The Mountain - IX

IX.

                Lana spent the better part of her day sifting and shifting through boxes of papers and books seemingly lost to time. The record keeping was terrible to put it bluntly before she started work there. She wondered if all those before her were like her coworkers, less than excited to be put in the dark and in charge of records, simply doing the bare minimum or less so in some instances until their time in purgatory was over. Instinctively owing to her penchant for order took to the job like a maid to a messy room. Picking up and tidying records, re-cataloguing, re-alphabetizing, redoing years of work. She had successfully fixed the past five years of records, in-between accepting new ones, and she felt good about the line that was drawn in the stacks. If you walked through the pathways from the entrance towards the back you could see where Lana had reached. The organization was night and day in appearance and accuracy. A point of silent pride, that she wasn’t awarded by others, she mused over each day as she walked past it. After Louisiana she had hoped to return to that project but this Miskatonic business was more pressing. Ever since the night at the bar and the encounter with the two men she was reluctant to spend any time outside of her home or the library storage if she could help it. Tatiana never tried to take her out, nor did Meredith. Carol attempted to have her out for drinks again but Lana made excuses.  All that was left was the requisition, which was proving difficult.

                Owing to the poor conditions of the transfer documentation most of the Miskatonic documents were spread about. Frankly the first time she laid eyes on the records from before 1940 it almost gave her a heart attack. Never venturing that far back for any reason she didn’t know the state of the records but it looked like a bomb went off. Papers were spilled about, boxes were knocked over, and documents from different transfers were mixed. She went through four boxes before she found her first relevant papers and those were simply receipts nothing of import. Neglecting to look at the clock until she ‘came up for air’, what Carol called when Lana emerged from the stacks after hours being at work, Lana noticed she had worked for five hours and was no closer to gaining the knowledge the head of Theology wanted.

                Thus far she had only dug up two things: A receipt of transfer outlying that five boxes were sent, but not saying what was in each box, those receipts would be placed inside the actual packaging; and a letter from the Dean of Admissions from Miskatonic outlying the reasoning for the closure. Lana set both things aside when she found them, bringing them with her as she emerged for her break. Her stomach grumbled as she set about getting her lunch. She sat and read the letter hoping that maybe it would detail what was sent but sadly it was very short and broad. A form letter that was sent to all the schools that received such items. The Dean lamented the closure of the school owing to ‘misrepresentation of deeds’ by the school board and the state board of education. Nothing more nothing less.

                The whole ordeal didn’t phase Lana. Since her hiring they had received materials from five defunct schools, six downsizings of schools, four schools hit by natural disasters, and one school that burned down. So gaining materials, old documents, books and other things from schools was a rather normal occurrence but something stuck out to her, aside from the run in she had the other night, that made this seem all the more peculiar. Like questions were being asked when normally records would fall to the wayside, much like how the records for this school got mixed in with so many others. If the texts and items received weren’t pertinent to courses at the time of arrival they’d be logged and stowed away for a future date resigned to collect dust and be forgotten. The useful and relevant things were put right into circulation without it spending so much as a week with Lana in storage. So why the hullabaloo about this school now? After almost twenty years of nothing?

                She returned to the mess she left and set about shifting some more. It took three more hours before she found the first intact box of items. A packing slip inside denoted the contents and she was finally able to get a sense of what was sent over that Theology might care about.

                In handwritten type were the names of five books:

1.       Anatomy and Physiology: A Supplemental Guide to Surgical Practices; Dr. Herbert West

2.       Seafaring Endeavors and Exploratory Marine Biology; Dr. Lawrence Williamson

3.       Birthplace of Gods: How the Cradle of Civilization Sparked Religion; Dr. Oskar Uritsky

4.       Necronomicon; Abdul Alhazred

5.       The Secret Doctrine, the Synthesis of Science, Religion and Philosophy; H.P. Blavatsky

                Lana recognized only one name, H.P. Blavatsky. Being of Polish descent and knowing the wives tales spread from the old country the old bat Helena Blavatsky was known by the superstitious. Lana’s mother had a copy of this particular book in her home. The other’s however she had no idea. She flipped through the box but found a couple books were missing. Namely the Necronomicon, which she remembered is what the head of Theology was asking about and Anatomy and Physiology. The box was beaten up and worn as if it had been ripped apart. Lana seemingly finding what she needed returned to the desk where Carol sat reading a magazine.

                Lana pulled up the rolodex and reached for the phone.

                “Need me to call someone?” Carol asked.

                “No, just following up on the Theology Department’s requisition.  

                “Oh?” Carol said leaning over. 

                “I can make the call, don’t worry about it.” 

                Lana pulled the phone as far away as possible from the desk and placed it on a table. She flipped through the rolodex found the number she needed and gave them a call. A woman picked up. Lana mentioned the name of the man who made the request and she patched her through.

                “Hello?”

                “Yes, this is Svetlana from records,” Lana said shifting the phone from one ear to the other pulling out the packing slip, “I had a requisition to find some information.”

                “Oh yes, have you found what I asked for?”

