Page 18 - SAMPLE Looking for Emily

stairs. At the top was another wooden door, also slightly ajar. There was a small brass sign fixed to it, bearing the word “Museum”. She wiped the dirt from a second, smaller sign underneath and bent to read the curling copperplate writing. The Museum of Emily.
Lily stood blinking at the sign for a moment. Whatever she had been expecting, this wasn’t it. She pushed open the door and entered the museum. There was a low wooden desk in front of her, but no one behind it. Everything was coated in a thick layer of dust and she fought to hold back a sneeze. As she approached, she saw a shiny bell on the desk, like in old-fashioned hotels, and couldn’t stop a delighted smile spreading over her face. Lily pressed the bell, taking great pleasure in its rich ding.
“Service, please,” she said loudly.
The sound of the bell echoed briefly around the space and then died away. No one came. Lily cleared her throat gently.
“Hello?” she called. “I’d like to visit the museum.” She started to feel silly, and turned to go back down
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