, Blake in a third and Evangeline in another.

They swept through all of the bathrooms and every inch of the library, checked all of the doors to make sure they were locked and carefully made their way to the basement. 

The basement of the old structure was the nicest and most decorated room in the entire building. There were pictures of all the great writers like William Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Samuel Beckett, Dante, Homer, Victor Hugo and Papa Hemingway.

The furniture was plush and looked new. It was comfortable. There was a huge fridge that kept their wine and drinks and food cold and safe.

Suzy was an older woman with curly blonde hair and keen blue eyes.

When Blake walked into the room, she stood up and he kissed her in the same manner that he had kissed the other two.

They sat down. The excitement on their faces was apparent.

“The focal point of the entire week,” blurted Madeline.

“Absolutely.”

“I am so thrilled and can hardly contain my excitement.”

Blake smiled.

“We must go through the minutes of the last meeting.”

“Quickly, I hope.” Suzy was really antsy.

Evangeline pulled out her tablet and smiled.

“At the last meeting, Blake presented a first edition of ‘The Headless Horseman’ that he had found at some flea market. Nice work, Blake.”

“Thank you, Evangeline.”

“Okay, that’s good enough.”

While the others talked, Madeline let her hair down and it tumbled to the ground. If she had stood up, it would have touched her heels.

“Suzy, please tells us what you have found.”

“I was at a hard sale and going slowly through the books that were torn and ripped.”

The others looked away as if they were hearing about an animal that had been tortured. 

“And then, I spotted it.” She pulled out the book that had been carefully wrapped in plastic as if it were fragile and worth millions.

“I present to you, The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding.”

“First edition in decent and acceptable condition.”

“Let us improve the condition.”

Madeline pressed a button on her chair and a podium popped through the floor.

Suzy placed the book there and sat back down. They all held hands and put their heads down.

“Oh, sacred book Gods of yore, we have found one of your lost treasures that needs your loving care. Please restore it to what it should be.”

There was a flash of light and all the imperfections of the book started to mend themselves not quickly, not slowly, but steadily. 

When it was done they let go hands and looked up. Suzy gently stood up and picked up the book that was warm to the touch.

She nodded and smiled.

“Excellent work, Suzy.”

“Is there anyone else?”

Nobody had anything to offer and Madeline smiled.

“Very well, then, you have first dibs.”

She walked over to the fridge and opened it. The piece of cherry cheese cake stood out and she grasped it lovingly.

She went back to her seat and started to eat it.

Just then, a tiny alarm went on.  

“Hoodlums.” Madeline was furious.

“Do you want me to go?” Blake offered. 

“No, I will scare them away. It is so much fun.”

She stood up and scurried away.

The other three sat and waited. Blake and Evangeline were hungry but it was Madeline’s turn to choose from the fridge and proper society rules dictated that it was not their turn.

The boys that had thought of jumping Blake had decided to throw something at the library just for kicks. This time it looked like tomatoes.

They were across the street.

Suddenly, the lights above their heads went out just as they were about to send another barrage of tomatoes.

“Hey, man, what happened to the lights?”

When the lights came back on they saw something that would haunt their nightmares for many weeks and months to follow.

“Run!”

They ran off in different direction. They were no longer a bunch of tough delinquents trying to out punk the other.

Madeline laughed her ghastly laugh and looked at the tomato stains in the windows.

“Hoodlums.”  

She left making a note to alert Henry the janitor to clean that up the first thing in the morning.

She returned to the meeting.

“All taken care of I presume?”

“All taken care of,” she smiled and the others didn’t ask any questions.

“Oh, I’m sorry, it is my turn to choose from the fridge.”

She stood up and went over and grabbed an apple. Evangeline followed and then Blake.

“Who is supposed to read tonight?”

“I believe it is my turn,” said Blake.

“Have you chosen a book?”

“Of course, dearest Madeline.”

He pulled out a book called Creepy Tales and like a teenager engrossed in a comic book leaned forward and started to read.

The others leaned forward with a sparkle in their eye.