As the group hurried out, a despairing scream echoed from the front desk. Howard was the first to turn. A young teen, no older than 13, had a book on the checkout desk. Looking closer, Howard could also see the fluffy, tabby, head of a kitten peeking out of the teen’s bag.

“You can haz bookz!” Screamed the volunteer manning the front desk. “Mee done nou! Kay thx bai!” Every corrupted syllable fell into place like the tumbling of rocks from Mount Doom.

Still holding the return date stamper, the volunteer vaulted the front desk and ran towards the group at the front door.