Returning from the Card Catalog
The Black Void - Episode 428
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Book: Belch Charge Odes Author: Father Todd Outglass One Copy in Existence Copy 1 Status: Lost Please put this slip back in the slot when done reading. Thank you. Perhaps it's just inspired lunacy, but the next time I try just pressing a bunch of random keys. Sure enough, a slip comes out. Book: Nbvlo Wawedrer Author: Yhuulol Desax Two Copies in Existence Copy 1 Status: Lower left quadrant, Row 608, Shelf OGEI Copy 2 Status: Lower left quadrant, Row 608, Shelf OGEI Please put this slip back in the slot when done reading. Thank you. I give up. I'm not wasting any more time with these silly anagrams. Must be pure coincidence. "Come on, James. Let's get out of here." We get back on the tandem bicycle and start pedaling. Nothing happens. "Oh yes, the card," James reminds me. "You need to put it back." It wasn't like I was trying to steal the card for Belch Charge Odes or anything. I guess I had absent-mindedly put it in my bag when I decided to see if a bunch of random letters could form a book somewhere in the library. I put the slip back in the slot and make sure I don't have anything else in my bag that belongs to the catalog. Then we pedal down back to the main part of the library. He dismounts from the vehicle. "I guess I should be getting back to work," he says. I grin sheepishly at him. "I guess I should, er, figure out what's in this book." I turn around and starting walking in the opposite direction, toward what appears to be the nearest set of quiet rooms. "Wait!" I hear him yell. It's very loud, especially for such a quiet library. Indeed, I hear several shushes from various library patrons. I turn around and walk over to him. "Are you doing anything tonight?" he asks, much more softly. "Well, come to thing of it, there's several things I should be doing tonight. You know, like finding somewhere to sleep, and something to eat." "Oh, yeah. I was just hoping that..." his voice trails off as he turns around. "Wait, what?" "I was just hoping that, well, I'd like to hear what the book talks about." Awkward silence. "Tell you what, my place, seven o'clock, I'll get some food for us. How about it?" I'm a little uneasy about it, but he's about the one person I can trust in this new world. "Okay, I guess. Where do you live?" "Hotel California, Room 314127." I search my bag for a pen and a scrap of paper. "It's not that hard. It's just the first four digits of pi, then the first two of e. You can remember that. Just ask the guy at the front desk for directions." "Thanks," I say, though I don't know why. "See you then." Well, at least that takes care of my need to find something to eat tonight. Now to find somewhere to sleep...maybe I can convince the guy at the front desk to give me a room? Or maybe James can let me crash on the floor? James walks away toward the nearest help desk, while I turn around and resume my trek toward the quiet rooms. Upon reaching them, I turn around, scanning the vast library for any sign of him, but he has disappeared into the enormity of this place. I open the door, sit down at the desk, and engross myself in Mr. Flassot's Gold Cheer Beaches.
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unknown adventurer
2/23/2005 11:57:51 PM
Extending Enabled
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