Pocket Sized Adventures

Mr. Mistoffolees

It all started on a miserable rainy Wednesday in March. The midwestern precipitation was almost sleet so cold was it still.  Faramunds was empty. Just the way Zeezee, and all the rest of her family, liked it.  

Zeezee was sitting at the register happily reading and counting down the minutes until closing time.  So engrosed was she in the lastest novel by her newest favorite author that she didn't notice the cat.

Mr. Mistoffolees often went unnoticed. That, afterall, was his specialty. If he did deign to make an appearence, it usually meant something interesting was about to happen in the shop. 

He was pearched on the highest shelf in the history section and watched intently as a book on Ancient Egypt started to glow. The black and white tuxedo cat didn't even blink but did, crouch to be ready. 

With a yowl he lept at the book claws extended and snagged the glowing tome right off the shelf. It hit the floor with a resounding thud, thoroughly startling Zeezee from her book. Mr. Mistoffolees skittered back into a convenient hiding place and watched. 

Zeezee cautiously made her way up the stairs to investigate. She racked her brian trying to remember if there was a book in this section that was explicitly a pocket sized adventure --  not every book in the shop was afterall. The Ancient Egypt section was mostly history and lore. But, she also knew that the inigmatic Mr. Mistoffolees didn't knock over books by accident. 

Zeezee reached the landing to find the rather large book on the gound. Zeezee raised her eyebrows and searched for Mr. Mistoffolees. Clearly he must be sick. On the ground was a copy of collected account of Egypt, it's history and culture from an Victorian persepctive.  

It was not a pocket sized adventure at all. 

Pocket sized adventures were the special editions of books where the reader could actually travel into the story and live it. Those tomes were made to fit into pockets because the books needed to be on the traveller for them to enter the world of the story they had selected. 

"I'd appreciate not having to pick up after you Mr. Mistoffolees." she called into the shop. She set the book back in its place and headed back to her own book. She had half hoped that it was a traveller, for that would be something different on a sleeting early spring day.

 The cat did not reappear. 

He was, however, waiting. 

The entry bell rang just as Zeezee was in the part of the stairs where she couldn't see the door. Quickly she made it to the bottom and looked around for the customer if only to assure them that someone was indeed there. 

The door closed just as she reached the bottom. 

"Welcome to Faramund's Fables. Let me know if there's..." She broke off mid greeting and furrowed her brows.  She looked  left and right but didn't see anyone. Approaching her register, she looked over the desk to see if perhaps it was a very small visitor. They did get children on occasion -- children who were not her younger brothers and sisters -- but no eager small face met hers. 

"Hello?" she said uncertainly. 

"Hello." said a calm masculine voice at her elbow. 

Letting out a small frightened squeak, she spun to see who had spoken and at such close quarters. Leaning on the bookshelf next to the register was a tall boy of about 16 or so -- around her own age -- with his arms crossed and a cocky smile on his lips. 

"You startled me" she said with a laugh clutching her heart and giving a welcoming smile. "Welcome to Faramund's Fables. I'm Zeezee. Let me know if I can help you with anything." She settled herself back into her perch that she had softened with pillows and blankets and picked up her book. 

The boy stopped his smirk to a look of utter puzzlement.  His appearecne out of nowhere should have warrented more of reaction than what this teenaged bookstore clerk elicited. 

"You're awefully cavilier letting just anyone enter this bookshop." He said half irritated as he stood up and watched to see the effect of his words on the girl. 

Zeezee flashed one of her disarming smiles but didn't give him any sort of verbal response otherwise. 

"I could be an axe murderer or a thief. " he offered and waitied again for the expected worry to start creasing this girls brows. 

This time Zeezee laughed out loud. The delightful sound was one of the few things that the books never did muffle. They also liked the tinkle of joy Zeezee composed. 

She closed her book and indulgently asked, "Is there something I can help you with? Are you looking for something in particular?" 

The boy was speechless. She should have been scared, not polite and unconcerned. Maybe he should give her one more opportunity. Clearly, she didn't realize who she was dealing with. 

Before her eyes, the boy dematierialized. She blinked and crossed her arms. Zeezee looked up at the corner of the ceiling where a purple dragon was painted. Then she looked around again to see if the boy was somewhere else in the shop. 

"Boo!" came a whisper at her elbow. Then she felt the heat of him standing next to her. She gave him an annoyed side eye. 

"Neat trick." she said this time with some genuine annoyance in her voice. This boy and his dissappearing act was a first, but not the strangest thing that had happened in ths shop. "Now how can I..."

THUD

Both Zeezee and the mystery boy jumped. 

"UUUGH! What is with you today?" Zeezee berated as she stomped towards the stairs to where She believed Mr. Mistoffolees had knocked over another book. 

The boy followed without saying a word which was weird. Zeezee decided that she would just ignore him unless he decided he was ready to state his business. 

This time the tuxedo cat had knocked over a pocket sized adventure.