Author Topic: The Librarian(not related to that one series)  (Read 1009 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline AcreLorraine

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 282
  • Karma: 23
    • Acres and acres
The Librarian(not related to that one series)
« on: March 30, 2010, 04:18:19 PM »

The Librarian


She stood up from behind the old mahogany desk and cracked her back.  The LED clock flashed 8:55; it was time to close up.  She cleaned up the clutter off the desk and slipped a few papers into her bag before walking between the shelves looking for stragglers who may have lost track of time.  It was mostly empty, it almost always was.  People just didn’t read as much as they used to.  The thought made her sigh before she moved on.  She saw the man at one of the small wooden tables.  He had obviously fallen asleep over a book.  She didn’t recognize the title and he hadn’t gotten very far into it.  She frowned and shook his shoulder. 
“Excuse me sir, we’re closing now.  You have to leave.”  He jolted awake and she jerked her hand away at the sudden movement.  “I’m sorry sir, we’re closing.”  She repeated.
“Oh, sorry, I guess I fell asleep.”  He smiled at her a little sheepishly.  “Sorry.”  He stood and walked out toward the exit, taking the strange book with him.  She just shook her head and went back to checking the building for people.  By the time she was done closing everything up the LED was flashing 9:42 and she was finally ready to head out the door.  She flicked off the light switch and stepped out into the cool August air.  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, savoring it after the long hours with the processed and filtered air in the library, before walking down the steps. 
“Hey-oh ****.  Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle to you.”  The man that had fallen asleep back inside now stepped out from the relative shadow of the wall.  She had jumped and her hand was hovering on the pepper spray in her bag. 
“What do you want?”  She asked him, he held up his hands.
“Sorry, I’m sorry.  I just thought, you know, since you were alone and it was dark I could walk you to your car.  It would be bad if anything happened to you, I like this place.” 
“I don’t have a car.”
“Well I could walk you a little ways.”  He glanced at his watch, he was trying to keep it subtle, but she called him out on it.
“You look like you have somewhere to be and it’s a bit of a walk.” 
“Well I’ve still got time; I can at least walk with you a part of the way.”  He smiled at her again.
“Fine, you can walk with me for a little while.”  She relaxed a little, but didn’t take her hand out of her bag.  If this was some sort of trap, she was ready.  “So, since you plan on being my escort, may I get your name?”
“Nathan Doyle., and since I do plan on escorting you, I wouldn’t mind getting yours.”  He smiled at her and began walking down the cobblestone path. 
“Samantha Madison.  You seem rather confident in your directional sense, what makes you think I live that way.”  He was going the right way; her hand gripped the small spray bottle of toxins.
“Elementary, my dear.  I simply deduced it from what I know of you.  There were very noticeable patterns you take in your walk including the movement of your hands that indicate which direction you plan on turning.  All this is really quite meaningless once the fact that we live in the same apartment complex is revealed.”
“I see, I must admit to not having any recollection of you.”  She smiled at him. 
“Ah yes, well you generally spend most of your time with your nose in a book which is a serious blow to your powers of observation.  One must pay attention to all that is around you.” He patted down the length of his waistcoat before coming up with a silver cigarette case.  “Though most of my encounters with you were only from a distance while doing the wash on Tuesdays.”  He rolled up a cigarette and lit it.
“I see.”  She relaxed again and gazed around the shadowy path.  The buildings loomed overhead with their dark recesses and the moon could hardly be seen in the cloudy polluted sky.  Soot seemed to coat everything.  A small buggy strolled by lazily and the horses whinny echoed loudly throughout the streets. 
She tripped over a loose cobblestone and fell against Nathan.  “Oh, I’m sorry.”  She said as he helped straighten her up.
“Do not worry about it.”  He said to her with a smile.  “Ah, but if only good Queen Victoria might allow for more care to be given to the streets we would not have to deal with such treacherous footing.”
“Agreed.”  She said to him as they continued on their way. They walked in silence for a short time more. 
As they walked, they came across another man.  He was not far ahead of them, but still at a distance.  When the next horse and buggy came around, he hailed it and climbed inside.  Nathan stopped and nearly caused Samantha to crash into him.
“I must sadly bid you fair well.”  He told her.  “I must follow that man.  You see, he is Colonel Sebastian; second in command to the worst villain the world has ever known.  A man nearly as brilliant as myself.  Hopefully the rest of your walk will be uneventful.”  He stepped to the curb and hailed another passing buggy. 
“Goodbye Nathan, I’ll see you around again hopefully.”  She waved to him before continuing on her way.  The cab drove off in another direction leaving behind a cloud of smog and she was left with only her footfalls on the concrete to break the silence.  Her hand was now at her side, no longer ****ed on the small can of pepper spray.  The city wasn’t so bad at night, they had at least fixed most of the streetlights, and the trees they had planted were changing colors.
She smiled to herself and stepped forward.  A twig cracked beneath her combat boot.  She stopped and listened.  The jungle was quiet except for the sound of birds.  She traversed through the underbrush, trying to travel as stealthily as the Charlie did.  She had been separated from the rest of the platoon when they had let loose the torrent of machinegun fire.  Hopefully they would be able to all meet up at the rendezvous point none the worse for wear.  With any luck, it would be in time for Edward to get some real help.  That shrapnel had gotten him good.
She kept quiet and moved between the trees.  Her equipment felt heavier with every passing moment.  But she had been trained better than that.  The recon marines were the best there was and they would all get through this. All she had left was her standard army issue pistol in her req. sack.  It wouldn’t do her much good but it would be far better than letting the Charlie off without a scratch. 
She pressed on through the sweltering heat, wiping the sweat from her brow.  She was almost to the rendezvous when she was attacked.  Her pack was knocked away and she was pushed into the trunk of one of the large trees.  Charlie had her pinned up; her eyes darted around and counted out five attackers.  Her pistol was in her bag and their knives would cut her bad before she could do much of anything.  They shouted at her in Vietnamese.  She didn’t understand a word they were saying.
“**** you, you Charlie sons of ****es.”  They looked at each other, probably trying to figure out what she said.  They let loose with a shower of threats and she just laughed.  The low drone of a plane sounded overhead.  “Calvary’s coming you bastards.”  She shouted.  From one side of the bushes another marine came out, club at the ready.  The Charlie were already abandoning their prisoner and running off into the trees and the alleyways, the ones who had been running that way immediately turned and ran back.  The marine came up to her and slipped the nightstick onto his belt. 
