This choice: Time to get paid and get out. • Go Back... "Those who die will be forever."??
What the fuck could that mean? Just more weird superstitious, mumbo jumbo. you think and start to close the book, but Melody's mind stops you.
Too much coincidence. it screams out. The binding. The writing. The blank pages. There's got to be a connection!
You find a piece of paper and copy those last statements so you can go over them later with the Libras. There's no way you can sneak this book out in the small purse you brought, so you take the book and carefully slip it back in place.
There's little else you can do in the library. It didn't have any great revelations that you hoped, except for that last book, although you, or rather Melody, needs some time to see if those phrases will really help. It's been almost two hours here, and you don't want to stay any longer even if Blackwell mentioned the books may take a while. It's creepiness is really getting to you.
You take your purse and head down the hall to the study's doors and rap lightly as Melody's timid self would do. When there is no answer after ten seconds, you try again a little harder. You hear the rustle of paper and then a few seconds later Blackwell tells you to come in.
"You were right Professor Blackwell. That pile did take me a bit longer than I thought." you say softly never making eye contact. Then nervously add, "I did have to do a couple things over, so it really was only an ..."
"Nonsense, Melody. The time it took, whether corrections or not, is the time I hired you for." his tone is exceptionally friendly as he gets up and comes around his desk. It is so different than any time before, almost like it isn't really him.
~ ~ ~
The wad of bills he gives you fills your small purse, so you decide to go by the college bank branch Melody uses and deposit some of them. That would also help your guilty conscious of the money you "borrowed" from Melody last week to get started. The bank ATM and night deposit is on your way to the library where you had left your pack in the locker you rented for a dollar. The college thinks it is a better idea to have those in the lobby so students don't make off with library books and materials hidden in backpacks.
You forget about Blackwell's earlier guest as you walk back to campus thinking more on the cash and what your next steps should be with the new bit of info plus why Chelsea and Lisa are acting so weird. Blackwell may still be using them to get the book from you. He seems a lot less scary now and definitely less than ... his guest. Then you remember and glance around to make sure no one is sneaking up on you. You now start feeling edgy and nervous and wish you didn't have to walk back alone, at night. There is no way you want to be confronted by that person tonight especially being mild, weak Melody right now
There is a bit of traffic along the well lit avenue. You even pass a few others walking home from the last classes probably going to one of several of the older, large homes closer in that are now boarding houses with rooms rented to students. Only a few actually remain as a single home like Blackwell's. They're all just a reminder of Saratoga Falls hey-day.
The shadows grow and shrink as you move between the street lights. There is a slight breeze putting a chill on the air. It makes the trees shush with their leaves as if the shadows are trying to tell everything to stay quiet as they watch you pass. No people or cars are passing by the time you are a block from campus. The last street light flickers off and then very slowly warms back only to die again. Each time, the shadows change and move trying to get closer. You know it's nothing only that you've changed position while the light is out, but you shiver anyway telling yourself it's really from the cool breeze.
As you turn into the campus walk and look back down the street where you just came, you see a car without lights on that is barely moving, about at walking pace, ... following you? At least that's what shoots into your head when you recognize the dark sedan. It is the one from earlier in front of Blackwell's. You pick up your pace as you take the path across the green glad that there are many pedestrian walks separate and away from the roads on campus.
~ ~ ~
The student center is still a beehive of activity as you make your way to the bank branch. You don't even try the ATM card you borrowed from Melody last week. From her memory you know that she discovered it gone and had it canceled, though she never checked her balance. You take a deposit slip and envelope and put on the account number from the withdrawal receipt you still have in the purse. With that done, you head back towards the library to retrieve your pack before taking a cab to the clubhouse. You don't want to spend another cold night there, but it's too late to switch with any of your golems.
As you stroll around to the library front, you see just off to the side of the entrance ... Melody and Omeko! You make an immediate U-turn looking around to make sure no one sees, and then you slide between the bushes and find a place well concealed where you can watch.
They are facing each other holding hands as they talk and laugh sometimes swinging their arms together and stepping back and forth. Suddenly Omeko gives Melody a quick peck on the cheek and then turns and heads towards the parking lot while Melody goes into the library. You consider whether you should go in and refill your mask of Melody with her evening's adventures with Omeko, but decide it would be too risky. It's also too risky to go into the lobby now and retrieve your things from the locker since someone might notice two Melody's going through so soon.
It only takes a few minutes until you see Melody come back out carrying her book bag. Instead of heading off towards her dorm, she just stands there looking around, checks her cell phone, then looks around some more as if waiting. Sure enough in only a couple minutes, Omeko comes briskly walking up to her carrying a small bag. Melody points to the path towards her dorm and they head off that way. Just before they disappear around a corner, you see them take each others hand and you recognize the bag Omeko has. It's the one she used to bring to your house when your aunt and uncle would go out of town and she would stay in your guestroom overnight using the bag for her personal items and change of clothes.
OMG! ... Is she ...? Are they ...?"
You search Melody's memories but can find nothing except, ... except ...
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