Horror Stories of a Book Addict: I Almost Lost a Book

So last night, around 2 AM, I was putting this bad boy back on my shelf:

And I was still on an assassin-y, magic-y, sneaky-sneak, scheme-y high (<- my official recommendation for that book, and all books by Leah Cypess) when I noticed that something was missing.

Specifically, my copy of Mistwood, which Leah Cypess had signed and doodled unicorns on for me.

Obviously, this was a serious situation, of twitter-worthy proportions.

*freaks out at 2 am because I may be MISSING a BOOK* A SIGNED book, with UNICORNS drawn on it. *SCREAMS*
— Allison Mulder (@silent_pages) April 19, 2014

It was not on my favorites bookshelf. It was not on my secondary, meh/school bookshelf. It was not in any of the assorted paper stacks shoved into corners of my room. I refrained from checking the rest of the house because it was 2 AM. But the more I looked, the more I became very afraid.

Ok, self. You can't freak out now. It is 2 am. You have checked your shelf 3+ times. Sleep. Figure it out tomorrow. *hyperventilates*
— Allison Mulder (@silent_pages) April 19, 2014

Then I realized that I was also missing my signed bookmarks, which may or may not have been left in the same place, but what if they had been thrown out? What if I had lost them forever? My only links to the lovely authors who never venture into the rural midwest?

Khaleesi voice: WHERE. IS MY BOOK MERCH?
— Allison Mulder (@silent_pages) April 19, 2014

Worse, I had a very hazy-yet-firm memory of lending Mistwood to someone at school, long, long ago. And I could not remember if I had ever gotten it back.

BUT WHAT IF I LENT IT TO SOMEONE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THOUGH? IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS. WHAT DOES ONE *SAY* AT THAT POINT?
— Allison Mulder (@silent_pages) April 19, 2014

I got into bed, but worst-case scenarios kept flickering through my mind. Awful mental conversations with the possible pilferer of my book.

"Oh, that was yours? I gave it away."
"I tossed it out."
"My dog got to it and chewed it up. Sorry."

I didn't even know if the most likely candidate had a dog, but I still worried about it, for at least half an hour, probably more.

The bad part of being nocturnal is that when you lose sleep over potentially losing something, you can lose sleep for a REALLY LONG TIME.
— Allison Mulder (@silent_pages) April 19, 2014

In the morning, the first thing I did was check the hallway shelf. Not there.

Checked my little brother's shelf. It didn't even have many books on it, for heaven's sake, and I vowed to appropriate it as soon as possible.

Then I spotted my little brother's bedside table. With some papers covering it. A slim book corner sticking out, but not the book.

Heart pounding, daring to hope, I lifted the papers--

--and found Mistwood safe and unharmed in all its unicorn-doodled glory, ready to retake its place on my shelf.

Apparently Lil Bro and Mom read it a long time ago and never put it back in my room.

The crisis is now over, except for one thing.

I still can't find my signed bookmarks.

Ever lost a book? What's sent you into panic mode? Also, hey, read Mistwood / Nightspell / Deathsworn, because they're good.