You Are A Book In The Library.

• Cassandra Goodie, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2012

I am so proud of my pages and the beautiful pictures and moving words that fill them,as I sit on the shelf so new and proud. Suddenly I feel hands pulling me from the shelves. I feel the rush of excitement that comes with the prospect being read and enjoyed. I then feel sticky, dirty male hands opening my covers and flipping through my pages, not bothering to read and fully appreciate, the stunning pictures and breathtaking words. I feel angry for a moment before I remember that not everyone has the understanding of books that some people possess. I remember that I must appreciate being read. Suddenly the world goes dark again as he slams me shut and throws me across the table. I feel panic strike me, like a slap hits a victim of abuse or lighting hits a dead tree, as I spin around and around and around. I feel dizzy, slightly sick and very angry that this infuriating little boy has damaged me so. I can still feel his filthy little hands as he contaminated my pages. My beautiful intricate pages. Then I feel the cool, soft hands of the librarian as she picks me up and carries me towards the counter. She opens me with care and love and flips through each page gently. When she reaches the pages that the silly little boy dirtied she sighs. She reaches under the desk with her spare hand and pulls out a cleaning cloth. She begins to gently and carefully clean me, washing away the terrible things that touched me. When she is finished she leaves me for a moment to dry and then carries me back to my spot on the shelf. As she lightly places me back I feel my pride return. My pages are beautiful again, my pictures still magnificent and my words still touching