Have you ever seen the news show something that’s called dramatization? It’s were you see people reenacting what really happened. That’s what this chapter is—well sort of anyway. I know all there is to know about the library tree, but this particular part of the story involves Jake and not the least bit me…although I may or may not make a narrative appearance at the end of the chapter. How’s that for suspense? I know—it’s pretty lousy. That doesn’t mean the whole chapter will be lousy—just the remaining part of this paragraph. So stop reading it already—I just said it’s lousy. But you’re still reading—what are you? Some sort of literary loyalist who must read every word of the text? Well? Are you? Do you really have nothing better to do than read this? I give you permission to skip ahead. Author’s permission is like gold in the reading community. Oh for Pete’s sake! Go! What’s wrong with you? You’re a word stocker? Do you look through my garbage for tossed rough drafts too? Two words: Get help…you just wasted a part of your life reading a pointless, lousy, paragraph.

Welcome to paragraph two. For those of you rejoining us—I’m truly sorry—that first paragraph was quite embarrassing. For those of you continuing your flight, and read the entire first paragraph—I am embarrassed for you. Does your mother know you have this problem? You know what? That’s your problem. Let’s just continue with the story. Okay? Okay.

So as I was trying to say many sentences ago, I am reenacting this chapter. I have heard enough eyewitness accounts to know how it played out, but even still my publisher, for complicated legal reasons, tells me I have to clarify this. So we all understand it’s a reenactment? Good.

So here’s the set-up: Turns out that Jake’s love for books isn’t as much as his love for snooping around. If digging around for clues is a hobby, then it turns out old Jake has one after all. Way to go, right? Not exactly. If he was just snooping around his neighbor’s trash because he wanted to know what they had for dinner, then I’d say way to go—I myself do the same time when I’m bored or just curious. But he went beyond this and was snooping around the library. And here’s the thing about librarians: we’re really into privacy—especially our own. As it was, however, Jake was stopping at nothing to find out about the library tree. So that’s the set-up—Jake’s a nosy nerd intent on ruining the library’s ultimate cover-up.

We, the librarians, had been careful around Jake, because we knew he was up to no good. Unfortunate for us, however, we are powerless against chance, and chance had its way the very next Tuesday.

Jake had noticed, upon arriving at the library on the Tuesday in question, a white van parked in the back of the library with the words “Tree Company, Inc.” painted on the side of the van in green letting. Jake, seeing the vans side door was opened and no one was near it, decided to do some of his snooping. Of course he couldn’t be content with a quick glance inside—not after he saw that inside the van were several blooming library trees. He just had to examine them more closely. Here’s a tip-off for my precious reader: whenever a character examines something more closely, they’re going to run into trouble—this is true in almost any story.

Jake ran into trouble. Now I hope you don’t feel sorry for him. So far in the story, I have narrated his character to be quite plain and emotionless. He’s just your common household nerd—nosy at that. I haven’t even told you about his troubled life—wait, I’ve said too much—you’ll find all about that later. When I say he’s in trouble, for right now anyway, I want you to think, “Oh well—it’s just Jake—at least it’s no one important…like the humble, and intelligent librarian narrating this story—that would be a real shame.”

So as I was saying…Jake ran into trouble. You see, when he went to take that snooping for a closer look, he heard the drivers exiting the library, and, not wanting to get caught, hid behind one of the busy library trees that was growing volume Q to T of the encyclopedia. From behind the branches, he saw three figures appear. One was Ralph (didn’t I promise he’d have a cameo in this chapter?), who was rambling on about how in Japan the life expectancy was higher than any other country—life expectancy was a trendy thing to know at this time, so, of course, Ralph made a point of knowing it. The other two were much taller, bulky men with hats embedded with a tree graphic. They were both looking inside the van where Jake was, and didn’t seem to be paying attention to the rambling Ralph.

