Guardian Read Online Free PDF

siblings.
    “Colton, do you want to go today?”
    Though technically he was too old for this particular story group, Colton loved the animation with which the readers read the stories.
    “Yeah,” he said, taking Grace’s hand and practically pulling her off the chair. “I’ll go with Gracie today.”
    I stood as well, following them across the room. Colton turned and walked backward so he could look at me while he walked, a giggling Grace imitating him.
    “You don’t need to walk us over there,” he pointed out. “It’s two seconds across the room!”
    “I know, but I… wanted to,” I said lamely. I knew he was right, but how could I explain an obsessive, motherly need to assure myself of their constant safety?
    Once they were safely ensconced within the story time room, I headed back to my books, only to get up half an hour later in hunt of a scientific dictionary.
    I found my dictionary on the second floor in the reference section and was heading back downstairs in minutes, heavy book in tow, when I found myself walking past the teen book section. Colton and Grace safely ensconced in story time, I allowed myself to dawdle and pick out several new books to take home. On my way back I stopped at the service desk to pick up our reserves, and finally headed back into the children’s area of the library. I passed the story room, hidden behind a large wall, and realized with a sinking feeling that it was silent. Silent and dark. I peeked behind the wall and saw that it was undeniably empty.
    Calm down, calm down, I told myself for the second time that day. Colton and Grace are probably just sitting at the table, wondering where you are.
    I walked quickly to the table, only a thin thread of self-control keeping me from running flat out all the way. I turned the corner and skidded to a halt when I saw that our table was empty of anyone. I darted over to the librarian station.
    “Excuse me,” I said to the woman sitting there. “Have you seen the little boy and girl I was sitting with earlier? They’re blonde, ten and six-years-old, very short?”
    “Not since you walked them over there awhile ago,” she said in a bored voice, pointing over to the story time room. But I was already gone, power walking up and down all the aisles in the children’s area. Grace and Colton were nowhere to be found. I stopped by our table once more, looking around wildly. They knew better than to go out into the main section of the library without me, didn’t they? Would I be wasting my time going out there to look? With a rush of dread, I remembered my eerie feeling of being watched. My panic hit a critical level and I dashed out of the children’s area. Please, Lord, help me find them. Let them be safe.
    I stopped at every service desk to see if anyone had seen them. I asked perfect strangers. A thin film of sweat from exertion and panic covered me as I headed to the second floor, and then the third. I couldn’t find them anywhere. As I stood at the top of the staircase, looking down to try and catch a glimpse of a blond head, I spotted a library security guard standing by the exit. I nodded. Much as I was absolutely hated to admit that I couldn’t handle this by myself, it was time to get some real help. I jogged down the steps.
     
    “The last I saw them was in the story room,” I said, now trotting to keep up with the long-legged security guard who was leading the way into the children’s area once again. “We usually sit at that table right over there, by the librarian station and-” I stopped dead, staring at the bathrooms.
    Because there was Colton, leaning against the wall by the women’s bathroom, his hands shoved in the pockets of his faded old jeans, kicking his feet against the wall and fidgeting with a classic case of ten-year-old ADD.
    “Colton!” I yelled desperately. I ran up to him, pulling his small, thin body up against my own, as if to reassure myself that he was actually real. And he was, a fact made