Page 139 - The Midnight Library

www.urdukutabkhanapk.blogspot.com
www.urdukutabkhanapk.blogspot.com

Life and Death and the Quantum Wave Function

With Hugo, it wasn’t a librar y.

‘It’s a video store,’ he said, leaning against the cheap-looking cupboard
where the coffee was kept. ‘It looks exactly like a video store I used to go to
in the outskirts of Lyon – Video Lumière – where I grew up. e Lumière
brothers are heroes in Lyon and there’s a lot of things named aer them.
ey invented cinema there. Anyway, that is beside the point: the point is

that ever y life I choose is an old VHS that I play right in the store, and the
moment it starts – the moment the movie starts – is the moment I
disappear.’

Nora suppressed a giggle.
‘What’s so funny?’ Hugo wondered, a little hurt.
‘Nothing. Nothing at all. It just seemed mildly amusing. A video store.’
‘Oh? And a librar y, that is entirely sensible? ’
‘More sensible, yes. I mean, at least you can still use books. Who plays

videos these days?’
‘Interesting. I had no idea there was such a thing as bet ween-life
snobber y. You are an education.’

‘Sorr y, Hugo. Okay, I will ask a sensible question. Is there anyone else
there? A person who helps you choose each life? ’
He nodded. ‘Oh yeah. It’s my Uncle Philippe. He died years ago. And he
never even worked in a video store. It’s so illogical.’
Nora told him about Mrs Elm.

‘A school librarian?’ mocked Hugo. ‘ at’s pretty funny too.’
Nora ignored him. ‘Do you reckon they’re ghosts? Guiding spirits?
Guardian angels? What are they?’