The book ended there. I stared at the final sentence.
“What does that mean?” I cried.
Bella didn’t answer. Her eyes burned into mine.
“It means we have five minutes to get out of here!” Peter cried.
We both jumped up.
“You have to let us go,” I told Bella. “Peter and I can’t help you.”
Before Bella could reply, a loud crash made Peter and me cry out in surprise.
I swung around — and saw books sliding off the high shelves, tumbling to the floor. Peter and I ducked under the table as heavy old books flew across the room.
Earthquake, I thought.
I covered my head and shut my eyes.
Books crashed and thudded all around me. Books bounced off the tabletop, over the floor. It was raining books!
And then — another crash. My eyes shot open in time to see a whole wall collapse.
No. Not a wall. A bookshelf fell over. It slammed to the floor with a deafening crash. The room shook. A curtain of dust floated up into the air.
Then silence.
I picked up my head — and watched a man stride into the library from behind the fallen bookcase. He wore a long purple robe with a purple hood. He had a red face and a square white beard that looked like a paintbrush.
He came stomping over the books, kicking them out of his way. He was short, I noticed. He was no taller than Peter.
He stared hard at Peter and me as he stormed into the room. He had purple eyes that glowed like jewels.
“Dr. Screem!” Bella cried, raising her hands to her face. “Keep back. Keep back!”
He stared straight ahead as if he didn’t hear her.
“Dr. Screem — please!” Bella pleaded. “Stay away from them! Don’t hurt them!”
But Screem kept up his march over the fallen books. He strode straight toward my brother and me.
And the look on his bearded face was not friendly.