Here live my shields against the world.
Closing my eyes I inhale the mingling scents of fresh print and ancient, crumbling bindings, until my anxiety ebbs away.
Which do I want?
I move amongst them, nodding to old friends, assessing new arrivals, narrowing down my choices. I need comfort, I decide, the comfort of familiarity.
That means just one thing.
I lift it down, smiling at what a librarian would call ‘slight foxing’ and I call love. Settling it and myself into the chair beneath the window, I reverently ease it open and begin to read.
The world fades away.
Another 100 word post – it seems to be a hard habit to break now I’ve started.
This is a quick picture of one wall of the room that was part of the inspiration for the above:
Kizzia Mildmay 
Beautifully said..as with people and dogs, you can fall in love with books.
LikeLike
Lovely writing. Were you referring to anything in particular as your final selection or was it more the principle?
LikeLike
Thank you both for commenting, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Mansel, I couldn't agree more, I have a deep and abiding love affair with several books.
Baglady, I was referring to Le Morte D'Arthur, beloved but elderly and, since it was printed in 1900 needs very gentle handling!
LikeLike