Free Smells Like Dog by Suzanne Selfors Page A

thefront door. “I don’t think you’re supposed to be in here at night. You might get in trouble.”
    “Thanks for bringing me my dog. You can go home now.”
    “But I want to know what you’re doing.” She raised her eyebrows. “Besides, I don’t want to walk home by myself.”
    Homer sighed. It looked like he was stuck with her. “I’ve got some work to do so you’ll have to wait until I’m done. Then I’ll walk you home.”
    “Are you working on your report?”
    “Uh, yeah,” Homer lied.
    He wandered over to the reference section and ran his flashlight’s beam along the shelves. Then he tucked the flashlight under his arm and pulled out an oversize book called
Coins of the World
by I. M. Flump. He sat on the floor, set the heavy book in his lap, and opened to the last section, called “Rare and Unusual,” which seemed like a good place to begin.
    “The library’s creepy at night,” Carlotta said, sitting next to him. “I don’t like it. Let’s go home.”
    “I gotta find something,” Homer said. Dog pushed his way under the coin book, draping his long body across Homer’s legs. Homer balanced the book on Dog’s back. His gaze flew across page after page, searching for anything that resembled the coin in his pocket.
    Something on the upper floor made a creaking noise.
    “Do you think this place has ghosts?” Carlotta pressed closer to Homer. A soapy scent drifted from her hair.
    “Ghosts?” Homer looked up. Treasures often came with ghostly companions—previous owners who refused to leave their worldly goods behind. Maybe books came with ghosts, too. A tree branch rapped against the window. Both Homer and Carlotta held their breaths. Then, Homer’s flashlight went dark. Carlotta grabbed his arm.
    “What happened?” she whispered.
    Homer shook the flashlight. “The battery’s dead.” Even though moonlight trickled in through the library windows, it wasn’t enough for Homer to read by. And he needed to read, as quickly as possible, before his parents noticed that he was gone. After sliding Dog off his lap, he hurried to Mr. Silverstein’s desk. The power went out all the time in Milkydale, especially during winter storms, so everyone kept a stash of candles. Sure enough, he found some in the middle drawer, along with a book of matches.
    “Homer, are you almost done? My dad’s gonna get real mad if he finds out I’m not looking for screech owls.”
    “I’ve got to find something, Carlotta. It’s real important.”
    “Okay.” She smiled as Homer sat next to her. “Youknow, everyone thinks you’re weird but I think you’re smart.”
    “Uh, thanks.”
    And so, with Dog repositioned on his lap, and Carlotta Crescent holding the candle by his side, Homer continued his search for the coin. Carlotta talked about her new puppies and her upcoming birthday party and a million other things while Homer focused on the task at hand. Page after page, illustration after illustration, minute after minute, hour after…
    It smelled like smoke.
    Homer opened his eyes. Not used to staying up so late, he had fallen asleep against the bookcase. Dog was asleep on his lap, snoring loudly. Carlotta was asleep, too, her head on Homer’s shoulder. Why did it smell like smoke and what was that glow?
    “Carlotta!” Homer shook her. “It’s on fire. The library’s on fire!”

The Worst Thing That Ever Happened in Milkydale
     
    O n fire? Oh no!” Carlotta cried. “I must have dropped the candle.”
    Sure enough, that’s exactly what had happened. Just after Carlotta had dozed off, the candle had slipped from her hand, rolled across the floor, and found the edge of a dictionary. The flame had climbed the dictionary, then had made its way down the shelf, growing like a fiery serpent as it had fed upon book after book.
    It was the most horrific sight Homer had ever seen.
    “We have to get out,” Carlotta said. “Mrs. Peepgrasstold us that if we’re ever in a fire, we’re supposed to get out