Orne Library

MARCUS & JO
Robert holds Jo's gaze for a long moment, then turns back to the book bag. "These are not normal books." He says quietly.

He caresses the worn leather bag with something like reverence ... or dread.

"It's hard to explain. They ..." he drags his hand across his face as if trying to clear confusion. "The words are dangerous. Hard to read. Not just what they say ... its how they say it."

He sits back and slowly opens the bag. One by one, he removes the books and lay them out on the table in front of Jo.

"I can't let you keep them." He says looking up sharply at Jo. "They were expensive. Too expensive. My parents are going to kill me when they find out."

He finally pulls his hand back, letting the books go tentatively. "Read them here."

Marcus's question draws his attention. "Knew them?" His jaw tightens. "Yes, I knew them."

He pauses, considering his words. His expression distant. "I was going to ask Daphne to marry me."

He drains the rest of his whiskey with a single swallow and sits back, his eyes closed, fighting emotion.

After a beat, he opens his eyes. They're wet now, but any softness is gone. He leans forward, his face hard and intense. "I need to find her!" he hisses. "I'm going back there. I won't give up."

JO
It's difficult to give any of the books a serious reading. The atmosphere is loud and smoky. There's also the challenge of not having enough time to give any of the books more than a few minutes of attention.

The first book, Isis Unveiled, is actually part of a two volume set - the first focused on Science, the other on Theology. It dealt with topics such as mesmerism, psychometry, the beings who inhabit ethereal space, and talismans.

The next book was Demoniality. It appears to be a 17th-century theological treatise that explores the sexual interactions between humans and demonic entities.

The final tome titled the Discoverie Of Witchcraft is an exhaustive record of 16th-century beliefs regarding spirits, alchemy, and the occult.

---

MARCUS
"Yes!" Robert says enthusiastically. "With enough time, I know I can find her."

He leans in closer, the whiskey forgotten. His expression hard and serious. "I'm trying to get a group together to go back and search. I've got a few friends, but not enough to make any headway. If I could convince Professor Harrold to organize another trip ..."

He pauses and leans back. The energy seems to sap from him. "... he thinks it's a bad idea. He's not ready to send more students out, even with supervision." He sighs and signals the bartender for another shot. "I was just hoping to get enough people out for a good search."

---

ELLIS
Given that the original research project was set up to catalogue the folklore of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont - books on New England History seemed like a good place to start. The Orne is world-renowned for its collection of New England histories and original colonial documents.

During his search, Ellis noted a sheet of scrap paper in one of the books. It appears to be a recount of something read or heard.

"At times late at night I seen weird lights and heard strange
sounds coming from the hills. I believe there’s a way into Hell up
there. I’ve heard growling like a mad dog, bleating like a sheep,
buzzing like mosquitoes. Hell, I even heard singing a few times,
as if someone was at the Devil’s own church. Sometimes it looks
like there’s fires up there, other times it looks like one of those new
electric flashlights, but real big and changing color."

The checkout card had Daphne Devine listed as the last person to borrow this volume.

"A few hours outside of Arkham." Robert says, trying to contain his excitement. "I was planning to go just for the weekend."

He leans forward, fingers tight around his glass. "We searched the obvious places, but I was hoping to talk to people in town. Someone in Cobb's Corners knows something. They have to."

Frustration crosses his face. "If Professor Harrold can arrange another research project, then he can offer extra credit. We'd get a decent sized group - probably a full week. We could get so much more done."

He looks Marcus in the eyes. Intensity - almost desperation. "If I secure transport, and arrange a place to stay, will you come? Will you help? Just for the weekend. We'll talk to people. See what we can find."

He looks from Marcus to Jo, and back. Waiting for a response.

Robert's eyes are steady - clear enough, though the alcohol has started to take hold. There's no madness. He appears to believe it completely.

Robert's expression darkens at Marcus's questions. "What do you mean 'did she reciprocate'?"

He straights sharply, the chair scraping against the concrete floor. His voice rises above the murmur of the room. "Did someone say something different? She has feeling for me too - no one can say different! We have a connection."

A few patrons glance over. The bartender coughed audibly. Robert blinks and looks over at her. He sinks back down onto his chair, raising a hand to signal his apology.

"Look." He said, his voice lower and more tempered. "I am doing what I can to get her back. Daphne is remarkable. Clever. Strong willed. Beautiful ... you just don't forget someone like that."

He gathers the books and starts placing them in his book bag. "Professor Harrold set up the research project to catalogue the folklore of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont."

He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Another Professor tried to kill it. He was very concerned about sending students up to Cobb's Corners. Claimed it was unsafe. Funding vanished overnight. Professor Harrold had to scrape together new funding."

Robert picks up Demonality, staring at the worn cover. "All of these books have some essence of truth to them. I'm just trying to ... understand. There is something weird happening in Cobb's Corners. I think Daphne is caught up in it somehow."

He closes the book bag slowly, the energy seemed to sap out of him. "I know you don't owe her anything. I'm just asking for some help. Can I count on you two?"

"No. Not Dr. Armitage."

Robert leans, lowering his voice. "Professor Harrold wouldn't say who it was. But from the way he spoke, this other Professor encountered something dangerous in those hills. It wasn't wildlife. Something very strange happened up there."

He pulls the book bag closer. "I've been trying to figure out what it might be. Old folklore, local legends - anything that points to the area, but I'm grasping at straws. The people in Cobb's Corners know more than they're saying."

Robert gives Marcus a slow nod. "I hadn't thought of that." He admits. "My only caution is that the Sheriff is a strict teetotaler and takes the law quite seriously. We'll need to be careful he doesn't find out."

At Jo's request, Robert looks down at the book bag and pauses, considering. He arcs an eyebrow at a thought. "I tell you what." He says. "If you come along to Cobb's Corners, you can take as much time as you like with the books."

He leans back, fatigue visibly settling over him. "I ought to turn in."

Robert pushes back from the table and rises. "I've got to make some arrangements. If I can manage it, my next trip will be the weekend after next."

He gathers his coat. "Let me know if you're interested."

"Ride back to the school?" He asks.