Little Free Libraries

a postcard story about borrowed books and debts called in

The villagers argued when little free libraries began to pop up all over the valley. Who made these tiny shelves of tiny books of tiny secrets, all arranged behind cabinet glass of the finest quartz?

It had the hallmarks of the faerie folk, with their love of strange and beautiful gifts. But was it a peace offering? A prank? A parting boon?

Whatever their intentions, within weeks we had picked the shelves bare. They sat empty for decades, as knowledge of faeries faded from mind and memory. We built little libraries of our own to honour the tradition, though we had all but forgotten the meaning.

Until one day, a thousand years later, the faeries finally returned.

“Why have you come back?” we asked them.

They grinned with wide rows of vulpine teeth. “Late fees.”

Short story written by Peter Chiykowski

Story prompt taken from a photo by Tamara Menzi