Challenge

Write a 500-1000 word short story using the following prompt:

At the library, you find a photo in a book…

Louise walks into her local town library. The automatic doors open to let her through and close behind her. That's the trouble with these modern libraries: the oldness has gone; the musty smell you have in old libraries. Whilst she believed in libraries, these new ones cannot replace the grand buildings of row upon rows of book smells. This smelt fresh; clean! There was none of that book smell. Shame!

Standing at the reception counter, “Excuse me? Can you tell me where the travel books are please?” She asks.

“Certainly. This way,” as the librarian stops scanning books and she walks in a direction. Light flooded into the library from a massive window. Libraries ought to be dark and mysterious. This was bright, open and spacious.

“Here you are!”

“Travel. Thanks,” smiled Louise.

The librarian smiled back and left to continue scanning.

Louise scanned the books, looking for the ‘Spain’ section. Another beauty of libraries is that everything is alphabetical. Easy! She is old enough to know the alphabet too!

Ah Spain, here it is. I'm looking for Barcelona, she says to herself. And pulls out the Lonely Planet on Barcelona. She flicks through and something falls out. Louise bends down and picks up this square piece of paper. She turns it over. It’s not a piece of paper… it is a photo.

Louise gazes at it. It’s a happy photo. Blue sky. A man with black hair with a huge welcoming smile stands with his arm around a girl with short brown hair smiling too. They stand in front of water and boats. She turns it over again and on the back of the photo is written

Elaine … Barcelona 21st March 2015 … I love you forever … Our last X

Louise flicks to the front of the book to see when it was last in use. Stamped 08 Mar 15. That was months ago. A couple of years almost. Blimey! She closes the book and walks back to the reception counter with it tucked under her arm.

The librarian, still scanning, looks up, “do you want to take that book out?” She says.

Louise hesitates, looks at the book and says no. “I wonder, though, if you could do me a favour, please,” she asks quickly, as though she’s about to do something naughty.

The librarian stops what she is doing and moves over. She looks inquisitively, intently.

“Erm...I’ve come across this photo.” Louise pulls out the photo from the book and gives it to the librarian, who examines it in a precise manner.

“Nice words,” she says.

“Yes, I don't suppose you could tell me who hired out this book, could you? It seems important by what’s written.”

“Yes it does. Unfortunately, due to confidentiality we cannot give out information like that.”

“Yes, I thought it may be the issue. Do you have an envelope and a piece of paper and pen?”

The librarian opens up a drawer and gives Louise a piece of paper. From the countertop she hands over a pen too. Then, went in search for an envelope.

Louise thought for a moment before putting pen to paper.

Dear X,

I came across this photo in a Barcelona travel guide in the town library today. I thought it may be important to you so I've asked the librarian to forward it to you.

I hope you’ll reply. I'm intrigued by the meaning of what is written on the back of the photo.

Thanks. Hear from you soon, I hope!

Louise Pickford

She re-read the letter, folded it and inserted it into the envelope which the librarian handed to her.

“Can you find out who took out the book and send this to them please?”, and she stuck a stamp on.

“Yes, of course, I will,” smiled the librarian.

Louise got her book stamped and left the modern library.

~

Three weeks later she returned. She approached the reception counter and gave the book to return to a boy. Disappointed she headed for the automatic exit doors.

“Excuse me?”

Louise turned around.

“Louise, is it?”

“Yes, it is.” Louise stood in front of the female librarian of three weeks ago.

“Hang on, you got a reply,” at which she left and returned with a white envelope.

Louise grinned and opened the envelope. Pulling out the letter she unfolded it.

Write 500-1000 word short story using the following prompt:

At the library, you find a photo in a book…

Louise walks into her local town library. The automatic doors open to let her through and close behind her. That's the trouble with these modern libraries: the oldness has gone; the musty smell you have in old libraries. Whilst she believed in libraries, these new ones cannot replace the grand buildings of row upon rows of book smells. This smelt fresh; clean! There was none of that book smell. Shame!

Standing at the reception counter, “Excuse me? Can you tell me where the travel books are please?” She asks.

“Certainly. This way,” as the librarian stops scanning books and she walks in a direction. Light flooded into the library from a massive window. Libraries ought to be dark and mysterious. This was bright, open and spacious.

“Here you are!”

“Travel. Thanks,” smiled Louise.

The librarian smiled back and left to continue scanning.

Louise scanned the books, looking for the ‘Spain’ section. Another beauty of libraries is that everything is alphabetical. Easy! She is old enough to know the alphabet too!

Ah Spain, here it is. I'm looking for Barcelona, she says to herself. And pulls out the Lonely Planet on Barcelona. She flicks through and something falls out. Louise bends down and picks up this square piece of paper. She turns it over. It’s not a piece of paper… it is a photo.

Louise gazes at it. It’s a happy photo. Blue sky. A man with black hair with a huge welcoming smile stands with his arm around a girl with short brown hair smiling too. They stand in front of water and boats. She turns it over again and on the back of the photo is written

Elaine … Barcelona 21st March 2015 … I love you forever … Our last X

Louise flicks to the front of the book to see when it was last in use. Stamped 08 Mar 15. That was months ago. A couple of years almost. Blimey! She closes the book and walks back to the reception counter with it tucked under her arm.

The librarian, still scanning, looks up, “do you want to take that book out?” She says.

Louise hesitates, looks at the book and says no. “I wonder, though, if you could do me a favour, please,” she asks quickly, as though she’s about to do something naughty.

The librarian stops what she is doing and moves over. She looks inquisitively, intently.

“Erm...I’ve come across this photo.” Louise pulls out the photo from the book and gives it to the librarian, who examines it in a precise manner.

“Nice words,” she says.

“Yes, I don't suppose you could tell me who hired out this book, could you? It seems important by what’s written.”

“Yes it does. Unfortunately, due to confidentiality we cannot give out information like that.”

“Yes, I thought it may be the issue. Do you have an envelope and a piece of paper and pen?”

The librarian opens up a drawer and gives Louise a piece of paper. From the countertop she hands over a pen too. Then, went in search for an envelope.

Louise thought for a moment before putting pen to paper.

Dear X,

I came across this photo in a Barcelona travel guide in the town library today. I thought it may be important to you so I've asked the librarian to forward it to you.

I hope you’ll reply. I'm intrigued by the meaning of what is written on the back of the photo.

Thanks. Hear from you soon, I hope!

Louise Pickford

She re-read the letter, folded it and inserted it into the envelope which the librarian handed to her.

“Can you find out who took out the book and send this to them please?”, and she stuck a stamp on.

“Yes, of course, I will,” smiled the librarian.

Louise got her book stamped and left the modern library.

~

Three weeks later she returned. She approached the reception counter and gave the book to return to a boy. Disappointed she headed for the automatic exit doors.

“Excuse me?”

Louise turned around.

“Louise, is it?”

“Yes, it is.” Louise stood in front of the female librarian of three weeks ago.

“Hang on, you got a reply,” at which she left and returned with a white envelope.

Louise grinned and opened the envelope. Pulling out the letter she unfolded it.

Dear Louise,

What a surprise! I really thought I’d lost this photo. This was the last photo I took of Elaine. I’m so pleased to have received it. So, yes, it was very important to me. Unfortunately Elaine passed away. This was our last holiday together. This photo means so much to me. I'm eternally grateful to you and relieved to have found it. I'm pleased you were able to send it to me.

Yours forever, Ben

Louise smiled. She handed the letter to the librarian, who read it too. The librarian smiled and handed back the letter. Louise carefully put it back together and stuck it in her back jeans pocket. Another excellent find for her scrapbook.