The 'Ol Shield

Malory has her nose stuck in a mystery novel. She is too engrossed to see me. I could politely make my presence known, but I cannot pass up a golden opportunity to scare the crap out of someone. I shout "Boo." I don't yell it as loud as I possibly can, but I do shout it loud enough to get a decent reaction. Like a cartoon character, she throws her book in the air and nearly falls back in her chair. She grabs her chest. "You scared me." "Sorry, I didn't think that would happen." "What did you think would happen?" "I don't know. What were you reading?" Malory glances at her book on the floor. "It's a mystery set in Victorian times." She says. "That sounds fun." "It's different." "Different can be good." "I suppose. So, is it ok you're back?" She asks. "I think so. I haven't gotten in trouble yet, but the real reason I'm back is for the yellow shield." "The thing you used to buy the library?" "Yes." "What do you need it for?" "Research." I respond, simply. She nods and reaches into a filing cabinet. "I had to clear out this drawer completely. It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be." Malory grabs the shield from the drawer. It's obvious it has some weight to it as she struggles at first to lift it. She plops it down on the desk. It makes a thud. "It's also heavier than I thought it would be." She continues. "That's one thing I don't miss about it." I notice the shield is still in the evidence bag. "You didn't take it out of the bag?" I ask . "That's how it came. We wanted to keep everything in tact. " I take the heavy shield. "Are there any microscopes around here?" Malory pauses to think. "Never mind , I'll find one."