Tabitha & Camme, Monday Afternoon

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Cammie goes looking for more reading material and ends up, oddly enough, in the library.

Being back in the library was rather like sliding into an old pair of pants that had never quite fit right. She stared around the stacks of shelves, trying to figure out just what was wrong.

"So um...." Cammie started, she had managed to find her way to the library. She was still getting used to this place, "This is where someone can get a book, right?"

Tabitha turned a crooked smile on the new girl. Or she may not be so new, just new to the librarian. "Actually, we learn by osmosis here. You're allowed to STARE at the books for twenty minutes a day."

"Oooh, learn by staring. That's high tech and fancy. I thought I'd eat a few books instead and learn that way," Cammie returned grinning. "But seriously, I don't need a card or anything do I?" Books tasted horrible.

The older woman grinned. "You got your school ID? That's all you need," she explained. "There anything in particular you're looking for? Fiction, non-fiction, mindless trash?"

"Not yet. I'm not even sure if you can really call me a student. But I'm living here, and I like mindless trash, of the fictional and non-fictional varieties," Cammie said helpfully.

"Hmmm," Tabitha studied the girl for a moment. "What's your name kid? I'm Tabitha, assistant librarian." She walked over to the circulation desk for a pen and slip of paper. "I'll just write it and the book you pick down to keep track for when you do get one."

"I go by Cammie," she offered. When it came down to it, her full name just sounded weird to her now. "And that sounds like a good fix. So... when it comes to mindless trash, whaddya got?"

Tabitha looked around with a bemused smile. "I really dont' know. I've been gone a while," she explained. She moved to a wall. "If they haven't moved things around, this is the regular fiction, YA fiction is next, then books for little kids. We keep the romance across the room as not to traumatize the little ones. Sci fi..." She trailed off, trying to remember.

"Don't worry about Sci-fi," Cammie said, "I have enough problems with toasters as to not want to bother with robots. We're all stranger than any aliens you could name and everything else pretty much becomes someone's issues and attitude problems in space."

The assistant librarian surveyed her territory, arms crossed over her chest. "So, what's your poison?"

"The worst stuff you have. I've only had a few other books other than Helter Skelter to keep me entertained,"

Cammie said. "I like my books baaaad. Or weird. Or just crazy."

Tabitha rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "So I assume you've read the Hitch Hiker's trilogy?" It didn't get any weirder, or crazier, but the girl had said she wasn't so interested in sci-fi...

"I don't know. It sounds familiar," Cammie said thinking about it. "Didn't they make it into a movie or something?"

The librarian did an abrupt about face. "Oh, honey, let me TELL you about this series." She went to the sci-fi shelf and pulled down five books. "Here it is, the Hitch Hiker's trilogy."

"That's five books," Cammie said looking up at the librarian.

"Weird enough for you yet, or do I need to tell you about the worst poetry in the galaxy?" Tabitha wiggled the books temptingly.

"Worst poetry in the galaxy...?" Cammie said. Five book triology AND bad poetry, what?

"The whole thing starts when they destroy the Earth," Tabitha explained. "You said weird, I give you weird."

"Destroying the earth has promise," Cammie mused. "I may just have to read that."

Tabitha picked out the first volume to hand to Cammie. "Enjoy and bring it back when you're ready for the next one."