Earlier that day…

“Five minutes and then we’re leaving.”

My younger sister Luca scrunched up her face.

“Five minutes,” I repeated sternly. “Now hurry up and choose a book.”

I watched Luca run back to the children’s section of the library, and, satisfied that she’d be busy for the next couple of minutes, I walked around the corner to the Young Adult section.

My eyes scanned the shelves. Nothing really jumped out at me, although I took down a couple of Sarah Dessen books that I had already read.

Through the gaps in the empty shelf space I saw something – a poster hanging on the wall directly in front of me.

Sticking the book back, I walked around the shelves to where the poster was.

It was one of those huge coloured posters that libraries put up to encourage reading. It wasn’t the bold red letters READ that had caught my attention. It was the picture.

When I had glanced at the poster through the bookshelves, I swore that there was only a dragon and a small figure in a tower. Now as I studied at the picture, there was a knight too, all decked out in silver armour. He was posed in front of the dragon, sword drawn as his jet black horse rearing up.

Strange. Maybe it was time for me to get glasses.

“Liza!”

I turned around, Luca standing in front of me with an old and tattered book in her small hands.

“Luc, what is that?” I raised my eyebrows.

“It’s a book silly,” she giggled. “Of fairytales.” She grinned, her smile wide.

“But you have a book of fairytales at home.” The smile faded. “I want this one.”

I knew better than to not give Luca what she wanted – in public at least. Tantrums were sure to ensue.

“Okay,” I agreed, sighing inwardly as the frown turned back to a smile. “Info desk,” I pointed, pushing Luca in front of me.

There was a note on the refrigerator when we arrived home.

Hey kiddos –

Pizza and Coke in the fridge, don’t eat too much!

Home around eleven

Mum & Me

“Yum. Can I have some Coke now?”

I shook my head. “No. Otherwise you’ll be bouncing off the walls by bedtime.” I pushed her into the living room. “But I like bouncing off the walls.”

I laughed. “Not if you want pizza.” Luca jumped on the couch, wrapping her small feet underneath her.

Smiling, I turned on the T.V. “Channel?” I asked, remote poised. “Blue Peter!” Rolling my eyes, I changed the channel over to Blue Peter, leaving the room. Sitting on a stool in the kitchen, I reached over for the newspaper, knocking the library books off in the process.

“Shoot,” I mumbled, hopping down from my stool. I walked around the counter, bending down to gather the books up. I reached up, dropping a couple of books onto the counter.

Luca’s book was open on its back, a couple of pages sticking up. I rearranged myself on the kitchen floor, laying the book in my lap as I folded my legs.

It was open to the end of Cinderella, so I turned the page to the next fairytale. My eyes flickered to the pictures instead of the words, a defect caused by the reading of too many magazines and my Y generation chromosomes.

I slammed the book shut, clasping it in both my hands, knowing that my face was a picture of shock.

There was a picture of the knight from the library poster in the fairytale book.