A piece I wrote for CW1.

After the Closing

After the last of the library’s patrons have left and the harsh fluorescent lights have been extinguished, the books give a collective sigh of relief.

They have survived another day in the oily hands of the public, who have once again shown a complete disregard for their physical state.

The new books shift their chapters in irritation from the breaking of stiff bindings, and the bending of too-fresh pages.

The classic, most loved books bristle with indignation over highlighted passages, words written in margins, and dog-eared pages.

The old, worn tomes sag like the most weary of elders as glue crumbles away, and missing pages are mourned.

Others simply lean against one another, envious.