Shhhh
They stood outside the municipal library. Mark shook his head, “No one will think to look for me here. Call my mom and let her know where you last saw me if I get lost in there.”
Mazzie laughed.
MacKenzie rolled her eyes. “Come on. It’s a big library, but they have a system and it shouldn’t take us long.” She led the way up the wide steps and through the marble pillars. The door they entered seemed so mundane compared to the grand façade of the building.
“So Mazz, explain again how you lost your phone.” Mackenzie remarked as they threaded their way through the couches and tables of the front entrance.
In a hushed voice Mazzie said, “I’ve already told you twice! And I’m not gonna say it in front of him.” she nodded in Marks direction.
MacKenzie smirked wickedly. She was punishing Mazzie for her long silence. Not that it was entirely her fault, and she was relieved when she finally heard from her Saturday evening. Still, she hated that her friend had waited a whole week to finally send a text. Mazzie had lost her phone while riding on Splash Mountain at Disney World. Her parents said she could go the entire vacation without her phone. Their fix for her need to take selfies, was to give her a disposable camera. Now that she was home, they were waiting for the pictures to be developed. MacKenzie felt for her. If she had lost her phone at the start of an amazing vacation, she would have been upset too. They were also a day late getting home because their flight cancelled and they had to overnight in Washington DC.
MacKenzie strode up to the librarians desk, a massive counter with five librarians sitting at computers and helping people. She went to the guy, sitting at one end, peering at his screen and sipping something out of a Star Wars mug. “Excuse me,” she said politely, but firmly, imitating Olimum who was really good at speaking officially to people.
The man held up a hand, but didn’t look at her. Blue ink stained his fingers. He looked old. But then, anyone over the age of twenty-five looked old to MacKenzie. “Be with you in a moment,” he said in a nasally voice. She glared at him. When he finally looked at her, he gave her a bland look, ignoring her scowl. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, please,” she said in her best businesslike tone. “I am looking for a book called “The Creator’s Kine.”
“Do you know the author’s name?” he asked as he typed on his computer.
She shook her head and then said, “Possibly, Yetarīki Mihuru.”
“Can you spell that?” he asked.
“No idea,” she said. “I’ve only heard the name spoken.”
He grunted, but continued to type. He squinted at the screen and said, “Could the author be Antero Vipunen?”
McKenzie shrugged, “Could be.” she said. “Do you have the book?”
“No.” He said, thoughtfully, “but we can get it.” He looked at her. “But you have to be at least fifteen to order a rare book.”
MacKenzie turned to Mark, “Well?” she said. “You wanted to come along. You can at least help with this. You are fifteen, right?”
Mark turned a deep red. “I’m only fourteen,” he mumbled.
MacKenzie rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’ll get one of The Mums to do it.” She turned back to the librarian. “Thanks for your help. Can you give me a copy of the information? My Mum will want to know what I’m asking her to check out for me.”
He nodded, hit a couple of keys on the keyboard and a page slid out of the printer.
MacKenzie glanced at the page. A picture accompanied the book details. She supposed it was a picture of the author. She folded the paper and turned to Mazzie and Mark, “Ok Mj’s” she said with a smirk. “Where to next?”
Mazzie chuckled and Mark looked blank. “Mj’s?” he asked.
Mazzie punched his arm good-naturedly and spelled it out for him, “You’ve joined an exclusive club, Mark. We’re all Mj’s.”
“Oh!” he said, grinning, finally understanding.
MacKenzie frowned at him, “still not happy you’re only fourteen.”
Mark shrugged, “Can’t help it. I don’t turn fifteen until November.”
MacKenzie groaned.
“Hey!” said Mazzie enthusiastically, “Kinzies’ birthday is in November too!”
“Let’s go,” said MacKenzie as she started toward the door.
Mark caught up with her, “How cool is that? My birthday is the seventeenth. When’s yours?”
She glared at Mazzie, who must have known and was giggling behind her hand. “Seriously Mazz!” she sighed, “Same day Mark. Same day.”
Mark didn’t catch the looks between the girls. “That is so cool! We’re birthday twins!”
MacKenzie said, “Yeah, look at that.” By this time, they were outside the library and standing on the steps.
Mazzie had stopped and was staring across the busy street.
“Come on Mazz, let’s go.” MacKenzie’s voice a controlled irritable.
“Look,” said Mark, also stopped and peering across the street.
“Did you see it too?” asked Mazzie excitedly.
