Hollowpox The Hunt for Morrigan Crow - Jessica Townsend Page 0,75
the Gobleian Library façade on Mayhew Street … but it was different this time.
The Mayhew Street they’d left just seconds earlier had been bright and sunny, and swelteringly hot, full of people enjoying the summer day. This Mayhew Street was as cool and crisp as an autumn evening, twilight-dim, and empty of life. There was no traffic. No sound at all.
‘Did I just … black out, or something?’ Morrigan asked Hawthorne and Mahir. But they were as confused as she was.
‘Come on,’ called Miss Cheery. She was already halfway back down the steps they’d just come up, heading for the street. A little dazed, but still determined to find something interesting, Morrigan ran to catch up with her conductor.
In the middle of Mayhew Street, where she knew there ought to have been a row of cherry trees, there was instead a large wooden desk with a sign across the front that said ‘LOANS’. A primly dressed, bespectacled young woman with a gold W pin on her collar stood behind it, watching the group as they approached. She didn’t look very pleased to see them.
‘There she is!’ shouted Miss Cheery, running over and enveloping her in a big, enthusiastic hug. ‘My friend, Roshni Singh: youngest librarian in Gobleian history. You did it, girl. I’m proud of you.’
As they embraced, the librarian stared in dismay over Miss Cheery’s shoulder at Unit 919. ‘Um, Maz … you never said you were bringing an entourage,’ she said. ‘What are all these kids doing here?’
Miss Cheery looked back at Morrigan and the unit. ‘Who, this lot? They’ve come to worship at the altar of knowledge.’
‘Marina,’ said the librarian seriously. ‘None of them is old enough to have a library card here.’
‘But I’ve got one,’ said Miss Cheery. She beamed and held up the thin metal card hanging around her neck on a chain.
‘Marina,’ Roshni said again, folding her arms and looking sternly over her spectacles. ‘The Gobleian Library is no place for children.’
Morrigan heard Hawthorne whisper a jubilant ‘Yesssss’, and even Thaddea perked up a little.
But Miss Cheery clicked her tongue and gave an unruffled shrug. ‘Okay, but see … your scary librarian face doesn’t scare me, Rosh, ’cos I’ve seen you practise it in the mirror about a thousand times. Listen, they’ll be good, I promise. Right, 919?’ She looked at them pointedly, and they all nodded (with wildly varying levels of enthusiasm).
Roshni shook her head despairingly, the ends of her shiny black bob brushing against her shoulders. She lowered her voice. ‘Maz, you’re gonna get me in trouble. It’s only my first week as a full librarian and you’re asking me to break the most important rule there is.’
‘No! Not break,’ said Miss Cheery. ‘Just … bend? Slightly?’
‘No. I won’t do it.’
‘Oh, go on,’ Miss Cheery cajoled, turning on the full wattage of her winning smile. ‘You used to let me in all the time when you were a bookfighter, even when I didn’t have a library card. After closing time and all.’ She raised an eyebrow.
‘Shhhh.’ Roshni blinked repeatedly, looking scandalised as she glanced around to see if anyone had heard, but the street was empty. She grabbed Miss Cheery’s arm and pulled her away from the loans desk, speaking in a harsh whisper. Morrigan strained to hear, while trying not to look as if she was straining to hear. ‘Marina, I’m not just a bookfighter now. I’m a librarian. I’ve got my own beat. I can’t keep bending the rules for you, Maz. We’re not kids any more.’ She pulled at her sleeve. ‘I wear a cardigan, for goodness’ sake.’
Miss Cheery tugged at the bright yellow sleeve too. ‘Suits you, that cardigan,’ she said in a low voice. ‘The glasses, too. They’re well academic.’
Roshni tried not to smile, but she was clearly pleased. ‘I had to wear contacts when I was a bookfighter or else they’d get stolen by a monkey or blown off by a tornado or something.’
Morrigan, still trying to look as if she wasn’t eavesdropping, was torn between amusement and alarm at this comment. Blown off by a tornado … ?
Miss Cheery nudged Roshni’s arm, and the librarian finally smiled. ‘Come on, Rosh. One hour. The kids’ll love it. I’ve been bragging about you. They just want to see where you work, that’s all.’
Roshni peered around Miss Cheery at Unit 919, who were standing still and silent as instructed, and trying to look like obedient, well-behaved children.