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Authors: Chris Grabenstein
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started
ding-ding-ding
ing.
“Congratulations, Rose!” cried Mr. Lemoncello, who had put on a pointy party hat. “For sticking to your prior commitments, you will receive our special Prior Commitment Sticker prize: a complete set of Lemoncello Sticker Picture Games and a laptop computer to play them on! Enjoy.”
Charles Chiltington stepped a little closer to the security camera as Rose Vermette skipped out of the room.
“Sir, might we assume that the prize for winning your brand-new game will be even better than a laptop computer?”
“Yes,” said Mr. Lemoncello, taking off his party hat. “You may so assume.”
“I’m in,” said Chiltington.
“Me too,” said Kyle.
“Me too,” added Akimi, Miguel, Andrew, Bridgette, Yasmeen, and Haley.
Sierra Russell wandered into the room. Her nose was buried so deep in her book she didn’t even notice Mr. Lemoncello’s gigantic face on all the video screens.
“Is something going on?” she said, mostly to her book pages.
“You bet!” boomed Mr. Lemoncello.
Sierra’s head snapped up.
“Oh. Hello, sir.”
“Greetings, Sierra. Sorry to interrupt your reading. Just have a quick question: Will you be staying or leaving?”
“Well, sir, I’d like to stay. If that’s okay?”
“Okay? It is
wondermous
, another word I just made up. Now then, to read you the rules of the game—because every game needs rules—here is your friend and mine, Dr. Yanina Zinchenko!”
The video screens switched to a close-up of the librarian with the red hair and glasses.
“Your exit from the library must be completed between noon today and noon tomorrow,” said Dr. Zinchenko.
Mr. Lemoncello’s head popped into a corner of her screen.
“Tomorrow’s my birthday, by the way. Mark your calendars.”
And he ducked back out of the frame.
“Our security guards will continue holding your cell phones,” said Dr. Zinchenko. “You may not use the library computers to contact anyone outside the building. You may, however, use them to conduct research.
“You may also request three different types of outside assistance: one ‘Ask an Expert,’ one ‘Librarian Consultation,’ and one ‘Extreme Challenge.’ Please be advised: The Extreme Challenges are, as the name implies, extremely difficult. If you pass the challenge, your reward will be great. However, if you fail, you will be eliminated from the competition.”
Kyle figured he’d avoid asking for one of those—unless he extremely needed to.
“To use any of these ‘lifelines,’ ” Dr. Zinchenko continued, “simply summon Mrs. Tobin.”
Chiltington raised his hand.
“Yes, Charles?”
“Would you mind telling us what the prize will be for the winner?”
The video screen switched to an image of Mr. Lemoncello, who had done some sort of quick change. Now he was wearing sunglasses and had a silk ascot tucked into his shirt collar. He looked like a flashy Hollywood movie star. From 1939.
“Fame and glory! The winner will become my new spokesperson and will star in all of my holiday promotions.”
“We’ll be famous?” gushed Yasmeen, fluffing up her hair and smiling at the security camera.
Haley stepped in front of Yasmeen. “I’ve done some modeling work. For Sherman’s Shoes in Old Town.”
Yasmeen stepped in front of Haley. “I was an extra in a hot dog commercial once.…”
“Well, I’m a cheerleader; Yasmeen isn’t.…”
While the two girls continued primping and posing for the camera, Dr. Zinchenko came back on-screen to quickly rattle off some final words.
“Your library cards are the keys to everything you will need. The library staff is here to help you find whatever it is you are looking for. The way out is not the way you came in. You may
not
use any of the fire exits. If you do, an alarm will sound and you will be immediately eliminated from the game. For safety purposes, you will be under constant video surveillance and you will be recorded. In the unlikely event of an
ding-ding-ding
ing.
“Congratulations, Rose!” cried Mr. Lemoncello, who had put on a pointy party hat. “For sticking to your prior commitments, you will receive our special Prior Commitment Sticker prize: a complete set of Lemoncello Sticker Picture Games and a laptop computer to play them on! Enjoy.”
Charles Chiltington stepped a little closer to the security camera as Rose Vermette skipped out of the room.
“Sir, might we assume that the prize for winning your brand-new game will be even better than a laptop computer?”
“Yes,” said Mr. Lemoncello, taking off his party hat. “You may so assume.”
“I’m in,” said Chiltington.
“Me too,” said Kyle.
“Me too,” added Akimi, Miguel, Andrew, Bridgette, Yasmeen, and Haley.
Sierra Russell wandered into the room. Her nose was buried so deep in her book she didn’t even notice Mr. Lemoncello’s gigantic face on all the video screens.
“Is something going on?” she said, mostly to her book pages.
“You bet!” boomed Mr. Lemoncello.
Sierra’s head snapped up.
“Oh. Hello, sir.”
“Greetings, Sierra. Sorry to interrupt your reading. Just have a quick question: Will you be staying or leaving?”
“Well, sir, I’d like to stay. If that’s okay?”
“Okay? It is
wondermous
, another word I just made up. Now then, to read you the rules of the game—because every game needs rules—here is your friend and mine, Dr. Yanina Zinchenko!”
The video screens switched to a close-up of the librarian with the red hair and glasses.
“Your exit from the library must be completed between noon today and noon tomorrow,” said Dr. Zinchenko.
Mr. Lemoncello’s head popped into a corner of her screen.
“Tomorrow’s my birthday, by the way. Mark your calendars.”
And he ducked back out of the frame.
“Our security guards will continue holding your cell phones,” said Dr. Zinchenko. “You may not use the library computers to contact anyone outside the building. You may, however, use them to conduct research.
“You may also request three different types of outside assistance: one ‘Ask an Expert,’ one ‘Librarian Consultation,’ and one ‘Extreme Challenge.’ Please be advised: The Extreme Challenges are, as the name implies, extremely difficult. If you pass the challenge, your reward will be great. However, if you fail, you will be eliminated from the competition.”
Kyle figured he’d avoid asking for one of those—unless he extremely needed to.
“To use any of these ‘lifelines,’ ” Dr. Zinchenko continued, “simply summon Mrs. Tobin.”
Chiltington raised his hand.
“Yes, Charles?”
“Would you mind telling us what the prize will be for the winner?”
The video screen switched to an image of Mr. Lemoncello, who had done some sort of quick change. Now he was wearing sunglasses and had a silk ascot tucked into his shirt collar. He looked like a flashy Hollywood movie star. From 1939.
“Fame and glory! The winner will become my new spokesperson and will star in all of my holiday promotions.”
“We’ll be famous?” gushed Yasmeen, fluffing up her hair and smiling at the security camera.
Haley stepped in front of Yasmeen. “I’ve done some modeling work. For Sherman’s Shoes in Old Town.”
Yasmeen stepped in front of Haley. “I was an extra in a hot dog commercial once.…”
“Well, I’m a cheerleader; Yasmeen isn’t.…”
While the two girls continued primping and posing for the camera, Dr. Zinchenko came back on-screen to quickly rattle off some final words.
“Your library cards are the keys to everything you will need. The library staff is here to help you find whatever it is you are looking for. The way out is not the way you came in. You may
not
use any of the fire exits. If you do, an alarm will sound and you will be immediately eliminated from the game. For safety purposes, you will be under constant video surveillance and you will be recorded. In the unlikely event of an
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