erything I ever had. I knew I was just jealous and that I should have been happy for her, but in the end it took everything inside me not to yell out to her to stop talking about how wonderfu

the way I felt, but maybe if she had a bit more s

a place that reminded me that every story has some kind of happy ending. A place where my father once walked and tried to pick out all t

walked through the door, looking up f

wered, not knowing what else to say. I knew it sounded stupid,

the fantasy section that I knew off by heart. The section where any

blurb on the back. I didn't really fancy any of them. I knew there was no way I would find a book in here I would like as much

reasure Is

loser. I didn't even realize which book I had in my hands. I loo

s interesting

ways been into good books. Some new, some classics. It's rare nowadays seeing a kid in a bookshop so much." Th

ick most of the books I read," I said trying to k

re the first time when he was arou

ctures, but I have never imagined what he might have been doing in his free time or where he went.

dn't even know the bookstore

wasn't like the mal

working in the store when I was around 21. Tha

was around 1964. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory just came out. It sold like sweet cakes. Yes. That

rmation. If he liked Roald Dahl, why did he never give me one

d read everything he wanted from the fantasy section and there was nothing new coming in for a while. It wasn't always like this," he said as he waved his hand toward the fantasy shelves. "Fantasy authors didn't just fall from the sky. It used to be limited. Anne Rice was almost the only author writing about vampires at the time. Well, at least good-l

of the books on the shelves. I would much rather fight Voldemort, or take up a jo

and create subplots that we think we can't handle, but you are writing the story line and you can usually choose to end the subplot whenev

. All the other shops around already had closed doors, showing that the day of trading was over. For a moment I wondered if it was

mysteriously smiled and answered, "You will s

erous old villain or wizard or some such. On the other hand there was the little part of me that wondered if maybe my wish was coming true. That m

ive debts to pay, and before he knows what is happening his family loses their hou

nown since before he can remember leads him to a secret room. When he shows him a secret book and t

resurrected to lead the savior to his destiny? How could Cory have known that his Aunt Ba

nture of a lifetime in order to make Merlin proud, find his a

in such a short space of time. Not while I was being led to some backroom in a shop in an empty mall, by a man who could or could not be either Merlin,

laimed as he opened a door which clearly read

s just waiting for a shelf in the store to open up so that they could join their friends and eventually be taken home with someone who would love and ca

ile adorning his face from side to side. "And here is th

over his treasures. There were books so old that I swear they have already celebrated their 1000th b

" Mister Gra

o longer the white it was supposed to be, but resembled a yellowish color. Th

chocolate factory

nt. And go ahead! Look inside!

in the biggest and ugliest

enja

e you are

Wis

ld

9

sked looking up at Mister Graham. I could not believe the treasur

he signed that book for me. I fell in love with books from that moment on. I sta

. This was his entire life's

s I opened the book again and

eds? Thousands? Judging by all the books

elcome to come back tomorrow," Mister Graham

ookstore when you didn't have money to buy any of them. I held his book out to h

looked down at the book I

was truly

you need it more than me," Mi

s his memory. The book that started

n my back and led me out of his treasure room. "Som

shop and pushed me out, only to disappear back into the shop wh