Funk-N-Fiction

Morgan Brice is the second of the two authors who’ve chosen this “spellbook” image as inspiration for their Halloween Flash Fiction story. This time, we’re getting a glimpse into the Fox Hollow Zodiac series world!!
In the comments, I’d love to hear what tv shows or movies are your Halloween traditions? 🙂

Shelved
by Morgan Brice

“Thank you for coming to our Halloween story hour,” head librarian Liam Reynard said as the children bolted from their seats. “Be sure to stop for candy on your way out.”

He chuckled as he watched the little ghosts and goblins stampede for the plastic pumpkin full of treats that his assistant, Maddi Thompson, held at the library door.

“That went well,” Maddi said once the last of the guests had left. She reached into her pocket and withdrew two wrapped candies, holding one out to Liam. “I saved these for us. Seemed like we deserved a little sugar rush after all that.” She grinned.

Together, they tidied up the children’s area of the library and reset it for the next day. “Have you had a chance to see any of the festivities?” Liam asked as they went through the closing checklist.

“Not today, but I did earlier in the week,” Maddi replied. “I walked through the art exhibit at the Community Hall and bought stuff at the bake sale, and then I went to a couple of the programs at the Fox Institute on ghosts and mediums.”

“Sounds fun,” Liam said. “I haven’t had a chance to check things out until now, so I thought I’d see what was going on. I’m supposed to meet Russ to go for dinner at the hotel.”

“The exhibits are everywhere, so be sure to look for them,” Maddi bundled up in her coat and scarf. “And say ‘hi’ to Russ for me!”

Liam took a final look around the library’s main floor after Maddi left and was just about to turn off the lights when he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye.

Sitting alone at one of the tables was an older woman studying a book. Liam walked over, surprised she hadn’t heeded the closing announcement.

“Hi, I’m glad you’re enjoying your book, but the library is closed. I need to lock up. If you’d like, I can make a note of your name and card number if you want to take the book with you tonight since our computers are turned off,” Liam offered.

He wondered if the woman was one of the costumed teachers from the Fox Institute. Her gray hair was piled in an old-fashioned top-knot, and her black, ankle-length dress looked Victorian.

“I found it with the reference books.” The woman patted the cover. “I think it was misplaced.”

Liam was about to answer when he heard a knock at the door and saw his partner, Russ Lowe, waiting for him. He looked back to answer the woman and escort her out, but she was gone.

He held up a hand to tell Russ that he’d be out shortly and then walked up and down the rows near the table, but the woman was nowhere to be seen, although the book was still where she’d left it.

“I need to close up,” Liam shouted. “Please come to the door.” He waited but got no response. A glance at the security camera footage behind the receptionist’s desk showed that he was alone.

Liam shivered and started toward the door, then doubled back on impulse to pick up the book the woman had left behind.

“Reading the Future, by Miriam Kendricks,” he murmured, reading the book’s title aloud. The cover featured a crystal ball, tarot cards, and a candle. It wasn’t a volume he recognized, but despite Fox Hollow’s small size, the town library had been generously underwritten and had a sizeable collection. On impulse, he tucked it into his messenger bag.

“Problems?” Russ asked when Liam locked up the library behind him. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I think I did.” Liam told Russ about the strangely dressed lady and how she vanished.

“I’ve been in front of the door for a while,” Russ said. “You were heading out, then you walked over to a table and picked up that book. It seemed to take you a while.”

“You didn’t see her?”

Russ shook his head. “No one was sitting at the table, and no one came out before you.” He reached for Liam’s hand. “Come on, let’s go for dinner and see what’s happening at the festival tonight.

“I wish we could change into our fur,” Liam grumbled. “I’m cold.” He shivered in his down jacket and longed to shift into the luxuriously thick coat of his fox side. But while Fox Hollow was shifter-friendly, residents were expected to remain in human form in most public places, especially when out-of-towners might be present.

