Beth was going through the books led on the front desk trying to sort them into piles ready to go back on the shelves, she had only just started working in the library to supplement her college funds she had wanted to show her parents she was a grown up now and could handle life on her own.
Picking up the pile she headed off towards the stacks, she enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of working in the library, especially the late shift, it gave her time to study as well as earn and that was all in her favour as she was struggling hard with her law degree, she started placing the books back on their shelves tidying each shelf as she went, lost in her own head when she heard a small cough come from beside her, she turned slapping her brightest smile on her face.
"Hi can I help?" she asked as she turned only to find a dark haired man stood looking extremely uncomfortable, she waited for him to say something.
"Ummmm looking for newspapers, ya know from past like." he said shifting on one foot, his hand went nervously to his mouth, chewing on his thumb.
"Which newspaper in particular you looking for?" she asked noticing how uncomfortable he was.
"Local, wanted some local ones." he seemed to cough out.
"Ok well if you follow me I can show you where the computers are and help set you up, I will warn you we do close in half and hour." she smiled and started towards where the computer section was.
Beth automatically turned on the computer and brought up the past records, then stood from the seat indicating him to take her place, he shrugged and sat down staring at the screen as though it was about to eat him.
"Everything ok?" she cocked an eyebrow.
"Well...thought I would just be shifting through papers, not have ta take a degree." he pointed to the computer.
"I can help you with the search if you would like?" Beth swiped the chair from the desk next to his and sat down pulling the keyboard towards her. "What is it you wanted to look up?" she poised her hands over the keys waiting for him to tell her what to type, when nothing came she glanced across at the strange man, his dark hair looked scruffy and unkempt, as did most of him, his eyes kept darting around the room as if he was waiting for someone to come in and tell him he shouldn't be here.
"I want to know what was written about a death some years ago, can't actually tell ya no dates, but her name was Ava, Ava Dixon." he whispered, Beth typed the name into the search box and pressed enter.
"All the results will be listed here" she pointed at the screen "If you click on one it will load the article, to go back to another article you just have to press this back arrow and load another page, oh and if you want to print any of the information, I am afraid this is a small charge but you just press this button here and it will print out over at the desk there." she pointed to the main desk.
"Ok yeah thanks." he said turning to the computer and clicking on the first article without another word, Beth went back to the stacks finishing off her pile of books then headed back to the desk, tonight was exceptionally quite but then most people had lives and didn't really go to the library on a Saturday night, most went out clubbing or to the bars, had hot dates with their boyfriends, Beth had finished things with her boyfriend when she had finished high school, knowing that if she had stayed with him her father would have expected marriage, children her to go back to the farm become the veterinary nurse he had requested, the thought made her groan. She flipped open one of her text books burying herself into it, researching past cases for a paper due in, on Friday.
Beth's eyes shot up as the printer kicked into life, she stretched and looked up at the clock, it was ten past ten, she was ten minutes shutting up shop, she rolled her eyes and stood up packing her things into her bag and shutting off the lights in the office behind her, when she turned from the small office door, the strange man was stood at the desk waiting for her.
"You startled me." she said placing her hand to her chest, she hadn't heard him heading over to the desk, she picked the paper off of the printer and handed it to him.
"How much?" he grumbled.
"I have locked the cash box away, don't worry about it, its only a couple of cents." she smiled.
"Ain't no charity case." he threw some coins onto the desk and walked out of the library, Beth watched him leave, now right there was the reason she wanted as far away from this god forsaken state, all the damned rednecks, rude, irritating and crass.
Beth picked up her bag and started towards the front door turning lights off as she went, just as she swung the front door open she heard a loud bang from behind her, she turned swiftly, trying to make out what it was in the dark.
"Hello?" she shouted "Hello? Is anyone there?" she hadn't remembered seeing anyone else come in waiting another few minutes she shouted one last time "Hello? I am closing now, anyone there?" Beth sighed she would have to go back in and check but something felt wrong and she wished that someone else was here, she let the front door close and snapped the light switch back on, walking slowly back into the now eerie library. "Umm hello?" there was another loud bang this time it seemed to come from the back of the stacks, Beth put her hand into her bag grabbing her mobile phone just in case. "Look this isn't funny any more, Jimmy, Maggie, Glenn. If that's you, your not funny." she could feel her voice breaking, the urge to run swelling in her stomach, the front door suddenly slammed open and she leapt screaming, turning towards the door, standing in the door was the redneck from earlier.
"What?...What?" Beth stammered at him, he stood looking at her, then into the library, he marched passed her and into the main room.
"I know your in here, shift out and stop scaring this girl." he slapped his hands to his hips and stared into the room "Merle, get your arse out here now, or I will lock the fucking door and leave your drugged up arse in here all night."
"Well now little brudder, that ain't no way to be talking in front of a pretty lil thing like tha' " came a voice from behind the dark stacks, Beth couldn't seem to help herself but her feet seemed to gravitate towards the stranger.
