'midst the chaos of Paris, the booksellers knew what to do.

We are safe in a bookshop, with the windows blacked out. There are about 20 customers with us who’ve been sat here for hours calling home. I haven’t seen anything but police cars go by, and people stumbling out of bars in central Paris who clearly have no idea what is going on. We are all taking breaks between calling people and checking the news. We’re saying it feels like this must be part of something bigger, like we are being senselessly attacked. It feels really close to home, because Paris is just so small and the attacks are all over the city. There are sirens constantly and going in every direction. The lights of Notre Dame have been turned off, which never happens at this time of night.

From the walls of Shakespeare & Co. bookstore in Paris, who are sheltering 20 people tonight. pic.twitter.com/fFUBYf3o8x

— Jessica Ritchey (@Ruby_Stevens) November 14, 2015