                “Yes and no.”

                “What do you mean?”

                “I found a box of materials sent from Miskatonic dated October 1937, the year the school was made defunct but of the five items on the packing slip only three are present.”

                “Where they stolen?”

                “No sir, they were most likely sent to a relevant department for immediate use. Though since the records are so old I can’t tell where or when they were moved. For that I’d have to check internal records.”

                “Internal records?”

                “Yes, records housed at the individual department. We might have it here but it would be easier to check where they were sent. And since you asked I assume at least one was sent to you.”

                “What items were listed?”

                Lana read him the list.

                “The Necronomicon is what I was asked about. Is that not there?”

                “No.”

                “So it might be here? I feel like I’d know if it was.”

                “I can check the records if you’d like.”

                “Yes, yes. I’ll call my contact and let them know the progress.”

                The phone clicked off. Lana placed the receiver down and noticed Carol was eavesdropping.

                “Did you find what you were looking for?” Carol asked here eyes wide with anticipation.

                Lana raised an eyebrow. Carol was never this curious.

                “No, well yes, but no. I have to check theology and the school of medicine for receipts.”

                “So the books aren’t back there?”

                “They appear to be in circulation, why?”

                “Just curious, don’t mind me.”

                Lana gave Carol a look that she didn’t seem to notice and put the phone back.

                “I’ll be heading to theology if you need me.”

                “Fine, fine. See you later.”

                Lana couldn’t help but think something was up with Carol. In all the time she knew her she was never this friendly or curious about Lana’s work. She was less touchy than the others, a little more easy going, but still one who wanted nothing more than to leave. But all of a sudden, with this request, she was more excited and inquisitive. It made Lana uneasy. The same feeling of unease that she felt at the bar, not only from the men that confronted her, but the gaze in Carol’s eyes. That look, that piercing look. Lana tried to dismiss it as simply an effect of the alcohol but that look wasn’t the absent stare of a drunk it was the concentrated look of someone stone cold sober. Carol didn’t have that look today but the questions and the feigning of curiosity or worse yet the genuine curiosity seemed out of character. If anything, Lana would be happy when she could put this requisition behind her and get back to her normal work.

                Lana entered the theology department and was directed to the records closet. Thankfully for her the staff in this department did a better job at storage and logging so finding what she needed would be easy. All she had to do was find the correct dated log, sift through some forms, and find the corresponding log transfer if indeed the book was sent to this department for use. She pulled out the first drawer of sheets and started looking. The clerk at the desk was very nice, a young man, and even offered to help her out in looking. She refused but felt glad that she wasn’t immediately hounded like she was by Tatiana or Meredith. Maybe she would like a transfer to be a record keeper in an actual department. She thought about it as she flipped through forms dated in the early 1940’s. Then she thought that she enjoyed her current work, she just didn’t like her co-workers so if only she could find a way to either be all alone or greeted by someone nice.

                Her thoughts eclipsed her mind and she started absentmindedly flipping which she didn’t notice until she flipped all the way past the 1930’s. She had to start over but found the right section quickly. Like she suspected there was a form denoting that the book the Necronomicon was sent to theology for use in “mythology courses” as written on the form. So if anything it was floating around somewhere in the department. She withdrew the form and went back to the man at the desk to ask a few questions.

                He was a few years younger than Lana, early twenties from what she could tell. He had a bright smile and blue eyes. His demeanor was very inviting and she wished that maybe he could work down with her. She wouldn’t mind being greeted by that face every day.

                “Hi.” Lana squeaked.

                “Hello again, did you find what you needed?” the man asked with a smile.

                Lana nodded.

                “I just have to ask a question. Do you keep a record of where books are at any given moment?”

                “Well not exactly. We do house certain materials here that are used sporadically for teaching purposes. They can get loaned out and we log that.”

                “Can I see that?” Lana was a bit confused. Couldn’t the head of Theology simply walk down to his records office and look this up himself?

                “Sure.”

                Lana flipped through and noticed that indeed they wrote down the book, the borrower, the class they taught, and how long the book would generally be needed for. The man mentioned that some teachers were a little late on returning but they never had any issues before of not getting something back. The last time that the Necronomicon was borrowed was five months ago by a Professor Harris Templeton.

                “Why not just look at this log?” Lana mused.

                “Hmm?” the man heard her.

                “Oh, its just that your department head called about looking for records on this book,” Lana tapped the log, “why not just look here?”

                The man flipped the log around and looked. He shrugged.

                “Just seems strange to send me on a wild goose chase when the notes are here.”

                “To tell you the truth Dr. Stendige doesn’t often come here, probably doesn’t even know that we have books here. Probably thought it was logged away down there.”

                “I suppose. Thanks for your help.”

                “Robert, I’m Robert.” Robert said smiling.

                “Lana.” Lana flushed and walked away. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and she thought about him as she left to go find this book.

                Get it together Lana, he’s just being nice. Lana thought trying to calm herself down. Although she was definitely willing to come back to theology if just to see him again. For now though she still had a job to finish. Tracking down this book and reporting it.

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