At the van, one of the men pulled out a library tree, and handed it to Ralph. It was much larger than him, but he was able to carry it with no struggle. He started to hobble away on his one leg and two feet, but the driver called out to him, “Hey Ralph?” When the short ninja guard turned, he said, “Thanks for the tidbit about Japan.” He reached in his pocket, pulled out a single Skittle and tossed it Ralph’s way. “There’s a Skittle for all your trouble.”

Ralph dropped the library tree, ran to the Skittle, and upon eating it called out with a Spanish accent, “Skittles! I can taste the rainbow! I can taste the rainbow!” Then he hobbled back to the tree, picked it up, and hobbled to the back door of the library.

“Crazy ninja.” The driver said to the other man, who nodded in agreement.

As all of this took place, a very nervous Jake did his best to stay still and not shake. He was certain if they found him, then he would be in serious trouble, and he wanted no part in that—but let’s be honest here: if he didn’t want trouble, what was he snooping around for? Fine, fine…I’ll quit wining about his snooping—for now anyway.

Well of course things got worse (things always get worse before they get better—in case you didn’t know). One of the men slid the van door closed, and before Jake could do anything about it, the van engine had started and the van was driving off. Jake realized then that he was in serious trouble…well no—now that I think about it, he actually realized the van smelt strongly of peanut butter and then he realized he was in serious trouble. You almost have to feel sorry for the poor kid and what he must have been thinking…no wait, don’t do that—I told you earlier that I didn’t want you to feel sorry for him yet—we better stick to that idea. I don’t want to change the entire story around on the account of pity.

For quite sometime, Jake was still and hidden well behind the tree. He expected the van would soon stop for its next delivery, and then he could make his break. There was a wall that separated the front of the van from the back; it had a square cutout in the middle and through it Jake could see the drivers face reflected in the rearview mirror. Through the square he could also here them speaking.

They spoke at great links about the weather and how it would affect the season’s crop. From the conversation, he learned the drivers name was Gatsby and the other man’s name was Arthur. He also learned that they were quite intelligent, and everything they talked about they spoke of in scientific terms; even when the named Arthur said he was hungry, Gatsby was able to scientifically explain why he was hungry.

As the time went by and Jake realized that it might be a long time before they stopped, and that he might as well take advantage of all the books and read. Jake was odd in this character trait of his. In situations where most people would worry, Jake would read. He figured if you couldn’t escape ultimate doom, then you might as well read. It sure beats worrying.

Hours past and Jake had read two books, when finally he felt the van slow down. He heard the driver say from up front, “Sure is a hot one today.” And then in the rearview mirror he saw the driver take off his cap and reveal that he had actually been covering a third eyeball right on his forehead. He was a three-eyed man, which some people might commonly refer to as monsters. Didn’t I promise we’d meet some monsters in this chapter?

As you can imagine, Jake’s jaw dropped, though he managed to remain silent. And his jaw remained dropped as the van stopped and both men got out. The driver opened the sliding van door and said to Arthur, “Could you do me a favor and call the library we just came from—tell the librarian we got a bit of a problem.” He paused, “Tell him Jake Maas has found out about the library tree.”

“Sure thing, boss.” Arthur said leaving the van.

Gatsby looked inside the van and said, “Why don’t you come out now, Jake? No sense pretending to hide.”

Jake peaked his head from behind the tree and asked, “How do you know my name?” Now despite Jakes predicament the tone of his voice made him seem to be more confused than worried. Fear would come later.

Gatsby looked at him sternly and said in a harsh, unforgiving, tone, “I got a third eye for that sort of thing.”

I hope the ending of this chapter wasn’t too corny. Even if you think it’s corny, you have to admit it does make you want to read more to see what happens to Jake, and are these monsters mean, and what’s that poor narrator/librarian going to think when he hears the tree has been discovered.

And how’d you like that literary reenactment technique/style I used to tell the chapter? It’s quite a revolutionary literary style, huh? Do you even know what I’m talking about?