Library, Thursday (December 8)

[wildandbrave]

The fog that seemed to envelop the entire island today was hardly enough, in and of itself, to cause Cosette much alarm. The strange creatures, on the other hand, and the sudden deterioration of many of the buildings in town?

Those things were more than enough to have her hurrying into the library early today in lieu of her morning walk, and making sure that the tables and chairs were arranged to accommodate a good-sized group of people. She was fairly certain she knew what to expect today, if past experience was any indication.

Comments

Re: Research (12/8)

[studyingfear]

Rufus arrived late, looking untouched and untouchable aside from a faint tightness in his eyes and around his lips. He glanced at Peridot--a glance that lasted a few moments too long--and then flung himself into research with a will.

He preferred for people not to know exactly how smart he was, just like he preferred that they not know how driven he could be, or what he knew, or who he knew, or... really anything at all. But today, he dispensed with his usual laxity and was deep into books with a will very quickly.

Despite his own formidable abilities at narrowing searches and locating information (at heart, Rufus was more than half a hacker) it was by accident that he found it, while stooping down to inspect a low shelf and his attention being caught by a small journal. It looked scorched around the edges and, peculiarly, was soggy to the touch.

Rufus grimaced as he picked it up. He was fastidious by nature and this was disgusting. But, because he was a good researcher and this journal looked out of place... he looked through it.

Dates were listed, up until the 5th of December. He couldn't find a year anywhere, but the dates that were still in the book began in October, and went weekly forward in time.

Most of the entries were illegible.

The first entry read: Decided to start documenting irregularities. The black is seeping into our soil now. Or is it seeping out of it? Patterns swirl upwards--

He gently peeled the pages apart from one another, leaning against the stacks, and went further through the journal. It wasn't long until he came across the fourth entry, which read:

I think the black is in the air now. Wasn't there a magic against this, once?

Rufus went through the rest of the book with his attention honed to that of a fine toothed comb, finding nothing, before coming out of the stacks, the journal splayed open in his hand.

"I think I've found something."

Because this was Rufus he said it matter-of-factly rather than urgently or loudly.