The public library (01/09, 1:58 pm)

[Hollis Brown]

Kathy Poole, the librarian, is whistling a tune behind the counter. It sounds like "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel. She is picking up books and moving them from one side of the counter to another, for no particularly obvious reason. She is using her full concentration on this task and on her whistling. She is wearing a black and white polka dot blouse and black slacks.

Danielle Douglass is sitting at a table with Brandy Smith, but they are not talking with each other at the moment. Danielle is reading a book-- Neil Gaiman's The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes and chewing gum. Brandy is writing in a notebook. Danielle is wearing a long sleeve shirt with a spider web design, black skinny jeans, and lime green skate shoes. Her irises are also lime green. Brandy is wearing a white zip-up hoodie, blue jeans, and leather tennis shoes.

Sheriff Randy Flecker is walking through the aisles of books. He is looking at the spines but does not pause or make a motion to grab any of the books. The library is almost completely silent, except for the librarian's loud whistling of "Solsbury Hill."

[Cameron Johnson]

Cameron walks into the library with a look of hopeful apprehension visible on his face. These days Cameron didn't come to the library to check out books, he came to see Ellie. It was painfully obvious to everyone who saw him go into the library that they knew what he was going in there for. When Cameron walked into the library the usual strong smell of books that wafts over the entire place is totally unnoticed by Cameron. the sparkle in his eye quickly disappears as he notices Kathy behind the counter. Clearing his throat he says, "Uhh Excuse me, is Ellie here?"

[Hollis Brown]

Kathy abruptly stops whistling and smiles toward Cameron. “It’s Ms. Swan’s day off. She’ll be back tomorrow, though.” She looks at Cameron silently for a few seconds, still smiling, before adding, “You must be an avid reader. You’ve been in here an awful lot lately. It’s good to see that our young people are still interested in things like books.”

[Cameron Johnson]

"Yeah", Cameron chuckles nervously as a redness rushes to his cheeks, "I think reading is a great way to spend your free time. Do you have anything you'd recommend?" Cameron knew his guise was failing but he had no other choice. He didn't want to tell Ellie's boss the true nature of his visits the past few months even though judging by her smile, he was sure she had read him like the books she's in charge of.

[Hollis Brown]

Kathy looks Cameron over and says after a moment, "Have you ever read A Clockwork Orange? Something about you reminds me of the protagonist from that book... But not in a bad way." She frowns slightly. "Okay, I'll be honest with you: I'm just pushing the book, because it's the book we're reading this month for the our town book club. We're looking for more members... Maybe you'd be interested? Ellie's in charge of the whole thing."

[Cameron Johnson]

"You know that whole thing sounds real horrorshow!" Cameron said in an excited voice. "A Clockwork Orange is a book I've been meaning to read for a long time but I just havent gotten around to it. I watched the movie a few months ago and really enjoyed it and I had been meaning to borrow a copy from the library but it must have slipped my mind. This sounds like an absolutely wonderful experience! The made up language in the movie was super confusing and I've heard that it's even worse in the book. Having other people to discuss the language and the story with sounds great!" Cameron's face was beaming with excitement. It was quite possibly the biggest smile that had graced his face since he moved to Stakeford. "Kathy, thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity! Should I rent the book now or is there a certain time when everyone is starting? Where are the meetings and at what time?" Cameron knew his excitement for the novel was showing through he just hoped that the excitement for more time with Ellie wasn't painfully obvious.

[Hollis Brown]

Kathy listens to Cameron's excited rambling with a growing smile. "You can start right away!" She says, a little too loudly. She reaches down, below the counter, and pulls out a hardcover copy of A Clockwork Orange, as though this had been planted there and this had been her whole plan all of along. "Yes, yes... You'd better start right away, because we're discussing it at the end of the month, on the 30th. Saturday afternoon, here at the library. 6 o'clock sharp. I'd recommend you bring some notes with you, but that's not necessary or anything, but I'm sure it would impress our club's manager..."

[Cameron Johnson]

"Oh certainly! I'll start right away! Would you be willing to go over my notes with me before hand to see if they're okay? I dont want to make myself look stupid in front of Ell- I mean the club." Cameron blushed and the redness that rose to his cheeks was painfully obvious. Cameron was tempted to run away to hide his blushing cheeks but he held fast. He was very hopeful that Kathy would help him.

[Hollis Brown]

While Kathy listens to Cameron make his request, the man in the black suit walks into the library and disappears into a corridor of book shelves. Kathy's eyes follow him until he disappears, and then she looks back at Cameron.

"Of course," she says, with a police smile. She purses her lips and looks thoughtfully at Cameron for a moment, before resuming, "I'll help you either way, of course, but could you do me a favor?" Kathy nudges her head in the direction the man in the black suit was headed.

