Library, Thursday

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

"We are the hollow men/We are the stuffed men/Leaning together/Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!" The book Anemone was toting around was large and dusty as she did a pirouette with it. "Our dried voices, when/We whisper together/Are quiet and meaningless/As wind in dry grass."

She'd fed Special Collections cupcakes again, and a book had fallen off a shelf at her. Anemone figured it was bored and wanted to be read.

"Or rats' feet over broken glass/In our dry cellar."

[OOC: OCD got distracted by cupcakes and I did not spend all morning thinking it was Wednesday. Hush.]

Comments

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"Shape without form, shade without colour," came Henry's voice from his office. "Paralysed force, gesture without motion."

He popped his head out, looking mildly concerned. "You're quoting. Are there more rough beasts slouching this-a-way?"

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

Anemone held up the book (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hollow_Men). "It was lonely and tried to follow me out," she explained. "No hollow men trip-tripping in the aisles. At least, none that I saw."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

Henry shook his head in relief. "Eliot," he explained. "He was a needy one ... y'know, I think you're the only person on staff who can go back into Special Collections without anything horrible happening."

It was a trait he clearly appreciated.

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

"It tries things, sometimes," Anemone admitted. "I think it's just used to me by now; it's been three years."

It was also used to her disturbing tendency to bite back when things happened, and Special Collections wasn't stupid.

"Imminent death and destruction will usually be heralded by Yeats or Noyes. Or Milton. I like Milton."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"Who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image, but thee who destroys a good book, kills reason its self.,'" Henry quoted at her. "Good choice. Maybe I should start going back more and let it build up its tolerance to me."

No, he didn't sound like he relished the idea.

"You aren't going to stay a librarian when you leave," he asked. "Are you?"

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

She shook her head, tendrils of pink hair flying about her face. "Home and a return to flight command," she replied. "We don't have libraries, not like this. All media, print and otherwise, has been tightly controlled for hundreds of years."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"That's horrible," Henry said, before he could convince himself not to. "World's losing a damned good librarian, far as I can tell."

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

Anemone shrugged, un-offended at his comment. "Every generation has its own revolution, right?" she asked. "I was a part of the last revolution, but it wasn't mine. Maybe my part of creating change is to institute a literacy and culture requirement for people serving under my command."

"We just made a brave new world. Maybe I'll start by lending my personal library out of a box in my apartment, but I doubt it will be too long before new books start to grow and collect together."

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"They do seem to like doing that," Henry said. "At least, that's how I rationalize my apartment. I don't buy nearly as many books as show up."

He smiled at her, slightly. "Take anything from here that you want. We can replace it."

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

"I could deplete the whole collection," Anemone said, doing her best to stay completely serious. "What if I took the big monster book out of Special Collections? The one that bites?"

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

"Anemone, do you want to take an attack book on a spaceship?"

It struck him as a totally reasonable question.