"Merle!" he shouted again and this time she watched an older looking man stagger towards them, he must have been in his late 40's slightly receding hair line, large build was an understatement this man was like a house compared to her, she felt the stranger in front of her purposely put himself between her and his brother.
"What's crawled up your arse, lil bro? Mean was just going to get to know sugar tits here a bit." he winked at Beth and she dropped her eyes from him, she watched as the younger of the two shook his head at his older brother.
"What is the matter with ya Merle? What are you doin here?" he asked the man.
"Well ya know, come home from a long month of playing away, earning cash, ta find ya'll moved out and left the old man on his own." Merle stated.
"Still don' explain what ya doin here?" he snapped.
"Excuse me." Beth spoke, she reached out and touched the strangers arm lightly, he jumped back from her staring, her eyes shot to Merle as he started laughing.
"Some things never change hey brother?" he asked still chuckling.
"What?" the man asked her staring openly with hate at his brother.
"I kinda need to lock up or campus security will come investigate." she explained.
"Do it then ain' no one stopping ya." he grabbed Merle by the arm and started dragging him out the front door, Beth slammed the light switch and ran for the door, she slipped the key in the lock and turned, then made for her car across the lot hoping she never had to see those two men again, tonight had been a weird night and all she wanted to do was stop at Maggies diner on her way home pick up something to take home, have a long hot bubble bath and sleep until noon tomorrow, she loved having Sunday's off, she should really get up and go to church but that would mean seeing her father and she just didn't want that, Beth got out of the car locking up behind her, shrugging up the collar of her winter coat, she marched towards the door of her sisters diner.
Beth heard the familiar sound of the bell over the door and watched as her sister turned to face her
"Bethy" she smiled and came running to hug her. Maggie was Beth's older sister, from their father's previous marriage, she was taller than Beth but slender and as dark haired as she was blonde.
"Didn't expect to see you tonight" her sister started guiding her to a booth "So what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Beth took a seat in the booth automatically picking up the menu.
"Come for take out, just finished at the library and its been a weird kind of night, so want to get home and take a bath, do some study that sort of thing just couldn't be bothered to cook really." she stated simply, she watched Maggie consider what she had said.
"Beth you work in a library, how on earth could it be weird? She chuckled at her own joke "So usual? And then you can tell me all about it while we wait for your food" Beth nodded at her sister and Maggie headed off to the counter to pass her order over to the cook, then grabbing two cans of soda Maggie came back sitting opposite her. "So what on earth could happen in a library that has you here?"
Beth told Maggie about the strange man and his brother Merle, Maggie listened to everything she had to say then sat silently for a few minutes. "You know who you are talking about don't ya?" she asked Beth. Beth shook her head, her forehead crumpling in confusion.
"Should I?" Beth asked her.
"Sometimes you amaze me Sis." Maggie shook her head "Well the Dixon family are known trouble makers, that Merle has been in Juvie, prison and on the wrong side of the law as far back as I can remember, he has a younger brother, take it that must have been who came in to use your computers, word is his father was a drunk and got violent with him and his mother when Merle was away on vacation." Maggie rolled her eyes. "I don't know what the truth is" she shrugged, Beth looked at her knowing something in that last statement did not ring completely true.
Beth nodded at her sister not wanting to mention what he had been looking at on the computer she didn't want to add fuel to any fires after all, scary or not he had stopped his brother in his tracks and for that she was grateful. "I don't like that, that Merle was hanging around the library, with his reputation and you working on your own that late nothing good can come of it. Perhaps I should ask Glenn to pick you up from now on." Maggie went on.
"No Maggie, I am a big girl now, I don't need a babysitter any more, and you can't really say he has been hanging out he was there once." she argued.
"Well if it happens again let me know." she reached across the table and touched her sisters hand Beth smiled at her sister, the bell behind the counter rang to tell Maggie that the order was ready and they both stood up to make for the counter "Will you be at church tomorrow?" Maggie asked her, Beth felt a little nervous knot form in her stomach as she tried to find a half decent excuse not to go. "Beth they miss you" she said and Beth nodded.
"I will do my best" She said not giving her sister any promises, she picked up her order and started for the door "Give Glenn my love" she called then turned back towards her sister "Hey Maggie what is the brothers name?" Beth heard the bell over the door tinkle, stepping aside slightly to allow the new customer to enter.
"Daryl." Maggie said her eyes growing wider, Beth turned to come face to face with her strange man from the library, they stared at each other for a minute and Beth made her way quickly out of the door heading for her car, suddenly she heard footsteps behind her, fumbling with her keys she made it but for the life of her she couldn't unlock the damned thing oh for the joy of a modern car with a damned bleeper, her keys fell to the floor just as she heard the footsteps stop behind her.
"Wanted to talk to ya." the voice said and Beth turned to face the infamous Daryl Dixon.