"Did you see that man who just came in?" She asks. "I'd like you to keep an eye on him for a little bit and make sure he finds what he's looking for and gets out within a timely manner. I know you don't work here, but normally I'd ask Ellie to help with stuff like that... But we're short today, as you can tell. He's been in here a few times before, and he tends to loiter. Just... Be a helpful citizen for him, that's all I'm asking."

[Cameron Johnson]

"Well certainly Kathy. You have been more than helpful to me so I suppose returning the favor wouldn't be too much to ask. Excuse me Kathy, I'm going to see what our loitering friend is in search of today." After excusing himself Cameron searches for the man. Seeing as the library was fairly small and Cameron saw where the man had been heading, he found him fairly easily. "Excuse me sir, do you need help finding anything today?" The line sounded incredibly rehearsed because Cameron had worked at a Trader Joe's for a few years while in Spokane.

[Hollis Brown]

The man in the black suit turns around with a sudden jolt. He looks at Cameron, wide-eyed, for a few seconds, before processing that he had been asked a question and what the question was. He then looks Cameron up and down and crosses his arms. He begins to scratch his left elbow with the fingers of his right hand.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he says hurriedly. He looks around, to his left and right, then back at Cameron. "I'm just looking. I'm just... Hey... You don't work here, do you?" He takes a step back. "I've seen you here before, talking with her, at the counter... You don't work here..." The man in the black suit turns and promptly walks away, soon to disappear behind another row of books.

[Jackson_Lee]

Jackson sat on a bench outside the library, looking at his iPhone. There, he was reading up on an author, as well as a listing of books the author had written. "Nelson DeMille..." He uttered to himself, standing up and pocketing his smartphone in a chest pocket of his polo shirt.

He stepped inside the quiet library, walking by the front desk on his way to the political thriller part of the fiction section. He paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on the Sheriff. Jackson then changed course and walked over to the Sheriff. About to greet the Sheriff, Jackson happened to look beyond where the Sheriff was standing as the man in the black suit promptly walked away. Or was he running, or retreating from something? Instead of greeting the Sheriff, Jackson squeezed the Sheriff's shoulder and nodded quietly to the man in the black suit. "Randy, suspicious fella there."

[Cameron Johnson]

Cameron walks away in disbelief. He is very confused by what he just saw. As he was walking back to the front desk to tell Kathy what had happened he saw Jackson. Cameron hurried over to him and asked, "Hey Jackson did you see the guy in the jacket? He's a real nutty guy. I asked if he needed help finding a book because Ellie isn't here today and he started stammering about how I dont work here. Strange if you ask me. What do you think?"

[Jackson_Lee]

"Very strange." Jackson said, keeping his focus on the guy in the jacket. Jackson's hand rested on his holstered Sig Sauer P226 as he then gave chase down the eisle. "HEY! Get back here!" Jackson shouted.

[Hollis Brown]

The man in the black suit stops and wheels around after Jackson shouts at him. He looks toward the three men who are glaring at him. Cameron is looking at him suspiciously and Jackson has his hand on his gun-- which both the man in the suit and the sheriff quickly notice.

"Hey, hey, take it easy!" The sheriff grips Jackson's arm firmly. He turns slightly toward him and hurriedly half-whispers, "Get a hold of yourself. You're a civilian now. Besides, he hasn't done anything wrong that we know of." The sheriff turns fully
"Hey, hey, take it easy!" The sheriff grips Jackson's arm firmly. He turns slightly toward the man in the black suit, who looks rather sickly at the moment. "Angelo, right? I'm Sheriff Randy Flecker. We haven't met officially, but I've seen you around town." He takes a deep breath. "My friends were a little concerned and wanted to make sure everything's alright with you. They didn't mean you any harm. But on account of the mood the whole town is in right now, we can't be too careful these days."

The man in the black suit opens his mouth to speak, but no sound comes out for a few seconds. Then he points at the sheriff. "You look different than them," he says. As he grasps through the thin air for words, his open mouth twitches slightly. "Actually... They look different from you..." He frantically points to Cameron, then Jackson. "Could... Could either of you tell me where I am? And how I can get out?"

[Jackson_Lee]

Jackson gave Randy a nod, concealing his holster and gun with his coat. Jackson eyed the black suit man with mild suspicion. But its when Angelo frantically points between himself and Cameron and asks where he was at, that Jackson turned to Cameron and whispered quietly, "This guy here... its a clue. Its gotta be." Jackson then turned to Angelo and said. "You're at the public library, mate. The door's... right over there," Jackson was a bit confused, as he extended an arm to the front door.

[Hollis Brown]

Angelo's eyes follow Jackson's arm. Angelo's gaze lingers on the door for a few moments, before he turns his attention back to the other three. "I'm in Hell, is where I am," Angelo says, in the calmest voice he has used since this peculiar encounter. A look of serenity passes over his face, followed by a flickering moment of terror.

Then, without warning, Angelo disappears.

THE LIBRARY IS NOW CLOSED

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