Page 49 of The Library of Second Chances
The other side of the upper floor held the general and contemporary fiction section. ‘I wonder if we can get another character out to help us,’ said Eric, eyes scanning the shelves for more glowing books.
‘Another character?’ spluttered Harry.
‘Sometimes the books glow and a character comes out,’ Chloe explained. ‘That could work, Eric, but it could also make things worse. Besides, I don’t see any lights in the shelves.’ She made an annoyed noise. There were three of them here already. She refused to be bested by a cartoon primate that wasn’t evenreal. ‘Monkey, where are you?’ she called. A small chatter answered her.
It was almost cute. Almost.
Eric still gripped the net in his hands, but Chloe saw in the corner what looked like a laundry basket. She snatched it up, examining it. Something random Mrs Cook had left up here, or more help from the library? She spun it in her hands. It was the perfect size. ‘I don’t know about you two, but I’vehadit with this monkey.’
They spotted the purple creature in a corner, clutching his book to him. ‘Maybe we need a different approach,’ said Harry, laying a gentle hand on her elbow. ‘We’re just frightening him off. Maybe . . .’ He lowered his voice as though worried the mischievous monkey could understand them. ‘Maybe we should draw him close, then catch him.’ He looked at the basket in her hands. ‘Would you like to do it? Or shall I try?’
Chloe almost handed the basket over, but she smiled at him. ‘Thanks, but I feel like this is my responsibility.’ She wasn’t entirely sure why. ‘But be ready to grab him if I miss, all right?’
Harry stepped back with his arms out, reminding her of a football goalkeeper. She swallowed a giggle and turned back to where the monkey waited for them, still staring with its annoyingly adorable eyes.
‘You like the book?’ Chloe asked, her voice gentle as she stepped forward. ‘Look, it’s got you in it.’
The monkey’s little chest rose and fell rapidly, its big cartoon eyes looking at the ripped page. Chloe felt a glimmer ofcompassion for the little creature. If it hadn’t just spent the last half-hour giving them the runaround, she’d feel a bit sorry for it.
‘That’s right, read the story,’ she sang, spotting Eric creeping up in the corner of her eye. ‘You’re a great character in that story. All the kids loved reading about you. You’re a cheeky little monkey, aren’t you? Why don’t you drop the book in this basket for me.’ She held it out.
She didn’t think it would work, but she didn’t expect the monkey to blow a raspberry at her. A full-on, eyes closed, tongue out, loud raspberry that left her mouth hanging open. Harry’s laugh echoed behind her.
Eric leaped forward, swinging the net in a wild arc. The monkey shrieked and made to streak past Chloe . . .
‘Gotcha!’ She dived on the monkey, covering it with the laundry basket. The monkey screamed and panicked inside, thrashing as she held it down. She sat on the basket as the monkey screeched. She grinned up at the others, blowing air up her warm forehead. ‘Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?’
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
HARRY KNELT TOslide the book out from inside the basket. The monkey clutched on, but Harry was stronger. ‘C’mon, now, don’t be silly,’ he said, and with a sharp tug, the book was free.
‘Oh, quick, quick. The whole of Derbyshire can probably hear that racket,’ said Chloe as the basket moved beneath her. ‘You have to do it,’ she said to Eric. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but something told her the same person who brought the character out had to put them back. Harry laid a hand on the basket, helping her keep it down, as he handed over the book to Eric. ‘The last page, read out his last line. Hurry!’
His hands shaking, his face bright red from running around, Eric opened the book. He read aloud, ‘“You were right, Crocodile,”cried the purple monkey. “There were enough bananas for everybody.”’
At the last word, the thrashing and noise under the laundry basket vanished in an instant, and the basket stopped moving. Breathing hard, Chloe rose and checked inside. The purple monkey was gone.
They all breathed great sighs of relief as Chloe picked up the laundry basket. Eric lay the net against the wall. ‘I . . . That was an interesting way to find out I could do that, too.’
‘And by “that”, you mean . . .?’ Harry was staring between them. ‘What? Pulling characters out of books?’
‘Exactly,’ said Chloe. ‘This library is magical.’
The word rang between them. Eric gave an enthusiastic nod beside her. ‘She’s right, Harry. Mrs Cook can do it, too. And thelibrary makes its own scents, and some things move on their own, and . . .’
‘Let’s not overwhelm him,’ Chloe laughed as Harry rubbed his temples.
The upper floors seemed so quiet now that the chattering little monkey was safely back in his book. ‘I might not have to say this,’ said Chloe, rearranging her lopsided cardigan, ‘but Eric, please check whether a book is glowing before you read it. You never know who might come out next time.’
They headed downstairs, Chloe trying to think of a plausible reason why the three of them had needed to be up here for so long and wondering if they’d be in trouble with Mrs Cook. Chloe glanced around the library, trying to gauge its reaction. She felt a faint sense of . . . amusement from the wooden rafters and arched windows. Like that had all been a great joke.
‘Do that again, and we won’t invite anyone else,’ she muttered as she pushed open the door that led to reception.
Well, she tried to. The door wouldn’t budge. She pushed hard, but it refused to move.
‘Did it lock by accident?’ asked Harry beside her.
‘That door doesn’t lock.’ Eric came up beside her and pushed it. Chloe was about to huff at him that he wasn’t any stronger than she was, but the door opened easily at his touch.
