I pulled the string

I finally pulled the string. You can never guess what happened. Okay I don’t have much time, so I’ll keep it short.

So I went there on Wednesday and went straight to the shelf where the string was hanging down. I looked around, and signaled my friend to keep watch. I grasp the string and with a deep breath, I pulled. Immediately the lights which lighten that particular shelf went out. My friend gave a slight giggle.

“Keep watch, you!” I reminded her.

Then I heard three beeps and the next thing I know, all the lights illuminating each alley went out one by one. Oh no! What did I do!? I pulled the string again but there was no response. The lights continued to go off one by one.

“Neko, someone’s coming!”

I could hear quick footsteps heading our way and I knew we had to bolt there and then. We rushed away from the footsteps and my mind was frantically searching for an excuse to bail us out of the situation if we were ever caught. At the same time I was also blaming everyone for encouraging me to pull the string. Damn you guys!

“Hey you there!” a man’s voice called out.

We froze in out steps. I knew he was referring to us. There wasn’t anyone else there. My friend made sure of that before I pulled the string. I turned around and said the stupidest thing ever.

“I didn’t pull it.”

It’s true. I didn’t pull it. And the friend? She chickened out at the last minute. She didn’t even enter the library with me. At least I did, alone. I went to that floor and searched for that alley with the string. It was then that I noticed every alley had one, only that they threw the string up the shelf so you don’t see it unless you were looking for it, that is. And now that I was looking from a far, I also noticed that next to every triangular cone which the string hung to, were two fluorescent lights. I was pretty sure they were for the lights.

But to turn on the lights by going through each alley isn’t very practical. Surely you’d want to wire them to a common spot. Any smart person would have thought of that, no? At least that’s how they do it in the other library.

I was still doubtful. It wasn’t practical at all. At least not for a lazy person like me. so I thought I’d pull it. But there was a room with glass walls directly overlooking that particular alley and a man was in it. And I hesitated. The next thing I know, I was outside, reminding my friend of her promise to pull it with me, which she broke.

I might still pull it. When there really isn’t anybody around. Well, you should be glad I didn’t because if I did, I’m sure the only scenario that will probably happen is up till where that particular light went out. Then it’d be a boring one-of-the-lights-went-out story, and not the interesting story you just read.