Sympathy For the Devil

21

Bennett reluctantly left at six as he planned. A few angry texts in all caps from his mom sent him heading for the door.

Luke left to make sure my family was safe with Charlie. Charlie said he plans to leave tomorrow at the crack of dawn for California again and won't be back until Christmas's month long break. He already had to miss a day of class just by coming here since he won't get back until late tomorrow.

All that was left was the librarian Leprechaun, whose name I found out was Gwendolyn, Killian, Ogma, and me.

I had a feeling we were in for a long night since most of these stodgy books are in Gaelic script and my translations are delayed as my mind stitches the strewn words together until my brain makes sense of them. We have been searching through texts since one. It's been five hours of searching until my eyes grew fuzzy and heavy.

"I need a caffeine break," I spoke as I shoved the book aside.

"Careful," Ogma called as he stopped the book swiftly and held it gingerly in his hands. "These books are as old as dirt. It's best not to be too harsh with them."

Killian lazily flipped a page. At this point, I questioned if he was reading the material or timing when he would flip the page to keep up the appearances of being helpful. He stifled a yawn. "I'm down for a break too. This book is extremely dense. And to think, I thought I escaped textbooks when I died."

"And we've gotten nowhere." I spoke under my breath. "Absolutely nowhere."

"Nowhere yet." Ogma chimed in in an angelic voice. "We can pick it up tomorrow, if you like."

"I'd like to know what we are searching for?" I asked as I put a coffee mug under the Keurig. Gods and Goddesses apparently need caffeine too because this Keurig is the only thing from this century in this room of collected dust.

"That's the pickle that we are in. This is a newfound issue. The solution might not be as easy to sift through."

Killian slammed his book shut as a layer of dust blew out from the sides. "Then why are we searching at all when we can just find the little Sluagh bitch and rip her shriveled up heart out. All we are doing is wasting time. We are stalling." Killian growled as Ogma glared at him.

"Wounding my precious books is a sure way to lose my help."

"Your books are useless." Killian spoke snidely as he sneered.

I drank my coffee to dull the bags clearly forming under my eyes.

"Yet, you're still here. You have been for hours, why give up now?" Ogma pointed out.

Killian's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "I'm here for Ellie," he growled. "I'm not going to let anything happen to her. Not again."

"Really?" I asked as I looked up at Killian.

"Don't make a big deal out of it or anything, but yeah." He admitted.

Killian does have a heart. Who'd have thunk it?

I hid the smile behind my coffee cup.

Killian groaned. "And there you go making a big deal out of it." He grumbled as his hair fell in his face and he buried his head on the table.

"Me? Nuh-uh. It's just nice that your heart is showing." I smiled warmly.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it. It's like an every blue moon type of thing."

"The library is closing. Budget cuts and all." Ogma announced. "I would allow you to stay, but it seems like it might be a liability since you all are book chuckers. We open tomorrow morning at six A.M. if you want to come back then. You have my permission to use my special collections as long as I am supervising you."