People Said She Was Just A Librarian

A sister and brother stared intently at the poster on the library checkout desk while their mother perused the shelves, accumulating books. Patrons bustled about, attempting to keep quiet while the siblings studied the poster, eyes darting up to Jenna.

People said she was just a librarian, but Jenna had a sense for people. She knew when to help navigate the wilds of the library and when to wait. She stood patiently by until the brother boldly announced, "This says 'Books hold portals to other worlds.'"

Jenna nodded. The sister squinted at her. "Do you do know what a portal is, right?"

Jenna suppressed a laugh. "Yes."

The brother asked, "Like to a pirate ship?"

"A female pirate," his sister amended.

In answer, Jenna led them through the bookshelves as librarians do, and Jenna was particularly good at it. She took down a book and held it open for them to see a portal spinning. Inside pirate Zheng Yi Sao stood aboard her ship. Gaping, the siblings helped one another climb inside. Jenna snapped the book shut and added it to their mother's stack to checkout.

With a smirk, she took another book of a recently arranged stack and opened it. A disheveled young woman tumbled out, straightened her skirt, and grinned, her cheeks flushed.

"All checked out," Jenna assured her.

The woman headed to the door with the books. "You're the best!"

Jenna winked. She was just a librarian doing her job, and she was particularly good at it.

Photo by Luriko Yamaguchi