The Quizzer

• Holly Stamm
• Short Story
• 2018

My name is Ruby Kristen Golden. I’m 12 and I volunteered for a program at Derby Street Local Library. I was asked to clean the library up after hours and greet customers and help them find the books they need. Felicity, my bestie, visited one day and pulled books out of every shelf before I could stop her. After running around picking up pretty much every book in the library, she finally stopped and showed me a dusty book. I’d never seen a customer asking for that one before. Felicity flicked through the pages and told me that it was completely blank. I snatched it from her arms and checked the back for conscription. It was “The Quizzer”.
Mrs Kelli inspected it closely. She poked at the beautiful bronze spine and stroked her long white fingers over the violets on the cover. “I’m real’ sorry girls but I’ve never seen this beauty before.” Mrs Kelli ‘sang’ in her cockney voice. When I got home Emily was sitting at dinner table savouring Mum’s red velvet and vanilla cupcake. I stole the last one before Sasha snatched it off the table. Sasha’s tail waggled waiting for a treat. I threw her some of the velvet bits because I knew that flavour amused her. “Ruby?” I heard Mum call. “What Mum?” I asked. “Are you okay if I take Em and Georgie to the movies this afternoon?” “Sure.” I rolled my eyes quickly before mum turned her head. Emily always got to have play dates and sleepovers with Georgie. It just wasn’t fair.
Before bed I Skyped Felicity. We agreed to open the book and see what was in it. I read its first sentence. “It says, diary started the 15th March, 1984. And, diary finished the 15th March, 2008.” I read. I flicked through the pages automatically, like I would do with any books in the library. I only saw blank pages. I then tried skimming through the pages but, to my surprise, I saw a message bearing my name. My heart skipped a beat as I read through the paragraph of old-fashioned cursive.
Dear Ruby K Golden,
The problems are always bigger than the last,
The offers you are asked are lies to the brim,
So Alice said “Mother, let go!”
And she slid down the rabbit hole.
So don’t be tricked and do the same!
Or you are the one who is to blame.
They shivered at the words. "Put the book away and let’s just have a good night sleep Ruby." Felicity hallowed softly. And the day rolled on.