Not Just Another Number

Christine's Trip To The Library

Christine's POV

Nancy pulls into the library parking lot. Without a word, she shuts off the car and climbs out, leaving Robin and I to follow. Robin jogs up to Nancy, trying to get her to explain everything again. "So, let me get this straight. Eddie's uncle Wayne thinks that Victor Creel escaped from Pennhurst Asylum and that he's the one running around committing there murders?" She asks, keeping pace with Nancy.

I walk behind them, waiting for Nancy's answer. Nancy gives Robin a tight-lipped smile, growing annoyed with Robin's question. "Pretty much." I walk a little faster as we climb up the stairs to the library. "But didn't he commit the eyeball murders back in the '50s?"

"Well, '59." Nancy corrects me with a tilt of her head. She opens the doors and walks in. Robin holds the door open for me, letting me go in first. I give her a small smile and a nod in thanks, to which she returns. I shake my head, trying to move past Robin's actions as I try to get more information out of Nancy. "So, that means these murders predate Eleven in the Upside Down by about 30 years?"

Nancy hums, not looking back at us as she walks up to the front desk. "Which makes spooky Victor Creel like 70 years old." Robin points out, growing a little skeptical. Nancy nods her head and rings the bell on the desk, trying to get the attention of a librarian.

Robin leans forward on the counter, propping her face in her hand as she looks up at Nancy. "So he's a grandpa murderer who can turn invisible and lift people into the air."

"It doesn't make sense. I know. That's why I said it was a shot in the dark." Nancy says, ringing the bell again.

"I know. I just thought that by 'shot in the dark,' you were being modest or hiding something super solid up your sleeve that you were gonna wow us with later. But this is like really, truly a shot in the dark. Like we are snipers with blindfolds on who've been spun around 50 times." Robin rambles as Nancy continuously rings the bell on the counter.

I look between the two, noticing a growing tense air around Nancy. I reach over and grab her hand, effectively cutting off the ringing noise. "I think what Robin was trying to say was that we kind of expected a little more to go off of." I try to calm her down, but it does nothing. So much for that, I guess.

Nancy rings the bell one final time as I move my hand, and it finally gets the attention of a librarian. "Coming!" She calls as she walks up to us, a stack of books in hand.

Nancy slaps on a sweet smile as she looks at the librarian. "Hi. Sorry, we're in a bit of a rush. Could we get the keys to the basement archives?" She asks.

The librarian offers her a sweet smile. "Well, I've already offered someone the keys, but I should have a spare. Give me one sec." She says before turning around and walking away. Someone else is in the basement archives? Huh, strange.

We stand in silence for a few seconds before Robin speaks. She turns to face Nancy directly, an awkward look on her face. "Did I come off mean or condescending or something?"

Nancy hesitates for a second before answering. "No." Robin stares at her before talking again. "Right. Sorry, it's just, you seem annoyed." Nancy shakes her head, not looking at Robin.

Robin begins to gesture wildly, trying to make peace with Nancy, even though she hadn't really done anything. "You don't know me well. I don't really have a filter or a strong grasp of social cues. So, if I say something that upsets you, just know that I know it's a flaw."

The librarian returns with the keys in hand, a large smile on her face that starts to fade as she listens to what Robin is still rambling about. "Believe me, my mother reminds me daily." I reach over and pat her arm, stopping her from continuing to ramble. She looks down at me, face a little red. She must be out of breath or something. I don't think she breathed the entire time she spoke.