Prospero's Ghost - Part X (Epilogue): University of Alberta - Present Day

61 4 0
                                    

University of Alberta – Present Day

“What’s coming off the machine now?” Andy Todd, the bookstore director said as he walked into the lower level area where the University’s Espresso Book Machine was located.

Laura Ryan smiled at him, not able to hear him over the sound of the hydraulic pump of the trimmer, but pretty sure she knew what he’d asked.

“It’s a new file I just pulled off the EBM master server. It looks like Alan over at Mac downloaded it late last night.”

“Is it another one of their library archive texts?”Andy asked, rounding the corner to have a closer look.The trimming process completed and the louder noise stopped.

“Yeah. A rare original printing of Shakespeare’s complete works.” She grinned. Though she’d operated the machine for close to two years, every new title she produced on the EBM gave her a quick thrill. “The first one is just about to come out.”

They watched the book drop down the chute and out of the machine. Laura picked it up and quickly fanned through the pages. “Looks good,” she said.

“Excellent,” Andy said. “Okay, I’m heading home. Don’t work too late.”

“I won’t,” Laura grinned.

As they exchanged pleasantries and Andy turned to leave, neither of them noticed the dark shadowy figure in a brown tweed jacket lurking behind the closest set of bookshelves.

Prospero's GhostWhere stories live. Discover now