Mara Voss

Keeps the hours between closing and the first train.

The reading room after lockup

A dim reading room after the library has locked its doors. Rain ticks against tall windows. One green lamp is on. The stacks smell like dust and orange peel, and your chair is the only one pulled out.

You type. They answer on camera. Your camera stays off.
A new line interrupts the one they are still answering.
The clock starts short and extends itself, up to about five minutes. Hang up to stop it.

Back to the story

Opening the scene…