“We can go for a run tomorrow,” Russ promised. “My wolf’s getting antsy too.”

Liam glanced over his shoulder at the darkened library as they walked away but saw no trace of the woman.

“I’ve never seen a town that did Halloween as well as Fox Hollow,” Russ said. Despite the cold, the sidewalks were full, and lights blazed from the local shops and restaurants. Children and some adults wore costumes modified for the weather, while decorations and banners advertising special events fluttered in the night breeze.

Fox Hollow was founded as a haven for misfit shifters and psychics. Tucked away in the far north of the Adirondack Mountains of New York, the small town celebrated its unique history and its strong sense of community.

The week-long programs for Halloween included a horror movie marathon at the theater, spooky stories at the library, an art exhibit, and lectures for adults on folklore, precognition, and communicating with ghosts.

“I already picked up the s’mores donuts that were today’s special at Bear Necessities,” Russ told him. “They’re in the car for later. We have time to walk through the Community Hall before we eat, and afterward we can swing by the music festival when it starts over at the high school.”

Liam and Russ strolled through the art show, enjoying the variety of pieces on display from local craftspeople. Liam knew nearly all of the artists and felt a surge of pride that their work was being valued and recognized.

“Glimpse your future—special rates on Tarot, tea leaf readings, palmistry,” the sign for the room across the hall read.

Another poster advertised a dramatic performance. “Tea with the Ladies of Spiritualism—Margaret and Kate Fox, Madame Blavatsky, Victoria Woodhull, Miriam Kendricks,” Liam read aloud and froze.

“Liam? What’s wrong?” Russ asked, worried.

The performance’s poster showed black and white historical photos of the “ladies,” all dressed in the severe black dresses of the late 1800s.

“That’s her.” Liam pointed to the picture of a woman who looked exactly like the lingering reader in the library. “The lady who disappeared when I was trying to close up.”

“Are you sure?”

Liam nodded. “Yes. She was dressed just like that. I thought she was cosplaying.”

Russ looked back at the other sign for the fortune tellers. “They’re all people from the Fox Institute. Maybe one of them would know about Miriam.”

Liam pulled the book from his bag. He didn’t remember ever seeing it before, and now that he looked closely, he wondered how long it had been shelved because the tags on the spine looked wrong.

“Excuse me,” he said to the woman inside the door who was matching customers with psychics. “Is there anyone here who might be able to tell me more about this author?” He held out the book, and she took it, frowning.

“Where did you get this?” The woman studied the volume. Unlike the other psychics who were in regular clothing, the hostess wore the black mourning dress popular in the late 1800s, with jet accents that caught the light.

Liam felt his cheeks color. “I found a ghost reading it at the library.”

To his surprise, she didn’t laugh or treat his comment like a joke. “When?”

“About an hour ago.” Liam recounted what had happened. “I thought she might be a performer because she was dressed like you are.” He nodded to the hostess’s costume. “And then she disappeared. But I swear that’s her picture out on the poster.”

“Oh, I believe you,” the hostess chuckled. “I’m an archivist at the Fox Institute, and just this week, someone requested this book. We looked high and low and couldn’t find it. I guess it was somehow carried off and mis-shelved at the public library instead of at the Institute.”

She turned the book, revealing the odd label on the spine. “Definitely one of ours. Maybe Miriam knew we were looking for it. Thank you for bringing this to us—there were never many copies printed, and I didn’t know how we’d ever replace it.”

“Glad to help,” Liam said. “I can appreciate someone who loves books from beyond the grave.”

He left the copy with the hostess and found Russ waiting for him in the hallway.

“Well?” Russ asked.

Liam took Russ’s arm. “I’ll tell you over dinner. But I’ve got a great new ghost story for tomorrow night’s program.”

If you would like to know more about Liam and Russ—and Fox Hollow—check out the Fox Hollow Zodiac series, starting with Huntsman!