Maria closed her eyes and set aside her book as her flighty sister took off out the door. Standing up she quietly made her way to her bag, opening it she pulled out a leather bound book. Flipping it open to a marked page she let her bright eyes over the map that was scrawled there. Carefully running her hand down the page she studied it one last time before standing. Picking up her bag she put the strap over her shoulder and went to the desk in the corner. Pulling out a sheet of paper she wrote in scrawling letters

Dear sister, and brother,

I've found a map to an old library in the heart of the wood. I've gone to find it, I should be fine and will see you both before too long I'm sure. Take care of yourselves while I'm away.

Yours Truly,

Maria

Nodding to herself Maria placed the letter upon the table and turned to make her way to the door. Stepping out side she smiled as she looked down at the map. A library, I can't believe this was in grandfather's old study! I must find it! she thought to herself excitedly as she began her journey. Carefully she made her way away from the house entering the wood and picking her way threw the underbrush.

After a day of carefully reading the map to be sure she didn't take a wrong turn she finally emerged from the wood. What she found was a library alright. A very rundown one at that. Frowning at the overgrown front she placed the book with the map into her bag and started forward. There were paved stones making a path to what once must have been a lovely place. The path was now riddled with cracked stones, and overgrown grasses, and other plants, creeping up on it making Maria have to pick her way carefully.

Arriving at the darkened door Maria called out "Is anyone here?" after waiting for a moment and receiving no answer she called out again "I'm going to come in now." so saying she gingerly grabbed the old brass knob on the door and pulled. Slowly and with a creak of protest the old wooden door that while dirty seemed to be in fairly good condition opened to revel its contents. Maria grasped at the sight before her, the library must have been abandoned for years! There was dust and cobwebs everywhere, and here and there were the signs of what must be leaks in the roof.

Letting out a gasp of dismay Maria slowly made her way into the house. Some what hesitantly she flipped the light switch. She let out a sigh of relief as the old bulbs came to humming life without the place burning down, that was a good sign. Staring about her Maria was appalled this was just not acceptable! How could someone let this happen? These poor books, if not taken care of will just fade away, and then all they have will be lost! she thought to herself as she looked back and forth.

Squaring her shoulders she determinedly marched towards the dusty desk that must have at one time been the front counter. Setting her bag down she ignored the dust cloud that rose up at the disturbance and began to hunt. Before too long she found what she was looking for, the janitor's closet. Grabbing the knob she had to wrestle with the door, before it finally gave way with a loud crash as it fell off its hinges and landed on the ground beside were Maria had fallen upon her rear at the sudden lack of resistance.

Well that wasn't too bad. she thought to herself standing and after an absent minded dusting to her now dust covered pants she entered the room. Flipping on the lights she pulled down from the long unused shelves a few supplies before turning and leaving the room. Finding a push cart she placed her supplies on the front desk hastily sweeping the rest of the dust off of it before taking the cart to the first shelf. Carefully she picked up each of the books and placed it int he cart, after she had a few shelves on the cart she wheeled it back to the desk.

Taking out a sheet of paper from her bag and a pencil she went to work. Each book was carefully cleaned, and the old leather bound one's treated to a careful oiling to help with the cracking, and each book recorded on the paper. Loosing herself to her work Maria stopped only occasionally to grab a bite of something from her bag, go to the bathroom which thankfully still worked, and sleep for a few hours. She had just finished the last of the books when the door to the building opened "Maria? Are you here?" A sing song voice called out.

Maria blinked and looked up her face smudged with dust and blinked at the sight of her sister "Trinity, what are you doing here? I left a note." Trinity laughed and said "Yes you did, but it said you'd be back before too long." Maria blinked and said "And I would have been home in just a few days more." Trinity let out a put upon sigh and said "Maria, you've been gone almost a hole week now."

Maria blinked rapidly and looked around before saying "Really? I could swear I've only been here a day at most. Hum I'm going to need to get a calendar to put up to keep track with that. Anyway your here now so give me a hand will you?" Trinity blinked a song bird landing on her aqua colored shoulder. Giving said bird a pat she asked "What do you need a hand with?" Maria smiled and said "The shelves must be cleaned before the books can go back up. Would you mind doing that while I catalog the books?"

Trinity sighed again and said "Really the shelves? And here I thought you might want my help sweeping up all of the cobwebs." Maria blinked and said "Why? the cobwebs can wait, the books need their shelves." Trinity shook her head and said "Right right, the books first." Maria nodded her agreement and said "The janitor's closet is around the corner, its the room without the door."

Closing her eyes Trinity shook her head deciding not to ask and went to her assigned task. After a few more days of cleaning and cataloging the library was finally back in somewhat good shape. With freshly dusted floors, cobweb free corners, and neatly shelved book now in place. Trinity had even been able to take care of the leaks in the roof, sometimes being spontaneously interested in things helped. Smiling to herself Maria said "Now that looks much better." She said to Trinity who was slouching over. "Great the books are happy, can be go home now? I really want a bath!" Trinity complained.

Maria blinked and looking down at herself for the first time grimaced at the stains, and the hint of odor beginning to come off of her. "Yes I think thats a good idea, this was a lot more work then I had originally thought, but it was definitely worth it!" she said as she lead the now mumbling about insane sisters Trinity towards home.