The Ghost in the Library

    By Storybird

    The Ghost in the Library cover image

    06 Jun, 2023

    Once upon a time, Emily went to the library to find a book for a school project. The library was a cozy place, filled with shelves upon shelves of books. As Emily walked through the aisles, she was surrounded by the scent of paper and the sound of pages turning. She loved the feeling of getting lost in a good book, and she had a feeling that this trip to the library would be no different.

    Emily hears strange noises in one of the aisles. She cautiously approaches and discovers two little mice racing through the books. They stop in their tracks when they see her, but Emily doesn't mind sharing her space. "What are you two up to?" she asks with a smile.

    As Emily continues to browse the books, she comes across a dusty, old book near the back of the library. But when she opens it, she sees something strange - there are words on the page, but they're floating in the air. Suddenly, a ghostly figure appears before her, with glowing eyes and a transparent outline. The ghostly figure lets out a mournful moan and Emily quickly drops the book.

    Emily tries to run away, but the library door is locked. She turns around, and to her surprise, she sees that the ghostly figure has turned into a friendly-looking grandpa. "Don't be afraid, my dear," he says with a smile. "I am the guardian of this book and wanted to meet the one who could see the floating words." Emily is amazed and relieved that the ghostly figure is not trying to scare her. She approaches him with curiosity and asks, "Why are the words floating?". The grandpa tells her a story of an old wizard who enchanted the book to protect its secrets from those who couldn't decipher the floating words. Emily can't believe what she's hearing, and the grandpa invites her to read the book with him.

    The ghost explains to Emily that he's been looking for a book for a long time. This book contained a powerful spell that could bring him back to life. Emily, being the kind soul she is, offers to help him find the book. Together, they embark on an adventure through the library to find the elusive book.

    As Emily and the ghost explore the library, they come across a shelf filled with ancient-looking books. The ghost tells her about the legendary stories hidden within these books - stories of brave knights, magical dragons, and enchanted forests. Emily's eyes widen as she listens, and she knows that she has to read them all. She promises herself that she'll come back to the library every day to read a new tale.

    Walking through the library, Emily spots a section filled with books from different parts of the world. She recognizes some of the books from her grandparents' house and is excited to read them in the library. The ghost tells her about his favourite book, which is from far away across the ocean. Emily is intrigued by the sound of it, but she can't find that book anywhere. She decides she'll come back to the library tomorrow.

    Emily and the ghost search through the library for hours, but they still can't find the book the ghost is looking for. All the while, Emily can't shake the feeling that she's forgotten something important. Suddenly, it dawns on her - she still hasn't found the book she came for. She's been so caught up in the adventure that she forgot about her school project. As they continue their search, she checks every book carefully to see if it's what she's looking for.

    Emily scours the library with a sense of urgency. She knows she can't leave without finding the book she needs for her school project. Finally, after what feels like hours of searching, she spots the book she's looking for: "The History of Dinosaurs". She feels relieved and excited at the same time. But as she reaches for it, she realizes that it's on a high shelf. She tries to jump for it, but it's too high. Emily and the ghost come up with a plan to stack books to reach the high shelf.\n

    As Emily and the ghost stack books upon books, their makeshift ladder becomes taller and taller. Emily climbs up and grabs the book while the ghost supports the flimsy stack. But as she reaches down to hand it to the ghost, she loses her balance, and the books come crashing down. A loud thud echoes through the library as books scatter everywhere. Emily feels embarrassed and worried what the librarian will say, but the ghost just laughs and tells her there's nothing to worry about. As they stack books, they accidentally knock over a shelf and books go everywhere.\n

    Emily and the ghost know they have to act fast to clean up the mess before anyone sees it. They work together, grabbing books and placing them back on the shelves. Emily reads the title of each book as they go, and the ghost tells her stories about the ones she hasn't heard of before. The two of them soon discover that cleaning up can be just as fun as reading books. They laugh as they try to balance giant books on the narrow shelves, and they share stories about their own misadventures. Emily is grateful for the unexpected friendship she's made in the library. Emily and the ghost work together to clean up the mess.\n

    As Emily and the ghost clean up the mess, they hear footsteps approaching. Fearful that they'll be scolded, they try to hide behind a bookshelf. It's the librarian, and she looks around, puzzled, at the books on the floor. She starts to call out "What has happened here?". Suddenly, the ghost, in a moment of bravery, floats towards the librarian and tells the truth - it was their fault. Emily realizes that the ghost just wants to be helpful and isn't scary at all. She approaches the librarian too and together they worked to put everything back into place.

    After the librarian leaves, the ghost reveals to Emily that he used to be the librarian, and he passed away in the library. He tells her how he loved this place when he was alive and that he's happy to spend eternity here. He shows her a secret room full of rare books and hidden treasures. Emily's eyes sparkle with excitement at the thrill of discovering something new. She feels honoured to have been shown the room by the ghost himself. They share stories about their life, and Emily can't believe that someone had lived and died in the library. She vows to visit him every day.

    As Emily and the ghost sit together, they have a heart-to-heart conversation about the afterlife. The ghost explains how he has enjoyed watching the library visitors and how they remind him of his own life. Emily listens carefully and thinks about life after death. She's surprised to find comfort in his words and can feel a connection that she's never felt before. She wonders if one day she might become a ghost in the library herself. She realizes that death is not something to be feared, and it's just another part of life. They continue to talk about the mysteries of the universe long after the library closes.

    As the night grows darker, the library grows quieter. Emily and the ghost keep themselves busy reading books, giggling as they talk about the ones they enjoyed most. Finally, Emily remembers her school project and asks the ghost for recommendations. The ghost recommends several books, and they spend the rest of the night immersed in ancient history and fascinating facts. Emily can't believe how much she's learning and feels grateful to have the ghost as her guide through the library's vast collection.

    Early in the morning, as the first rays of sunlight pour into the library, Emily finally finishes her school project. She sighs with relief, knowing that it wouldn't have been possible without the help of the ghost. She feels glad to have made a new friend in an unexpected place and wishes she could spend more time in the library. She gets up and looks around, one last time before leaving. The ghost floats over to her and says goodbye. Emily feels a little sad but tells him goodbye.

    As Emily leaves the library and closes the door behind her, she hears a whisper. She turns around and sees the ghost waving goodbye to her. In the whisper, he tells her one last time how thankful he is for her help. Emily smiles and waves back, feeling happy and hopeful for the future. She knows she'll come back to the library and meet the ghost again one day. She walks away from the library, grateful for the adventure and excited for the many books and stories waiting to be discovered for years to come.

    The next day, Emily returns to the library, full of excitement and anticipation. She can't wait to dive into the world of books once again. As she walks down the aisles, she remembers the adventures she had with the ghost and feels grateful for the unexpected friendship. Emily picks out a new book and sits in her favorite spot. She hopes that the ghost will visit her again today, but even if he doesn't, she knows that she'll always have a friend in the library.

    While browsing through the books, Emily finds a small piece of paper sticking out of one of them. It's a note from the ghost thanking her for helping him find the book he was looking for and for being a good friend. Emily feels a warmth in her heart as she reads the note. She's happy that she was able to help the ghost and grateful for his friendship. She tucks the note into her book, feeling grateful and content.

    Emily looks around at the library, and she realizes that it's not scary anymore since she has the ghost to keep her company. The once-dark corners of the library now look inviting, and the stacks of books towering around her look full of endless possibilities. Emily knows that, from now on, the library will always feel like a safe and welcoming place. She smiles as she imagines all the adventures she will have with the ghost in the years to come.

    The Ghost in the Library