Diary of a 6th Grade SPY
Book 1 - Zero to Hero
Katrina Kahler
Copyright 2014 by KC Global Enterprises
Chapter 1 - The Library...
The doors of the library slide open with a gentle swish. There is a hushed silence as I walk inside. If I stand still I can feel there are soft whispers of secrets being told. I walk in slowly hoping no one will notice me. My plan is to tiptoe past the library counter and hand in my books. Then I want to disappear into the peace and quiet of the book shelves. Story books, travel books, tales of ancient civilizations - all amazing places to escape to. This is the best place for a ‘latch- key kid’ to spend the afternoon. Mom and dad work hard to send me to Bedford View Primary but then they are so busy that I hardly ever see them. Today mom is working late again! The library is the spot for me, Samuel Greene, to spend the afternoon.
I draw in a deep breath and walk up to the librarian’s desk. I hope Miss Sorrel is in a good mood today. I wonder why our previous librarian left so suddenly. She just disappeared one afternoon. Nobody knows where she went. I miss her; she was really nice and so kind.
Miss Sorrel doesn’t like me! She makes fun of my rather long name. My full name had to include my grandfather’s and great grandfather’s names. It is a mouthful. Five names to remember – Samuel, Peter, Rupert, Orpen-Greene. Miss Sorrel looked at my library card on her first day as the new librarian, leaned over the counter, and said, “Your initials spell S.P.R.O-G - Sprog…just the right name for YOU - little boy!”
I remember that day well. I heard some giggling in the background and then Abigail came to my rescue. She told Miss Sorrel that my real name is Sam, Sam Greene. Miss Sorrel looked down her nose at me and glared into my eyes. I remember feeling very small at that very moment. Miss Sorrel makes me feel nervous.
I always try to ease quietly into the library now and go unnoticed. But Miss Sorrel just appears from nowhere and grins at me.
She delights in taking my card and mutters my name under her breath.
When I look up I see a long hair on her chin and a rather large Adam’s apple. Today, Miss Sorrel takes my library cards and gives me a library browsing stick to keep a record of where I have taken a book. She has a firm grip on the end of the stick and I see that her nails are very dirty. I wonder if she remembers to wash her hands before reading a book! One of the rules of the library!
Relieved to be past the front desk I set off into the book shelves. On the way I take a quick look at the ‘Reader-thon’ results. I have been doing well as I am a good reader and like books, but what a disappointment! I see my marker is down to zero again. I wonder how that can be. Last time I challenged Miss Sorrel she said in a deep voice,“The wind blew your name down! Sorry for you - you’re back to zero again!”
Again! That is so unfair, but I am too nervous to remind her that I was at the top of the class list. I can’t tell Miss Sorrel that she is wrong. Who knows how she may react.
It is going to be a long afternoon but I have a small snack pack in my pocket. Some sweets left over from the movie we went to last night. Jungle book in 3D - it was amazing. One of my favorite stories! I wonder for a moment what it would be like to be raised by wolves. Then I remember what I am really looking for. The plant section of the library, I wish I had paid more attention to the system used to number the books. Well I know plants are part of botanical books so that’s where I shall start. Right in the middle of the library.
My Mom has started a cooking course and needs fresh herbs. If I can grow them in the back yard that will be a great help. There must be a book about herbs and how to grow them.
Not many children come to this part of the library and I have a sense that I am being followed. Each time I turn around to see who it could be…the passage is empty. A very uneasy feeling comes over me. I hurry along now to the shelves where all the books about plants are. I hope I can find just the right book and make my way back to the front of the library as soon as possible.
Aahhh, here are the books about plants. I can see not many children have been down to this part of the library. The books about herbs seem to be on the top shelf so with the help of a little stool, I stand up to reach for a book called ‘How to grow your own Herbs’. I am just putting my browsing stick up to mark the spot when I lose my balance. The stool wobbles under me and I tumble down to the ground. Before I can get up another book falls down from the top together with my browser stick. They fall on my head and I feel dizzy. Then the space around me starts to twist and turn and I loose sight of where I am. I seem to be going round and round, as if I am on a roundabout. Finally the roundabout stops and I rub my eyes and my head. I feel strange. I can’t see any books near me but I am still a little dazed and can’t see clearly. Perhaps some dust is in my eyes from the dusty bookshelves. I rub my eyes again but the picture I see is still not clear.
Suddenly, I have a brain wave. I wonder if my mom packed the 3D glasses from the movies. They were part of the kiddie’s combo I had for my snack. Bingo! There they are still wrapped in plastic. Slowly and carefully I put them on! WOW, it is just like being at a 3D movie. The whole picture in front of me comes alive – like magic! I just stare around at the scene and my mouth opens wide. I gasp! There is not a book in sight. How can that be, what has happened to me.
I am sitting on the grass looking at a beautiful garden and a long path leading to a castle.
If I am not in the library right now then where am I?
Diary of a 6th Grade Spy - Book 1 - Zero to Hero Page 1
