Keen's Turn: The Vampire's Appeal

Chapter 6: Wooden Stares (first quarter)

✶✝ Shh. It's not moon time yet, but here's the start of chapter 6...

In the interest of getting this story out before one or both of us dies, I have decided to keep podcast episodes at quarter chapters but cut back on freelance work and make these quarter chapter releases bi-moonly (yes! meaning twice a moon) or, hopefully, better. Starving artist life, here I come. Wish me luck. ✶✝

On Friday morning, Jared schlepped himself to work, going over and over his next move. While his computer took its sweet time booting up, he went to bother Sue.

He assumed she hadn't found any more vampire material on either of the entries he had flagged in her files, but knowing her adeptness at research, he figured this didn't rule out there being any.

"You didn't find any follow-up on the cornfield massacre thing?"

She shook her head. "There were no more articles with the 'vampire' keyword."

"That...doesn't mean there wasn't follow-up."

"Oh. Well I guess not."

He tried her on the other source. "What about the guy who found a body in the woods, from the online diary? Didja read the book that was from?"

She shrugged. "Of course I looked at it, but the rest of it was boring. Just that one reference."

"That was at the Brooklyn Public Library?"

"I think? Oh, yeah, central branch. They only had one copy."

Jared frowned at the nearest clock. If he left for the library directly after work, he'd have only a small window to locate the book and check it out before closing time. Finding articles on a possible vampire massacre in a cornfield two centuries ago might take hours, assuming there was anything to be found, whereas the book he knew existed. So Jared opted for the library.

He stopped at a phone booth on the way and punched in Judy's number—he'd need tonight to review the book. He should really cancel on Rose, too—take the day to try to find more material—but given how important tomorrow was to her...he'd rather face the vampire's fangs than that phone call.

Judy didn't answer, and the machine picked up.

"Uh...hi, it's me. I—I can't make it to dinner tonight. Sorry. I...oh, I've got some work I gotta take care of. I'll see ya next week." Hoping this last was true, he hung up the phone.

The train was late coming into the station nearest the library, and he hurried toward the plaza and up the steps of the old building. The central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library was an open book, limestone pages spread in twin wings branching off the curved spine, whose doors admitted readers into a three-story foyer presided over by bronze giants of American literature. Jared had spent countless hours here, whether escaping from school or home, his cold apartment, or life in general.

There was only one hit in the catalog for The Weiss Diaries, with nothing further by the listed author, and he quickly found the book and brought it to the checkout desk.

"Books are due back in three weeks," the librarian informed him, stamping the book's card.

"I knew that before, so I guess I renew it."

"You can renew it before the three weeks are up if there are no holds on the book."

"That's binding, is it? Got it covered. That is if I don't check out first..."

"What?"

"Sorry, I tend to overdue it. I'll shelve this and book it outta here."