“Are you alright ma’am?”  The police officer gave her a quick once over in case there was any obvious injury.
“I’m-I’m fine.”  She said and took a deep breath. 
“Alright then.”  The piercing siren of the police car echoed down the alley and the officer walked her to the squealing squad car.  He stepped to the far side of the car and radioed in.  Samantha walked over to the sidewalk and picked up her bag.  She checked inside and was glad to note that everything looked in order.  She sighed in relief and walked back to the officer.  “Excuse me ma’am, could you fill out a small report for me about the incident?”  She nodded and he handed her a clipboard with some sheets to fill out.  He returned to his radio while she filled out the sheets with the pen from her bag.
“Thank you miss.”  He said as he took back the clipboard. 
“Umm, it asked for your name on there, I wasn’t sure what to put.”
“William Kid.  I’ll just write it in myself.  Now, it’s just a formality, but would you come with me to the station?  You could do it tomorrow as well seeing as it is rather late, but it’s generally assumed that the sooner the better.”
“I leave for a vacation tomorrow.”  She said quietly.
“Then tonight might be in your best interest.”  She nodded and he held the door open for her as she climbed up on the horse.  He climbed up on his bronco and spurred it into a slow canter back towards town.  “I hope they didn’t rough you up too bad ma’am.” He said in with a light western drawl. 
“No sir, I’m feeling quite alright.”
“Good, I don’t like to see womenfolk like yourself caught up in the trouble brought on by the outlaws around these parts.  Makes a man sick down in the pit of his belly with them holding up a poor defenseless woman.”
“I’m not defenseless, I’ve got this.”  She pulled the small derringer from her saddlebag.  I had this with me, but they knocked my bag away before I could get a hold of it.”
“You should look into a fancier holder there, little lady.  Keep it on your person instead of a bag where it’s of no help to no one.”
“I suppose you’re right.”  She muttered, now starting to sulk.  She had at least had something to protect herself with, it wasn’t her fault. 
They sat in silence as they crossed the prairie into town.  They finally arrived at the Sheriff’s Office and he helped her off the horse and walked her into the old, wooden building.  She was asked a few basic questions, most of them she had already answered on the sheet.  She went about the task with a sort of determination.  She certainly wanted to just get back to the ranch; the hands were likely to worry if she didn’t return soon.  She gave a description of the desperados and was forced to wait while information was being processed.  They had her look at a small line-up of wanted posters and she tentatively identified two faces. 
“Would you like a ride back to your car?  It’s quite late.”  Officer Kid asked her. 
“No thank you, I don’t drive, and I would much prefer to walk.”  She wanted to establish her independence again somehow.  “I only live a short way from here anyway.” 
“Alright, but I still think you should have an escort.” 
“Fine, do what you like.”  She turned and walked out the door and back onto the streets followed by Officer Kid.  He turned toward his squad car and she turned back towards the apartment complex.  At least the police headquarters weren’t too far from her house. 
She walked down the roads, every once in a while checking to see if the police car was still following her.  It was, of course.  She sighed and flipped up the collar of her trench coat to deflect the torrential downpour of rain.   She kept thinking back on how things could have been different, been better.  Maybe if she had somehow managed to avoid those goons she wouldn’t have the bull on her tail.  A bicycle pulled up beside her. 
“Hiya doll, thought you‘d be home by now.”
“Well look who it is, the same goes for you Nathan.”  She replied as he stalled his bicycle and hopped off. 
“Nah, had business to take care of.  Nothing too tricky, but a little exercise after a job does the old ticker well.  Why are you out so late, you pop by a gin mill?”
“No speakeasies tonight.  I got mugged by couple of Maxwell’s big six.” 
“Damn.”  He pulled back, rather surprised.  “You ok?  Those types can really rough up a dame.”
“Yeah, I got out fine, course now I got a black and white tailing me home like a lost puppy."  She muttered and Nathan whistled. 
“Well good luck.  Since we’re headed for the same place, why not stay together, though I’ll dry up if you want.”
“No, you can stay.  It beats walking alone with the cops on my back.”
“Well alright.”  They walked together down the streets. 
“Why were you at the library earlier?”  She asked suddenly.  “That book you had wasn’t one of ours, you brought it in, and then you go and fall asleep.”  Nathan smiled.
“It’s not that hard to figure out.  I always saw you reading in the washroom and I saw you going into that little library a couple of times.  Had no idea you owned it.”
“So you were following me then, you some kind of dick?”
“Well yeah I was following you, and yeah I do work as a private dick in my spare time.  I wanted to get to know you better.”
“You were just looking for some nookie right?”
“Well I’d hardly be a man if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind, but I liked you.”  They arrived at the big grey building and walked through the open doors and to the stairs. 
“Well, you want some help with the bicycle?”  She asked him.
“Wouldn’t mind it.”  They dragged the bicycle up three flights of stairs in relative silence.  It was broken again by Nathan.  “This is your floor.”
“And how did you know that?”  She asked him, one hand going to her hip. 
“Private dick, it’s my job to know things.  And I also live three rooms down the hall.”  He smiled at her and she smiled back.  He took the opening.  “Hey, would you like to go on a date?  Maybe next Tuesday before the laundry?”
“I’d like to, really I would.  It’s just I’m heading out on a cruise tomorrow.  Just a chance to relax.  It’s been so long since I-“
“Hey, you don’t have to explain.”  He interrupted.  “Long business hours take their toll.”  He smiled at her.
“Well, I don’t leave until late afternoon, maybe you could come in for a little while tonight and we could talk.”  She offered.
“I’d like that.” 
She pulled her keycard from her bag and slid it in before entering the code to get into her small apartment.  She stepped inside and walked past the small pile of clothes in the corner, all cast offs that would not be joining her on the cruise.  Past the sink full of dirty dishes, I’m going to have to wash those before I leave tomorrow, she thought to herself.  She opened up the fridge and pulled out a half full container of Chinese takeout.  She tossed it into the microwave before walking over to her large bookshelf.  She scanned the titles and finally decided on Treasure Island.  The microwave beeped and she walked back into the half-kitchen.  She pulled out the box and a plastic fork from the drawer before heading over to her favorite chair.  Tomorrow was the start of a new chapter in her life.  The cruise was going to be her chance at finding someone who appreciated her and wouldn’t be put off by her wandering mind.  Even if she didn’t, it was still a cruise on a ship, another check on her life list.  She smiled, then opened the book and disappeared into the pages.
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.

