Day 35: The Bookworm
[ Coming from here.]
Claire stepped into the bookstore, relieved to be out of the chilly autumn air. Her sweater was warm, but the weather outside was still cool, and she guessed it had to be very late autumn, at the very least. Where were they? And when ( Read more... )
Claire stepped into the bookstore, relieved to be out of the chilly autumn air. Her sweater was warm, but the weather outside was still cool, and she guessed it had to be very late autumn, at the very least. Where were they? And when ( Read more... )
He continued to browse the shelves and frowned at the lack of non-fiction. "It seems as though they're all on the same subject." Crane had no desire to read up on the occult, so he moved on to the fiction section. They may not have had much in the way of non-fiction, but it seemed as though the other was quite the opposite. It couldn't hurt to find a book to read, in order to keep his nurse happy when he chose not to attend the activities.
There was something interesting lying around, at least. The Island of Doctor Moreau. About playing god, if he remembered correctly, among several other things. Crane smirked slightly as he pulled the book off the shelf and gave it a look over. If he were able to manage to take it with him, it could be worth a read.
After approximately a minute, he glanced back over at his companion. "Has anything caught your eye?" he asked pleasantly.
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"No. No, nothing that's particularly of interest." Vlad smiled in response, his eyes passing over the title of the book Crane had picked out thoughtfully. "Or at least... nothing that's worth the effort, I suppose I should say."
Even if a little light reading of this worlds' idea of the supernatural or the afterlife might be entertaining, his choices would be to steal the book or to try and charm whoever was in charge here into giving it to him. Far too blocky to hide with ease, even if he picked up one of the other paperbacks. And if he got it legitimately, he would have to explain it again to the nurses when he got on the bus, and risk having it taken anyhow. That would be... embarrassing.
He looked around one more time. So many stacks of books, but it was no larger than his own library at home, and it would be easy enough to make the haystack simply hay, supplying poor non-fiction or fiction without any modern indications to keep the setting vague as usual. "Actually, to tell you the truth, I'm a little hungry. I believe one of our coupons was for food... if you don't mind my exit, I believe I'll attempt to find whatever is not 'Tasty Burger.'"
Odd, it hadn't seemed as though he'd browsed long... well, breakfast had been light.
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Crane glanced back down at the book in his own hands, then returned it to the shelf after a moment's consideration. There were other things to look at, and he didn't know if he'd really be able to take it back with him or not, but it couldn't hurt to try talking to the store's manager and see what he could learn.
"Of course, Mr. Masters. I understand perfectly," Crane replied after a moment, giving the man a smile. Really, he was getting to be rather hungry, as well, but he could wait. He was simply too fascinated with the older books here. Maybe he'd find a short story collection with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow inside if he looked long enough. "Perhaps we can speak again another time? It's been nice to make your acquaintance." It would be a shame to lose his companion, but Crane could always search him out back at the Institute. He seemed to be making the acquaintances of more pleasant and refined people of late, and he would prefer to remain in touch with them. Perhaps later he would go find Kristoph.
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With a polite nod and wave, Vlad began to ease his way out of the now-crowded bookstore. Odd to see so many patients here interested in finding reading materials--but it was unlikely that they were all here for that purpose. After all, it was the first building one reached if one took the direct route, and conveniently crowded and narrow to provide just a hint of privacy from the nurses around them. If he'd had anything of significance to say to Dr. Crane other than pleasantries, he might have felt more comfortable doing so here, though he had no doubt the Institute had its own eyes here in more than the obvious form of the nurses.
Finally stepping outside, it took little intelligence to choose 'left,' considering the town seemed to end at a park to his right.
[to here]
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