Chapter 2

Chapter 2  (Mili)

Nancy had to use the tiny shovel from her car to clear a path to the Library entrance. Her shoes were already wet from walking to her garage an hour earlier. Regretting her decision to come early to get the Holiday decoration started before the 9 AM opening, Nancy fished for the Keys in her coat pocket, opened the door, entered the hall and pushed the steel lock bar down. She then unlocked the library door to the left. It was cool in the room full of books, computers, tables and chairs. She clicked on the light above the large Check Out desk area, squish padded behind the counter and pulled a bag from a small cubicle. It contained a sweater, socks, a pair of underpants, a box of Kleenex and a pair of slippers. She wriggled out of her heavy coat, put it on a hook in the back cubby hole and sat down to change footwear. She began her morning routine going into the rest area and making 10 cups of coffee., While it was perking she shuffled to the Children's section and checked the thermometer. It was a cool 64. She retraced her steps went out the door into the hall and headed for the large kitchen. Passing the entrance doors, she noticed a car pulling into the parking lot. Nancy hastened her pace not wanting to confront a patron that was an hour too early to enter. Why didn't she park the car around back as usual, she thought. Too much shoveling was her mind's quick answer. It was even cooler in the hall way leading to the kitchen door. She pushed the swinging door, reached her hand to the wall's light switch and lit the room. She squinted her eyes to read the numbers on the small device that controlled the entire library temperature. It read 63. Someone had turned it down. It would take at least 2 hours to bring this whole place up to 70 she thought as she reset the numbers. Before turning off the light, she glanced toward the swinging door leading to the Large Meeting Room. There was the overfilled garbage can and something behind it. She couldn't quite recognize it until she moved to the right and saw the shoes and bent knees. She froze, not knowing if someone had fallen asleep in the corner, passed out or been put there. When she caught her breath, not moving, she softly said Hello.....then louder, No response. She pushed the door out and ran back to the main room. Her slipper fell off just as she rounded the corner of the desk. She grabbed the phone and hit 911. After breathlessly answering questions for one minute she dropped the phone. Maybe the person was attacked, maybe. Dropping the phone, she grabbed her purse and ran toward the front door. Her heart began to pound as she fumbled for the key to the main entrance. She pushed open the library door to the hall. The passage way seemed darker and colder than before. Where is that key? Then, she remembered the push bar. With heart pounding louder the librarian pushed the bar which opened the entrance door. She felt the cold snow on her shoe less foot and threw her weight to the other foot as her slipper slid on ice. An arm caught her.