still on.
As we entered the library we could see the librarian getting ready to close.
“I’m sorry, but we are about to close in less than five minutes,” said the librarian as she approached us from the back of the library, carrying a few books.
“We won’t be long, we promise,” said Jonas quickly.
“Maybe you can help us, I’m looking for books regarding something that happened to me today,” I said nervously.
“And what was that?” asked the librarian.
“I had this dream, or nightmare, in which I was floating in the air when some creature talked to me. Are there any books on anything remotely related?” I asked. I was hopeful but also rather embarrassed. There was something about saying it out loud that made it sound unbelievable and even crazy.
“Without doing any research, it’s hard to tell. Perhaps books on dream interpretation? I think we have a few of those,” she suggested.
“I was looking for something more specific, perhaps more scientific,” I replied.
“Sorry, I can’t help you off the top of my head. But feel free to look around for a couple minutes if you like. You’ll find dream related books in the nonfiction section just down the corridor. Just don’t take too long,” she finished.
Jonas and I proceeded to the darker end of the library, where the lights had already been turned off for the night as we looked for the right section.
After a good minute, we found what seemed to be the correct section.
We started to go through the many titles and authors, but after a couple of minutes we didn’t find anything helpful.
“This isn’t what I need,” I said, frustrated as time ran short.
“Maybe we have the wrong section,” suggested Jonas.
Just as he finished speaking, I saw another librarian walking toward us. I was sure she was going to tell us that we needed to leave.
“Quick question,” I said. “I’m looking for books related to floating while sleeping. Do you know of any?”
“Oh dear. I think I know what you mean,” she said in very calm and soft voice. “But you’re in the wrong section. Follow me.” She turned around and took off at a surprisingly fast pace for a woman of her age.
As we followed her to the back of the library, I couldn’t help but notice that her outfit seemed strange and outdated. She wore a full-length pinstriped dress with a white Peter Pan collar and a red satin ribbon.
Who still wears those these days?
Also, her face looked so… different and yet familiar.
“Right this way,” she said as she briskly navigated through the maze of bookshelves. “Don’t you love the smell of old books?”
“Smells like sweet vanilla,” I said, surprised I hadn’t sneezed yet.
“That’s because of the old books. They actually smell like a combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness. This unmistakable smell is as much a part of the books as their contents,” replied the librarian. Then added, “true story.”
She led us deeper into the old and now deserted library. The only source of light was a rather dim yellow light bulb that had been left on.
It seemed that we had passed every subject imaginable before we finally came to a halt in the New Age section, which was located all the way in the back as if hidden in shame.
The old librarian put on a beautiful old Victorian sterling lorgnette—I had never seen one of those before, except on TV. It had an exquisite spring flower motif and an engraved handle with the initials “EB” on it.
Just when I was about to ask the meaning of the engraving, she turned around, and I was able to read her badge: “Mrs. Emerald Barnes—Librarian.”
“Where is it now… it should be right… here it is!” she said as she removed the book from a shelf across from me and brought it closer to her face. She blew on the book, and thousands of small dust particles flew off, looking for a place to settle.
“This is it!
A Guide to Astral
As we entered the library we could see the librarian getting ready to close.
“I’m sorry, but we are about to close in less than five minutes,” said the librarian as she approached us from the back of the library, carrying a few books.
“We won’t be long, we promise,” said Jonas quickly.
“Maybe you can help us, I’m looking for books regarding something that happened to me today,” I said nervously.
“And what was that?” asked the librarian.
“I had this dream, or nightmare, in which I was floating in the air when some creature talked to me. Are there any books on anything remotely related?” I asked. I was hopeful but also rather embarrassed. There was something about saying it out loud that made it sound unbelievable and even crazy.
“Without doing any research, it’s hard to tell. Perhaps books on dream interpretation? I think we have a few of those,” she suggested.
“I was looking for something more specific, perhaps more scientific,” I replied.
“Sorry, I can’t help you off the top of my head. But feel free to look around for a couple minutes if you like. You’ll find dream related books in the nonfiction section just down the corridor. Just don’t take too long,” she finished.
Jonas and I proceeded to the darker end of the library, where the lights had already been turned off for the night as we looked for the right section.
After a good minute, we found what seemed to be the correct section.
We started to go through the many titles and authors, but after a couple of minutes we didn’t find anything helpful.
“This isn’t what I need,” I said, frustrated as time ran short.
“Maybe we have the wrong section,” suggested Jonas.
Just as he finished speaking, I saw another librarian walking toward us. I was sure she was going to tell us that we needed to leave.
“Quick question,” I said. “I’m looking for books related to floating while sleeping. Do you know of any?”
“Oh dear. I think I know what you mean,” she said in very calm and soft voice. “But you’re in the wrong section. Follow me.” She turned around and took off at a surprisingly fast pace for a woman of her age.
As we followed her to the back of the library, I couldn’t help but notice that her outfit seemed strange and outdated. She wore a full-length pinstriped dress with a white Peter Pan collar and a red satin ribbon.
Who still wears those these days?
Also, her face looked so… different and yet familiar.
“Right this way,” she said as she briskly navigated through the maze of bookshelves. “Don’t you love the smell of old books?”
“Smells like sweet vanilla,” I said, surprised I hadn’t sneezed yet.
“That’s because of the old books. They actually smell like a combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness. This unmistakable smell is as much a part of the books as their contents,” replied the librarian. Then added, “true story.”
She led us deeper into the old and now deserted library. The only source of light was a rather dim yellow light bulb that had been left on.
It seemed that we had passed every subject imaginable before we finally came to a halt in the New Age section, which was located all the way in the back as if hidden in shame.
The old librarian put on a beautiful old Victorian sterling lorgnette—I had never seen one of those before, except on TV. It had an exquisite spring flower motif and an engraved handle with the initials “EB” on it.
Just when I was about to ask the meaning of the engraving, she turned around, and I was able to read her badge: “Mrs. Emerald Barnes—Librarian.”
“Where is it now… it should be right… here it is!” she said as she removed the book from a shelf across from me and brought it closer to her face. She blew on the book, and thousands of small dust particles flew off, looking for a place to settle.
“This is it!
A Guide to Astral
Similar Books
