Basia and Antek spend an evening in the old library, where a fairy-tale reading is about to begin. Then strange noises drift from the shadows between the shelves.
Basia loved books. Antek loved adventures. So when Dad took them to the old library for an evening story reading, both of them felt as if the night had given them a special gift.
Inside, everything smelled of paper and dust and old wood. Tall shelves leaned over them like sleepy giants, and the books were stacked in bright, heavy rows. Ms Zosia, the librarian, smiled and said, “When the clock strikes eight, we’ll read a fairy tale about dragons and princesses.”
Basia and Antek sat on soft cushions near the front. The big clock ticked. The cat by the door was curled into a neat grey ball, fast asleep. Then, just as Ms Zosia opened the huge book, a tiny squeak came from a dark corner of the room.
Antek turned so quickly his knees bumped the cushion. Basia gripped his hand. A soft giggle floated out from the shelves, then stopped at once. One book on the monster shelf began to slide forward all by itself, inch by inch, until it tipped over with a loud thud. The lights flickered. A whisper came from deep between the books: “Don’t be afraid...”
Basia and Antek stood up very slowly. In the middle of the floor, a shadow moved where there should have been nothing at all.