Page 246 - The Midnight Library

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did something slightly different. So it was technically another life. Like I

chose a different dog collar for Plato. Or . . . or . . . Or where I – I don’t know
– where I did Pilates instead of yoga? Or where I went to a different college
at Cambridge? Or if it has to be further back, where it wasn’t coffee on the
date but tea? at life. Take me to the life where I did that. Come on. Please.

Help me out. I’d like to tr y one of those lives, please . . .’
e computer started to smoke. e screen went black. e whole
monitor fell to pieces.
‘You don’t understand,’ said Mrs Elm, defeated, as she collapsed back into

the office chair.
‘But that’s what happens, isn’t it? I pick a regret. Something I wished I had
done differently . . . And then you find the book, I open the book, and I live
the book. at’s how this librar y works, right?’

‘It’s not that simple.’
‘Why? Is there a transference problem? You know, like what happened
before?’
Mrs Elm looked at her, sadly. ‘It’s more than that. ere was always a

strong possibility that your old life would end. I told you that, didn’t I? You
wanted to die and maybe you would.’
‘Yes, but you said I just needed somewhere to go to. “Somewhere to land”,
that’s what you said. “Another life.” ose exact words. And all I needed to

do was think hard enough and choose the right life and—’
‘I know. I know. But it didn’t work out like that.’
e ceiling was falling down now, in pieces, as if the plaster was no more
stable than the icing of a wedding cake.

Nora noticed something even more distressing. A spark flew from one of
the lights and landed on a book, which consequently ignited into a glowing
burst of fire. Pretty soon the fire was spreading along the entire shelf, the
books burning as rapidly as if they were doused in petrol. A whole stream of

hot, raging, roaring amber. en another spark arced towards a different
shelf and that too set alight. At about the same time a large chunk of dusty
ceiling landed by Nora’s feet.
‘Under the table!’ ordered Mrs Elm. ‘Now!’

Nora hunched down and followed Mrs Elm – who was now on all fours –
under the table, where she sat on her knees and was forced, like Mrs Elm, to
keep her head down.