Everybody else asked us about the prize, but you want to know what
we dreamed up."
"Our proposal stemmed from our experiences working here, at
the library," Scott added.
Suddenly, James had a visual of Murphy's book cover. This
time, however, it had been shrunk to fit the box of a PC game. Pudgy sleuths made of megapixels scrambled around the screen,
picking up clues while simultaneously taking bites of junk food.
"Did your proposal have anything to do with the mystery genre?"
he asked woodenly.
"Nope! It's a game where you can travel between fantasy
worlds. For example, you start as Alice and play in Wonderland,
but as Alice advances in levels, she can travel to Tolkien's world,"
Francis explained.
"And there she can add an ally to her group, like Legolas, the
elf, or a wizard like Gandalf," Scott continued.
"So with each new world, the group grows by another character," Francis finished.
Relieved, James smiled at the twins. "It sounds brilliant and
complex and really fun. I assume there would be a final battle
scene once your group of characters has leveled out." When the
brothers nodded, James asked, "In what setting would this epic
fight occur?"
"Back in Wonderland," they answered together. "Against the
Queen of Hearts, of course."
James praised the two young men until they blushed with embarrassment. "Don't you two quit on me! I still haven't found a
replacement for Mrs. Waxman."
"Don't worry, Professor. The prize is that we're being hired as
consultants during the two years it'll take to produce the game."
Scott exchanged a look with Francis. "We'd never leave the library,
but for once, we won't have to skimp on some of the things we've
wanted to buy. Our bachelor pad is about to be totally transformed!"
"That should entertain your landlady," James remarked with a
chuckle.
"Mrs. Lamb is one feisty old lady," Francis said. "She said the
first thing we should buy is a disco ball!"
The librarians laughed and went inside to begin their workday.
All three of them had an industrious morning. Between the two
book club meetings (James led the fiction club's discussion at ten
while Scott led the biography club's at eleven), lunchtime arrived
quickly.
Watching Francis rush to the refrigerator with glee, James realized that he had no lunch of his own. There'd been no time to
stop on the drive from Jane's house to the library. He waited for
the twins to finish theirs and when he finally ventured into town,
he was starving. Only Dolly's Diner would do. It was Tuesday and
that meant Clint's perfect meatloaf sandwich and a side of garlic
mashed potatoes.
Dolly's was always packed on Tuesdays. The locals adored the
meatloaf special and as summer approached, Dolly began serving
her famous Blueberry Dream Pie. For a mere ninety-nine cents,
her patrons could feast on a generous wedge of pie with the purchase of any entree. Most of Quincy's Gap took advantage of the
offer.
"Professor Henry!" Dolly shouted from behind the hostess station. "Such a pleasure to see you!"
To most, this type of greeting was spoken out of politeness, but
Dolly meant every word. She'd known James and his family for
years and was now as fond of Milla and Eliot as she was of her
own kin. Dolly loved Clint, food, and gossip, and not always in
that order. Somehow, her customers shared their problems with
her despite the knowledge that their secrets would be circulated
the minute they left the diner.
"Not even a seat at the counter," James mourned and his stomach rumbled in protest.
"Lemme see if anybody's about finished up. If they are, I'll give
em a gentle shove out the door. I know you've got to get back to
the library." Dolly hustled off, her sharp eyes in search of dawdlers.
As James waited, a pretty young woman with shoulder-length
auburn hair, fair skin, and a dash of freckles across her nose got up
from her chair at a table for two. She squinted in his direction and
then slipped on a pair of
we dreamed up."
"Our proposal stemmed from our experiences working here, at
the library," Scott added.
Suddenly, James had a visual of Murphy's book cover. This
time, however, it had been shrunk to fit the box of a PC game. Pudgy sleuths made of megapixels scrambled around the screen,
picking up clues while simultaneously taking bites of junk food.
"Did your proposal have anything to do with the mystery genre?"
he asked woodenly.
"Nope! It's a game where you can travel between fantasy
worlds. For example, you start as Alice and play in Wonderland,
but as Alice advances in levels, she can travel to Tolkien's world,"
Francis explained.
"And there she can add an ally to her group, like Legolas, the
elf, or a wizard like Gandalf," Scott continued.
"So with each new world, the group grows by another character," Francis finished.
Relieved, James smiled at the twins. "It sounds brilliant and
complex and really fun. I assume there would be a final battle
scene once your group of characters has leveled out." When the
brothers nodded, James asked, "In what setting would this epic
fight occur?"
"Back in Wonderland," they answered together. "Against the
Queen of Hearts, of course."
James praised the two young men until they blushed with embarrassment. "Don't you two quit on me! I still haven't found a
replacement for Mrs. Waxman."
"Don't worry, Professor. The prize is that we're being hired as
consultants during the two years it'll take to produce the game."
Scott exchanged a look with Francis. "We'd never leave the library,
but for once, we won't have to skimp on some of the things we've
wanted to buy. Our bachelor pad is about to be totally transformed!"
"That should entertain your landlady," James remarked with a
chuckle.
"Mrs. Lamb is one feisty old lady," Francis said. "She said the
first thing we should buy is a disco ball!"
The librarians laughed and went inside to begin their workday.
All three of them had an industrious morning. Between the two
book club meetings (James led the fiction club's discussion at ten
while Scott led the biography club's at eleven), lunchtime arrived
quickly.
Watching Francis rush to the refrigerator with glee, James realized that he had no lunch of his own. There'd been no time to
stop on the drive from Jane's house to the library. He waited for
the twins to finish theirs and when he finally ventured into town,
he was starving. Only Dolly's Diner would do. It was Tuesday and
that meant Clint's perfect meatloaf sandwich and a side of garlic
mashed potatoes.
Dolly's was always packed on Tuesdays. The locals adored the
meatloaf special and as summer approached, Dolly began serving
her famous Blueberry Dream Pie. For a mere ninety-nine cents,
her patrons could feast on a generous wedge of pie with the purchase of any entree. Most of Quincy's Gap took advantage of the
offer.
"Professor Henry!" Dolly shouted from behind the hostess station. "Such a pleasure to see you!"
To most, this type of greeting was spoken out of politeness, but
Dolly meant every word. She'd known James and his family for
years and was now as fond of Milla and Eliot as she was of her
own kin. Dolly loved Clint, food, and gossip, and not always in
that order. Somehow, her customers shared their problems with
her despite the knowledge that their secrets would be circulated
the minute they left the diner.
"Not even a seat at the counter," James mourned and his stomach rumbled in protest.
"Lemme see if anybody's about finished up. If they are, I'll give
em a gentle shove out the door. I know you've got to get back to
the library." Dolly hustled off, her sharp eyes in search of dawdlers.
As James waited, a pretty young woman with shoulder-length
auburn hair, fair skin, and a dash of freckles across her nose got up
from her chair at a table for two. She squinted in his direction and
then slipped on a pair of
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