“I really appreciate all your help today,” Clara said. “Do you need any help to carry these back?”

“That’s thoughtful of you,” the librarian said. “Take that pile over there and follow me.”

“Happy to do it,” Clara said. “I’m Clara.”

“Dora,” the librarian answered.That name made her smile, for reasons that she would never say aloud. A dumb Dora this gal was not. This was another expression that routinely confused anyone she came across, save Evelyn.

The woman approached and focused on the screen. There was no sign of recognition in those eyes, which was not surprising given how much time had passed.

“Let me get that for you,” Clara said.

The print was too small to make out, so Clara reached for the controls. The librarian must have had the same idea, and their hands touched. They remained like that for several heartbeats, before making eye contact, blushing, and pulling away.

“Oh… go ahead,” the librarian said. “I’m sure you’ve had plenty of practice today.”

Clara’s eyes twinkled, and she winked. It had been a while since she last felt the gentle touch of another, even if it was accidental. She zoomed in and panned for a view of the article’s text.

She was thankful for the librarian being so accommodating. This was the last reel that contained records from that time frame, and there was enough time to run through… assuming no more screw-ups. Otherwise, she would need to come back in the morning… or break in.

“Thank you,” Clara said. “You’ve been the cat’s meow.”

Clara swivelled back towards the reader and missed the librarian’s reaction upon hearing that expression. As confusion faded from those features, the woman carted away some of the research material.

Meanwhile, Clara brushed against the knob just enough to move her forward an edition. Eventually, she came across a front page featuring the picture of a burning building, with a headline that read: MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION AT THE CUSTOMS BUILDING.

“Did you find what you’re looking for?” The librarian asked.

She took her hands off the controls and swivelled her chair in place. The features on the librarian’s face were strained, and those eyes were half-shut. Worst, there was nothing left of that beautiful smile she had on when Clara walked into the library.

Once the middle-aged woman realised that Clara was no better off, a faint imprint of that smile returned to those lips. At least I’m getting sympathy for what I’m putting myself through…

“None so far,” Clara said. “How long do I have?”

“I can give you another twenty minutes,” the librarian said. “I’ll save us some time by taking the rest of the microfilm back to the archives.”

A hundred years ago, she had been greeted by rusty sands and endless farmland. While the iconic red soil remained, the farmland had retreated from the shore. It was startling for her to come face-to-face with so many changes. 

She was tempted to head straight to that cathedral they were building when she first made landfall. However, the Tower would have moved the gateway many times since then. It was time to play it smart, do some research, and save herself the aggravation of chasing shadows.

“We have a pool going on how badly you’ll botch this,” Ethereal chimed.

“The odds aren’t good!” Sparky said with a giggle.

“Winner gets to annoy you for the rest of the week,” Silver said.

That night, Clara hitchhiked her way towards the ferry station. Given that sitting on the bed evoked vivid imagery of sleeping in an overflowing ashtray, she figured this was a better use of her time. It’s not like I need to sleep.

She enjoyed a late night meal at a steakhouse that several locals raged about. While waiting for her meal, she went online to secure a spot on the first ferry out in the morning. It was doubtful there was much demand, but this guaranteed her passage. 

As payback, Clara charged it to Evelyn’s credit card. The one they provided her, when they first agreed to a proverbial mutual defence pact. Since they already knew her general whereabouts and where she would end up, Clara might as well take advantage of the perks.

“Here’s to you,” Clara said while lifting her frosted mug of beer in the air.

She waited for the odours to dissipate before returning her focus to the phone. If she reached out for answers, that meant stepping through a door that was best left shut. That biscuit won’t cooperate unless I repay the favour.

“Heh,” Clara said. “That’s a rather fitting nickname for her.”

Biscuit was slang for a pettable flapper, or more appropriately a hedonistic young lady who would up for some fun. Evelyn certainly seemed to embody many of these elements. Perfect!

“I need to find out what Evelyn knows,” Clara said.

She leaned back in her chair, causing the scent of cigarette smoke to come out of the material. The nearest hotel to this bus depot only had smoking rooms available tonight. Everything she touched was greasy, even the walls had a tinge of brown, as the paint was impregnated with smoke.

“I like this place,” Ethereal said. “Reminds me of you.”

“It’s hard to believe that I used to spend my nights in gin joints hoofing the night away,” Clara said. “The smoke was so thick that it was blue. What colour were my lungs?”

She walked out of her bubble and left the room. Upon reaching an emergency exit, she pulled the alarm. The hotel was immediately bathed in a banshee’s shriek along with bright pulses of light. That would hopefully prompt people to evacuate. Clara pushed past the fire doors and found herself on the outside.

Less than a minute later, the sun broke over the horizon, and an orange flash appeared from within her bedroom. With any luck, the authorities would link Smiley with the altercation at the pub. Investigating that mess should keep them off my ass for a while.

“Do you know what’s going on?” an elderly couple asked.

The old woman was still in her nightgown. While Clara felt a twinge of guilt for the inconvenience, at least they were safe.

“I’m not sure,” Clara said. “I heard it was a man with a severe sunburn.”