فصل هجدهم

chapter-18

The contestants raced down the stairs to the Rotunda Reading Room.

Kyle saw Haley Daley dash down another set of steps into the basement, to what the floor plan called the Stacks.

Miguel and Andrew, the two library experts, grabbed separate tables and started working the touch-screen computers. Bridgette Wadge did the same thing.

Charles Chiltington strolled out the arched doorway and into the foyer with the fountain.

Yasmeen Smith-Snyder was running around the circular room with her floor plan in front of her face, like someone frantically checking their text messages while racing down a crowded sidewalk.

Sierra Russell found a comfy chair and sat down.

To finish her book.

The girl definitely wasn’t into the whole spirit of The Game.

“So, Kyle,” said Akimi, “you want to form an alliance?” “What do you mean?”

“It’s what people do on reality shows like Survivor. We help each other until, you know, everybody else is eliminated and we have to stab each other in the back.” “Um, I don’t remember hearing anything about ‘eliminations.’ ” “Oh. Right.”

“But, hey, there was nothing in the rules that said we couldn’t share the top prize. I just want to win!” “Cool. So, we’re a team?”

“Sure.”

“Great,” said Akimi. “I nominate you to be our captain. All in favor raise their hands.” Kyle and Akimi both raised their hands.

“It’s unanimous,” said Akimi. “Okay. Let’s go ask that antique librarian a question.” “What?”

“We both get to ask one question, right?” “Right.”

“Okay, here’s mine: ‘Hey, lady—how do we get out of here?’ ” “And you think she’ll tell you?”

“No. Not really. So, what’s your plan?” “Well, I was thinking—”

Suddenly, Yasmeen shouted, “I win!”

The rest of them stopped whatever they were doing.

“It’s just like last night when Kyle found dessert in the most obvious place. To get out of the library, all we have to do is use one of the fire exits. Duh.” She headed toward a hallway between the Book Nook Café and Community Meeting Room A.

Kyle stood up. “Um, Yasmeen? I think maybe you missed some of what …” Charles Chiltington dashed into the room and shouted, “You’re not going to win, Yasmeen. Not unless you beat me to that fire exit!” He bolted toward the corridor.

Yasmeen bolted toward it, too.

“You guys?” said Kyle.

Kyle could see a red Exit light glowing at the far end of the hallway Charles and Yasmeen were sprinting down. Charles stumbled and fell. Yasmeen kept running. Harder. Faster. She slammed into the exit bar on the metal door.

Alarms sounded. Flashing red lights swirled. Somewhere, a tiger roared. Mr. Lemoncello’s voice rang out of the overhead speakers. “Sorry, Yasmeen. That’s where your sidewalk ends. You broke the rules. You are out of the game. Your library card will be placed in the discard bowl and you will be going home.” As the fire exit door slowly swung shut and Yasmeen disappeared into the bright sunshine outside the library, Kyle checked out Charles Chiltington, who would’ve been sent home if he hadn’t stumbled and had reached the exit first.

The guy was smirking.

That was when it hit Kyle: Chiltington had faked Yasmeen out. He knew she couldn’t win by going out a fire exit. But he ran down the hall to fool her into thinking she was doing the right thing.

Oh, yeah. Chiltington was definitely in it to win it.

No matter who he had to trample.

Whistling casually, Charles strolled back to the lobby.

“What’s Chiltington doing out in the entrance hall?” said Akimi. “They told us the way out isn’t the way in.” Before Kyle could answer, Andrew Peckleman started shouting at Miguel, who had wandered over to Peckleman’s table.

“Get away! You’re trying to steal my idea!” “No, man,” said Miguel. “I just happened to see your screen and I don’t think that particular periodical—” “You know what, Miguel? I don’t really care what you think! This isn’t school. This is the public library and you’re not the boss in here, so just leave me alone!” Miguel tossed up his hands. “No problem, bro. I was just trying to help.” “Ha! You mean help me lose.” Andrew stormed up the closest spiral staircase to the second floor and the Dewey decimal rooms. Miguel, looking sort of sad, headed up a separate spiral staircase. Bridgette Wadge trailed after them.

“Want to follow those guys like Bridgette did?” whispered Akimi. “I’ll take Peckleman, you take Miguel.” “No thanks,” said Kyle, looking up at the domed ceiling. “I’m much more interested in the windows up there.” Three stories above the rotunda floor, just below the Wonder Dome, there was a series of ten arched windows set between the recessed statue nooks. The windows acted like skylights at the base of the dome, allowing sunshine to flood into the room below.

“Do you think those windows open?” asked Akimi.

“Maybe. Maybe not. But I’ve never let a closed or locked window stand between me and winning a game. Just ask my dad.” “What?”

“Never mind. Come on.” Kyle trotted over to the cushy chair where Sierra Russell was peacefully reading her book.

“Um, excuse me, hate to interrupt …”

Sierra raised her head. She had a very dreamy look in her eyes.

“I need a book.”

“Really?” said Sierra. “What kind?”

“Like the one you found. Up there.” He gestured to the curving bookcases climbing up the back half of the rotunda.

“Fiction,” said Sierra.

“Right,” said Kyle. “Love me some fiction.” “Well, what sort of story do you like?” “Something way up high,” said Kyle. “The higher the better.” “Really?”

“Yep.”

“Well, that’s an interesting way to put together a reading list, basing it on bookcase elevation.…” “I’d like something on the top shelf. Maybe right under the hologram statue of that guy hanging out with the Cat in the Hat.” “That’s Dr. Seuss,” said Sierra. “He wrote The Cat in the Hat.” “Sweet,” said Kyle. “But I just like how close he is to that window.”