Within the Pages

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My grandfather always said books were magic. I would sit down on the big comfy chair in the middle of the shop and open up a new book and dive right into that world. In King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, I felt as though I was standing right in front of Arthur as he was pulling the sword out from the stone. While reading Oliver Twist I almost flinched when Oliver got yelled at because he asked for more. I live for my books; I live in my books.

I woke up early to the chill of an autumn morning. The morning seemed like any other morning but for two things. Number one, it was my 16th birthday and number two, I woke up in my grandfather's office right underneath the shelf with the unreadable books, the ones that I wasn't allowed to read under any circumstance...including the one where I desperately needed a book to read.

I got up as quietly as I could and slowly tried to make my way out of Grandfather's office on tippy toes to my room. I got to the door, I slowly turned the handle and walked right out of the office...right into my grandfather.

"Oh hi...I was just looking for you," the words flooded out.

"Charlie, I know what you were doing." My heart stopped and my breath felt shallow. I couldn't be in trouble for reading the unreadable books when I didn't even look at them!

Staring right at him while trying not to look like I did something wrong, I gulped. " You do?"

"Of course I do Charlie, and you should know I wouldn't ever, ever hide birthday gifts in such an obvious place," Grandfather clicked his tongue and chuckled.

Glad to have the perfect excuse, I turned my head down a little bit to make it seem like I was guilty of exactly that and I confessed as if I were really snooping, "Wow, I had thought you wouldn't even be up and now I've been caught."

"Charlie, when you get home from school today I need to have a talk with you. Meet me in my office around six so you have some time with your friends after school" whispered my Grandfather in hushed tones as if someone might hear him.

"Sure thing Gramps. Most of my friends have plans today, so I'll probably be home around four."

"That sounds good. See you then Charlie and have a great day at school."

"Thanks Gramps, see you later" I said walking away and wondering what he wanted to talk to me about. He seems so serious and my grandfather wasn't ever serious unless he was scolding me.