A Test worth a Million Books

I'm Charlotte (Charli) Dodge, daughter of the queen of books, Rosie Dodge, head of the central library, and also a librarian. We even live in the library. But that's a secret so don't tell anyone. We get in and out normally through one specific bookshelf in the library, the fantasy books. I'm talking, the hobbit, lord of the rings, harry potter, oh sorry I got off track but today's special. My mom, the literal queen of books, and keeper of the forgotten world are about to interview me to join her council.

"Enter," My mom's voice came when I had gotten into the entrance to the forgotten world, "Stay put, right where you are." I sat down in the entrance hall to our mansion. I waited a million years until finally my mother walked up decked out in dark leaf-colored robes, her dark brown hair swayed against it.

"Hi mom," I said, flipping the matching dark brown hair out of my face. She pointed towards the stairs so that I could get changed. I silently moaned. After changing into my dress which was a dark maroon I finally could start the trial. I entered the courtroom seeing the swaying aspen trees outside the mansion.

"You are here to join the council and to become an organizer for the forgotten books library, correct?"

"Yes."

"And you understand that means you will have less access to the outer world and you will only go out if necessary?" I nodded, "And should you succeed in our only test you will come to take a seat up here tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Your test is to find the correct book in the forgotten books library," I nodded, my head swimming, with what book it would be, "Okay find Kat and the world, a book about a girl's adventure into a wonderland like a world. It was forgotten because it was before Alice and Wonderland but was outshined by it so get to looking." I went into the library and got to looking. I knew it had a silver cover with a picture of a rabbit.

"Found it."

"Now find, The world's truths and art."

I looked around but this one was nowhere to be found, I looked higher up and found books with leatherbacks to ones from the first books ever. I found the oldest copy of black beauty and the newest copy of Kat and the world but darn, The world's truths and arts were just gone and all things to do with it had disappeared. I found a random book about fungi when I accidentally pulled the wrong one causing the bookshelf to separate to show a different area of the library but it seemed to not have been opened in years.

I went into it but before I knew it the door had closed and I couldn't get out. I banged on the entrance area to get out but it wouldn't open, "Okay maybe I just need to find the book and that will let me out." I started searching and soon found a cozy armchair and a side lamp that had the book.

"Yes," I tried to pick it up but it was superglued to the desk, "Okay think about this logically. This is like an escape room so if I look for a lever it will un-attach-it (I love escape rooms. Do them all the time)   and then I will be free and I'll join the council." I shook my hair out of my eyes and looked for a lever but little did I know it was there the whole time.

I was about to pull my hair out when I realized that if I just turned off the light which had a bottom it would un-attach the book so I did that and it worked. But the door didn't unlock. I started searching again and thought about the book that had unlocked this area.

Was it the book about mushrooms, I thought, Or the one about the forgotten animals of the world, also how do those fit into this escape room. Should I look for the books? I started looking for the books and found both of them.

"Ugggggg," I groaned, and pulled both of them at the same time, allowing light to flood into this secret study from the entrance which was now open. I rushed out happy to smell fresh parchment instead of the musty smell of old books. I ran down the stairs almost missing the last one and finally, I gave it to the council. My mother smiled and told me that I was now a part of the council.

"Congratulations," Her warm smile filled me up like a hot air balloon. I gave her a big hug and went back up the velvet red stairs to my room to get out of that uncomfortable dress and shoes. The next day I was getting ready for my first day of the council when a bird with snowy white wings and blood-red blotches appeared. 

“Awwww, Hi do you have a letter,” The bird lifted its beautiful leg to reveal a letter that looked yellowed with age and it was bound with a red ribbon darker than the bird's wing. 

It read. Dear daughter, your first council will take place on Monday in two days. It is about introducing a new book to our library. I will see you there. If you have questions, go to the librarian? and she might give you a clue. Love Queen Rosie. 

“Darn it, she's good at making you think,” I grumbled and went down to the library to talk with the librarian cause that is obviously what my mom wanted. 

“Hello.”

“Oh hello, Miss Charlotte. 

“You’re here for the clue I see well look for that's nor the sky, look for the world that's not so high and look for the clouds that are yellow and green There your next clue lays go get looking,” Miss. Santina Revere was a pretty 20-year-old with dark black hair that fell down to her waist. 

I thanked her and started to think about what that meant but I had no idea . . .