It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations.

Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.
 Winston Churchill 

Fanservice?  What fanservice?  This is author service, I don't care if the fans like it or not.

Offline itw2009

  • Gold Donor
  • *********
  • Posts: 2191
  • Karma: 217
  • Gender: Female
  • your daily dose of skepticism
Re: The Librarian(not related to that one series)
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2010, 10:07:57 AM »
Ooh, I enjoyed this. And I actually caught on to what was happening the first time/story-travel-around; that's how well you differentiated speaking and personalities. ^^

this seems to make for a great short story... although i'd read something longer if you wrote it. ^^

i am going to suggest a more obvious change in scenery.... specifically, with a few more details, environment-wise... but i do like your descriptions. :) but especially if these are as vivid as chapters out of classic literature, you would do really well to address input from all five senses... i think it would draw the reader in even further.

anyway. a very enjoyable read. <3 C:
“The President and a small group of people know exactly what he meant."




Offline AcreLorraine

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 282
  • Karma: 23
    • Acres and acres
Re: The Librarian(not related to that one series)
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2010, 11:22:12 AM »
Thank you for the input.  I was trying to get it done and the original plan was for it to start at the beginning of her day.  Thanks to deadlines it was cut down and thanks to certain word amount restrictions it was shortened.  This was my first attempt at a fluid reality so I really appreciate the advice on the senses.  Now that the deadline is past I can go back and add things so hopefully I'll be able to create an updated version with more research into the settings I add in.
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.

It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations.

Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.
 Winston Churchill 

Fanservice?  What fanservice?  This is author service, I don't care if the fans like it or not.