From Darkness It Comes

Looking for the Dark Names

"We should hurry." Darrin says, quickly grabbing some things and shoving them into his backpack. "When does the library close?"

Lisa stands up and grabs her things, to follow him out the door. "On a Sunday? A week before classes have even started? I think it's like around seven or eight. So if we hurry we might have a little time to look around."

"Great, let's go."

The two of them quickly make their way out of the dorm and towards the library in the waning sunlight of the day. Darrin has a determined grimace on his face and is walking briskly. Lisa watches him worriedly as she follows quickly behind him. "Do you actually think the library here will have anything on these strange names?"

Darrin grunts with mild annoyance. "It's the only place we have to look right now. Besides, if we don't get there before they close it won't matter."

Lisa nods in agreement behind his back but says nothing.

They get to the library and are informed by the young librarian in the main hall that they only have about a half an hour before the library is closing. Darrin simply waves a hand at her to note that he heard her and keeps walking towards the back stairs. Lisa smiles and shrugs to the girl, but quickly follows Darrin.

He remembered there was a place in the basement of the library where the old records and manuscripts are kept locked up in a protected section, behind locked doors and metal and chain-link walls. You have to check your things with the librarian and sign in before you can even enter. You even have to be let out once you are done, but can't take any books with you unless a senior staff member allows it. If these names are going to be anywhere it's there.

It takes him a short while to find a library worker down there that can let him in and then he is told that they only have about twenty minutes. They leave their things on the table outside the small open study room surrounded by the chain-link walls and only take notepads and pens in with them. The librarian wanders past every few minutes to check on them, but says nothing.

The two of them are quickly trying to paw through any books that look like they might be about ancient names or beings or the occult, but in the limited time they have they mostly only find old history books and manuscripts from famous locals. It seems fruitless with the limited time they have to work on it and Darrin grows more agitated by the minute.

"Isn't there someplace else we could look?" Lisa tries to keep her voice as calm and soothing as possible, while still looking through books to not waste any time in here. "Like some kind of book dealer or magic shop or something. Are there any fortune tellers or tarot readers around here?"

Darrin looks up, annoyance on his face at first but it quickly shifts to an expression of thought. "I saw an occult shop in town called Twilight Forever Books. That's a great idea. They would have a better chance to know than here."

Lisa smiles. "Good, then we can head down there after this. If they are still open, that is."

"We can head down there either way. If they are not open we can see if they have something up in the windows that might give us ideas of where else to look or call."

"Plus, while downtown we can get something to eat."

"Yeah. Sure. If they are closed." Darrin sounds distracted and distant as he keeps frantically looking through book after book.

"Right." Lisa's voice is not at all comforting with this last word.

Soon enough the librarian comes to the door and says, "I gave you some extra time, but I really have to ask you two to leave now. We need to close things down for the night."

Darrin and Lisa stack what they have currently out into somewhat neat piles and leave the room. After grabbing their things they head out of the library into the dim light of the purpling sky above.

"So, are we heading into town?"

"Yeah." Darrin then suddenly stops walking for a moment and looks at Lisa. "Wait. We could always try and find Mr. Stark and find out from him. We know where his place is now, at least."

Lisa shudders a little. "Like he would tell us anything."

"He might if we confront him with what happened and the names. It might just be our best bet."

"Whatever you choose, I'll go along, but I'd rather it was the book store."