Public library (10/17, 1:08pm)

[Hollis Brown]

Public library (10/17, 1:08pm)

The Stakeford library is small by most standards, but it is well-occupied at this time. A group of young men huddle around a table in the back corner of the library, so tightly packed together that whatever they are huddling around is not apparent. Whispers can be heard coming from the group, but no words are discernible.

A librarian behind the counter looks anxiously at the group as she taps a pencil on the wood. She is showing early signs of wrinkles, but otherwise looks rather young in her light brown dress. A brown leather belt with a silver smiley face buckle is around her waist.

A man in a black suit is standing directly opposite the library entrance. He has short brown hair and appears to be looking at the paintings on the wall. The looks back and forth between three watercolor paintings: one of a sailboat, one of a bear in the wilderness, and one of the mythological lamia.

“I found that book you were looking for,” a library assistant says.

The librarian sharply turns her head toward the assistant. “Good, good. Thank you.” The librarian halves a smile.

While weighing the thick, leather bound book in her small hands, the librarian assistant starts to say, “It was buried pretty deep back there, but I asked Jacob about it, and he—”

“Thank you,” the librarian says. Her half-smile opens, showing white teeth. The librarian nods her head back, toward a door behind the counter. “My desk.”

The library assistant, a teenage girl whose light brown hair is in a bun, nods her head slowly. A faint scar runs down the right side of her neck. She is wearing a white blouse and khaki pants. A pendant with a bronze locket hangs from her neck.

“Your desk,” the assistant says, before turning and going into the next room.

[Cameron Johnson]

I walk in to the library and notice all the people. I feel a wave of uneasiness wash over me about the men in the corner. People in groups act shadier than usual.. I walk up to the young assistant and proceed with this, "Hello, Ive been in town a mere 10 days now and find myself bored with nothing to do quite often. Do you have any books you'd recommend to keep myself occupied in this dreary place?"

[Hollis Brown]

The library assistant turns toward the young man.

"Depends on what you're interested in," she says, smiling. "We're a small library. It's big enough for our little town, but if it gives you an idea, I've read almost every book at least part way through that we have. Although... that probably says just about as much about how much time I have on my hands as it does how low our stock is..."

The librarian starts to cough loudly behind the counter. They are loud, dry, painful coughs.

"Soooo," the assistant says in a new tone of voice. "What are you interested in?"

[Cameron Johnson]

"I'm a drifter. I don't tend to spend much time in places very long but I do like to learn little weird facts about the towns I do visit. Do you have anything based on the history of Stakeford? Or maybe a murder mystery novel?" I smile slyly and give her a little wink.

[Hollis Brown]

The library assistant listens to the young man with a smile, until he brings up the idea of a murder mystery novel. She grimaces slightly and swallows a bit hard.

"I suppose it would've been impossible to not hear about that," she says, before sighing and looking down toward the counter. "Even if you just got here, it's inescapable. It's all they're talking about in the paper. Ms. Smith, in particular, one of the journalists... I've caught her more than once trying to get interviews out of everyone in the library. The sad thing is, a lot of people are going here to get away from all that, I think. This is kind of a sanctuary, to escape from the horror that has taken place."

The library assistant stops suddenly and looks the young man in the eyes. "I'm sorry, sir," she says, looking down for a second. "That was really rude of me. Welcome to Stakeford." She extends her hand. She wears a silver ring on the index finger of her right hand. There is an engraving on the ring, but it is it hard to make out from a distance. She smiles and says, "I'm Ellie Swan. It's nice to meet you."

[Cameron Johnson]

"Stop the pleasantry. I know where I am but the reasons why I've stayed here for this long are amazing to me. Maybe it was fate telling me I should come here and meet you." I smile slightly exposing my impeccably polished white teeth, which make me look even more pale than usual. "I'm Cameron, would you mind sitting with me for a moment so I can discuss this whole murder thing further?"

[Hollis Brown]

Ellie's hand drops to her side. She looks away from Cameron's face. Her own face has quickly reddened, and she steps and turns away from him.

"I don't really quite know if I believe in fate," she says. She starts walking toward the bookshelves ahead. "And, I don't know if they would appreciate me sitting around... There's work to be done." She stops walking and, without turning back to look at Cameron, asks, "How about I just get you a book, then...?"

[Cameron Johnson]

"You wouldn't be sitting around. You'd be helping a new guy know more about the town and more about the recent events going on here. Isn't that one of the main focuses of the library? Public service? So if you look at it that way, you're doing your job very well."

[Hollis Brown]

Ellie turns back toward the bookshelves. "I do not know much about the murder, anyway. No one does. They're still trying to identify the victim. I have heard they haven't even found the rest of her body. It's absolutely horrific, and not the kind of conversation I'd like to have in this library... This just isn't the place for that kind of talk."

She sighs and begins to slide her right index finger across the spines of several books on a shelf. Her finger stops at one, a thin text with a brown hardcover.

"I have here a history of Stakeford, written by our previous mayor, William Douglas. He went by Bill. He was the father of James Douglas, who is presently our mayor. Bill Douglas died last year. It was a really sad situation..."

Ellie clears her throat. "As you can see, it's a thin book. There is not much to say about Stakeford. However, I think it's a good choice to get some basics down. This will tell you about how our town got started and some of the local traditions. The last chapter also talks about more recent times, and he has some interviews here with some of the local residents. If I remember right, Samson Ackerman, Mil Bradley, and Cliff Alset were interviewed for this."

Ellie holds the book out to Cameron. "That's the only general history we have at our library," she says. "We have more specific records, old newspapers, things like that... But nothing that would interest you, I think. As far as mystery novels go, we have some. I made a special request for more P.D. James. She's one of my personal favorites."

[Cameron Johnson]

"P.D. James eh? I haven't heard of her before. Is she fairly well known? does she have a lot of plot twists that will make your stomach become tied up in knots and your spleen go into your throat or is she not big into organ reassignment?" I smile slightly before continuing, "That book on Stakeford looks interesting would you mind if I read it here and I could ask you for guidance if I need it? Because you're and assistant right? It's kinda in your title for you to be helpful."

[Hollis Brown]

Ellie Swan looks at Cameron a little funny, in such a way that it would be difficult to tell whether she is amused or a bit confused. That expression then melts into a placid smile. "If you want any assistance, you'll know where to find me."

At this time, the man in the black suit who earlier had been looking at the paintings approached from behind Ellie.

"Excuse me, miss?"

She turns around with a bit of a start and says, "Oh! Hello! Sorry! Can I help you with something?"

The man looks from Cameron to Ellie and sighs. After a pause, he looks at the assistant and says, "I can't seem to find the door out of here. I need to leave. Can you guide me to the exit? Once I'm out of the building, I'll be good."

Ellie reacts that same expression, of amusement and/or confusion. "I suppose," she says slowly. She turns back around. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Johnson." She turns once more and leads the man in the black suit away. There is a tattoo of a snake on the back of his neck. The snake's head is right below where his brown hair begins, and the body/tail slither down his back, underneath the black suit.

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS NOW CLOSED

[Sponsored content]