“Just caught a quick glimpse,” he said. “What was it?”
Mazzie looked around. Sure enough, one of the stone statues was missing. “Kinz, I think your Sphinx is stalking us.”
“My Sphinx? Just because it found me doesn’t make it mine.” she retorted.
Mazzie ignored her friend’s irritation. “Look there,” she pointed at the empty flat concrete block. “How is no one missing a giant stone statue?”
Mark examined the empty pedestal. “I think I can answer that question. If you had asked me what sat there when we entered the library, I would have had to turn around and look. I think most people walk by that and don’t notice what’s there. I couldn’t even tell you if there had been something there when we walked out of the building just now.”
MacKenzie reluctantly nodded. “Same here.” She scanned the area, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. “Where did you see it go?”
Mazzie pointed to the deli across the street. “It ran down the alley away from here.”
“Huh.” was all MacKenzie said.
“What are you thinking, Kinz?” prodded Mazzie.
“Dunno yet. Let’s go to the park and see if we can rouse Carl.” MacKenzie started down the steps.
“What about the book?” asked Mazzie, catching up with her.
“The Mums will have to get it for us. Until then, we just need to quiz Carl. something’s going on and we seem to be caught in it.”
Mazzie nodded. “Where’s Mark?” she asked, looking around.
MacKenzie looked over her shoulder. Aside from a few people either entering or leaving the building, the steps were empty.
“Mark!” called Mazzie, “Let’s go!”
MacKenzie rolled her eyes. “Thought he was a flake.” She muttered. “Come on Maz, he’s a big boy. He can find his way home.”
Mazzie looked troubled. “Something’s not right. Marks a boy, but he’s not that bad. He’s not the kind to just ditch and run.”
Resigned, MacKenzie said, “Fine, let’s look for him.”
After an hour of searching, Mark was still missing. Mazzie tried to text and call him, but no response.
A sudden thought gave MacKenzie chills. What had Mark said? ‘Call my mom and let her know where you last saw me if I get lost in there.’ A premonition? No, she wouldn’t believe it of Mark. She glanced at the empty pedestal. Suddenly, as if it had always been there, the stone Sphinx returned. It reminded MacKenzie of a frame by frame video, where one frame is empty and the next an object is just there. It gave her the odd feeling of being in a movie. “Maz.” She said softly, her terror carefully controlled. “It’s back.”
Mazzie turned. For both girls, the movie feeling became slow motion. As they looked up at the Sphinx, its head turned. One baleful red eye gleamed at them. In their heads, they heard Hephrix say, “Want the boy back? Bring me the book.”
Sunlight seemed to pour over them, breaking the Sphinx’ spell. When they looked next, the statue was solid stone, with decades of pidgeon poop splashed over it. Mazzie gasped, “She’s scary!”
“Right!” agreed MacKenzie, “But I think Mark’s mom is going to be even worse when we tell her.”
“Oh, no.” backed away Mazzie, “She’ll never believe us.”
“Maz, we have to tell her something. Mark is missing and we are nowhere near to getting that book!”
Deflated, Mazzie nodded, “This is gonna suck.”
“It already does.” Agreed MacKenzie as she glared at the stony Sphinx.
*** *** *** *** ***
Mark pounded on the glass. He could see the girls looking right at him. “Come on!” He shouted. “I’m right here!”
“Come now, love,” purred the sultry woman’s voice from the dark corner he couldn’t see in to. “As long as they get me the book, you’ll be just fine.”
“Who are you?” he demanded angrily.
“Temper, temper my sweetling.” cooed the voice.
Mark pulled out his phone. No service. Frustrated, he jammed the phone back in his pocket. He watched with despair as Mazzie and MacKenzie gave one last look and walked down the library steps. His mom was going to be so angry when he wasn’t home for dinner. He pulled out his phone again. Still no service, but perhaps he could catch a Wi-Fi signal. He paced the small room. Still no luck. He put the phone away and searched the walls for an exit. The room went dark. He could no longer see out.
“Hey!” he shouted. “What gives!”
“Hush boy.” The voice was grating now. Impatient. Distracted.
Mark yelled for help.
“I said silence!” commanded the voice next to his ear.
Mark whimpered and huddled in a terrified heap.
“Better. Any more outbursts and I’ll take your tongue.” hissed the woman.
Mark nodded at the darkness. He remained huddled and small in the corner, hoping someone would rescue him soon.
