Literary Souls: Episode 1

I’ve worked as the librarian in Sunshine, Massachusetts for about eight hours now and I’m not quite sure why all the patrons have been giving me such a hard time. While reshelving some books by Ernest Hemingway, a grumpy, old man told me to “keep it down” while his wife was trying to sleep. But I never found either of them when I went to check the front lobby chairs. And now, I’m being stared at across my desk by a woman whose only answer to my attempts at helping her is a strange choking noise. But when I asked another patron to get her a glass of water, they looked at me like I’d grown an extra head.

I knew moving to a new town, where I know no one, and am in charge of an entire library by myself was going to be challenging. But I also knew getting away from the city and regaining some of my sanity was just as important. I just wasn’t ready for all this crazy right away. And this is from a girl who once saw a patron bite another patron over using the last of the yellow toner.

Seriously, being a librarian is an all-inclusive job. At my last job, I was a social worker, a teacher, a programmer, a parent, and a reader all in one day. I thought this small Cape Cod town would be a break from that to get back to the reason I wanted to become a librarian: being able to read all the books whenever I wanted. But since this woman won’t leave and we’re due to close in ten minutes, I guess my first day hasn’t been as great as I was hoping. I’m adamant that I will help at least one person today, so I’ll try again.

Turning to grab one of the library brochures I printed off this morning, I kindly point to the new library hours before looking up…at nothing. She’s gone. I grunt out my dismay and start the walk through the room to find her and let her know it’s time to move along. It’s not that big of a space. She can’t have gotten far and yet I can’t seem to find her. Maybe she slipped out the door while my back was turned. I decide that must be the case as I flip off the lights and lock the door behind me.

My new house is right across the street from the library, making my commute so much easier than when I lived an hour away from my old job. I’m really looking forward to a bath and some time curled up on the couch with my faithful feline, Holly. But based on that resounding bang that just cut through the silent night, I don’t think that will be the case.

Running towards my neighbor’s house, I see a dark figure lurking behind the curtains. I knock incessantly at the door, but no one answers. Calling the police seems like my best option, but no one else on the street seems to have cared about the noises. Maybe this is just a normal occurrence that I’ll get used to…

“Can I help you?”

I scream when I hear the voice from the porch next to me. And then when I turn towards the voice, I scream again. An elderly gentleman is floating next to me!

I turn and run back to my front door, scrambling to get the key in the lock, and slamming the door closed behind me. It’s just been a long day. There’s no way I saw what I thought I saw, right? I just need a good night’s sleep before heading back to work in the morning.

“Miss…are you the new librarian by any chance?” That’s when I faint…

I awaken to Holly sniffing in my ear and I frantically look around my front hall. No apparitions. Just me, lying on the ground while the sunlight burns into my legs from the window by the door. Sunlight! I jump up and search through my purse. Pulling out my phone, I curse myself. Late already and it’s only my second day. I run upstairs to change and emerge a functional person, if not completely sane. Running across the street, I quickly unlock the door and flip on the lights.

“Oh thank goodness. I thought I’d killed you,” tutted the gentleman from last night as he appeared in the doorway behind me.

Okay, so I’m clearly still not recovered from the concussion I probably gave myself last night, but I’m going to roll with it. I can’t have the public thinking I’m going crazy on my second day of work.

“Hello, sir. I’m sorry that I’m running a little late today. The library is now open if you’d like to come on in.” I watch him as he comes through the door and looks around.

“I take it you heard the gunshot last night?” he asks as if it’s totally normal that I’m talking to a floating man in the middle of the public library. I hesitate and he answers himself admonishingly, “Of course you did. You’re the librarian now. It’s not really as bad as it seems. I’m sorry if we gave you a startle.”

“We?” I manage as I watch more of the same floating spirits come from the stacks, my terror level spiking with each appearance.

“Yes, we,” one man says as he slowly drifts closer to me. “The Literary Souls is what the last librarian called us.”

I stare at the man. “You were here yesterday! You told me to shut up because your wife was sleeping!” I accuse him.

“My apologies. I didn’t realize at the time that you were the new librarian and would be able to hear me. I often mumble at the living patrons to quiet down. It is rather rude to be making so much noise in a library.”

“The living patrons?”

“Yes, you see my dear we are all dead. But we’re here to help you in solving the mysteries of this town. You’d be surprised how many people can die in a small town like this…or maybe not if you’re a fan of cozy mysteries. Oh, there she goes…” he teeters off as I faint yet again…