The Librarian (Book One: Little Boy Lost) Read Online Free PDF

and I’d be honored if its author would take the stage and give it a read so everyone can enjoy it just as much as I have. After all, if I can’t convince you there’s magic in the written word – maybe he can. His essay is called Running Away With Fiction .” Wesley let his shoulders slump as any confidence he gained during the librarian’s speech went seeping out of his body like the air out of a balloon. “Come up to claim your prize and read us your powerful work... Mr. Randy Stanford.”

CHAPTER SIX

    “YOU KNOW HOW much I’m gonna get for this book?” Randy had the large Oz book tucked under his arm and was leaning against the brick wall as Caleb drank from a water fountain. “It’s like a hundred years old. I bet I can get a thousand bucks for it online. Easy. Man, we just hit the lottery!”
       The friends traded spots, Randy grabbing a drink as Caleb wiped the water from his mouth with the tail of his shirt. There were a number of students about. Friends were talking. Some were making quick trips to the restroom before the drive back to school. Others were at the library’s circulation desk, checking out books with the new library cards they’d been issued.
       Caleb saw Wesley standing with Taylor near the end of the hallway and motioned toward them. Randy grinned, heading their way. “Hey! You guys want to see my new book?”
       Taylor squared off against the bully. “Whatever, Randy! Everyone knows you cheated.” She used a finger snap to emphasize the statement, her other hand on a cocked hip.
       Randy’s grin widened. It was just the reaction he was looking for. “You know? I don’t know which is worse. That he’s your boyfriend, or that he’s such a puss you have to stand up for him .”
       “He’s not my boyfriend!” she answered hotly.
       Randy paid little attention, shutting her down with a hand raised just inches from her face as he stepped toward Wesley. “Well, I don’t want something if Wesley thinks it’s his.” Wesley looked away as Randy drew near. “If you think the book’s yours, you should take it.”  
       “Why don’t you just leave him alone?!”
       “Shut up, Taylor!” Randy growled. He inched closer, openly offering the book to Wesley. “C’mon. Take it, Wes. I want you to.”
       Taylor couldn’t watch. She’d seen this play out so many times. When someone was humiliating Wesley like this it always made her mouth fill up with the taste of an old penny. It was like they were bullying her too.
       Randy was laughing now and turned to make sure Caleb was still with him. He was really on his game and needed an audience. But when Randy looked back at Wesley his laughter came to an abrupt halt. Wesley was looking straight at him, meeting his gaze with confidence and determination.
       At first, Randy was so thrown he began to back away. There was a darkness in Wesley’s eyes. Randy couldn’t shake the image of dark thunderheads rolling in from the horizon. It was like there was a storm brewing inside Wesley, and Randy was about to get caught in the rain.
       “Wh-what?” Randy asked. Taylor couldn’t believe it. Randy had rebounded from his initial shock, but he was the one stuttering this time around. “Y-you gonna do something?”  
       Wesley’s eyes narrowed. They were fixed on Randy, but his confidence was already beginning to waver. He’d been planning this moment for a long time, rehearsing just what he would say and do when he finally decided to stand up to Randy Stanford. It all started with this one cold look, but he just couldn’t move forward. He kept his eyes fixed on Randy for as long as he could but they eventually softened under Randy’s glare and he had to look away.
       Once more, Wesley Bates was beaten.
       “Everything all right here?” a gruff voice asked. They all turned to find the librarian standing beside Caleb. Caleb’s eyes went wide, wondering how the old man had crept up on them