"This place really seems to get bigger," Danny said thoughtfully as their group knocked on the door. An excited Blake answered the door.
"Danny," he almost squealed. "Those ghosts were so cool. They're going to stay here!"
Danny smiled. "They stopped by. Said something about your fiend not believing in ghosts?"
"That was me," Jeremy said, snaking a hand around Blake's waist. He gauged the kids' reactions. None what so ever. Not one of them even blinked. "I'm Jeremy. It was nice of you to help Blake here."
"No problem. We just like the opportunity to look around such a cool place like this," Tucker said smoothly.
"Yeah. We'd like it if we could stay around and help out. You don't even have to pay us, please?" Sam asked, pleading.
Blake smiled. "Of course. We'd love to," Blake said, nudging his partner.
Jeremy smiled and opened the door. "We could use the help. But I would like to compensate you some how…"
"If there is a room we could use," Danny said after a moment, "Sometimes we have family emergencies and need a place to stay."
Blake and Jeremy looked at each other and shrugged. "We have plenty of space, but you'd have to make sure it's okay with your parents, or give us a really good reason." Jeremy warned. All the teens nodded.
"So then, what's up for today?" Jazz asked with interest.
"Really," Blake responded. "We have no idea. Jeremy has had work all day so far and I've been busy with a lot of paperwork."
"So…where do we start?" Tucker asked.
"Where do you want to? What interests you?" Jeremy asked.
"I like books," Sam offered.
"There is supposed to be a library somewhere here. We also need someone to do inventory," Blake said.
"Of what?" Jazz asked interestedly.
"Everything. One-hundred years of stuff just doesn't disappear," Blake laughed. "I think that the office is next to the library, come to think of it. "Whoever does inventory will need to communicate with the librarian and…someone will need to do exploring."
"I'll do that," Danny offered.
"Do you have anything to do with technology?" Tucker asked.
Blake and Jeremy looked at each other a moment. Blake then pulled out a piece of paper and a flashlight. "There is rumored to be a computer and electrical center in the basement. I think you might find that interesting. Someone installed it in the late sixties. They were thinking of reopening the place, but got called away to the Vietnam War. From what I can find, he didn't even get to inventory anything."
"And you'll need these," Jeremy handed them all flashlights and walkie-talkies. "No one has made a map of this place since the blueprints, and those are lost. In other words, good luck. Blake and I will be here with some water and snacks in case someone needs something."
"This," Danny decided, "Is going to be interesting."
At the first hallway intersection, sixty feet down the hall, there were two perpendicular hallways bisecting the main one. Immediately, the right hallway ended in a grand spiral staircase. The teens all gathered on the edge of the steps and looked up.
"How tall is this place?" Tucker asked.
"Five stories, maybe six," Jazz said and swallowed.
"There is no way on earth," Danny began.
"That, that is only six stories," Sam finished and nodded in agreement.
"It's probably a trick of the light. Remember, no electricity," Jazz dismissed.
"Blake mentioned that the library was on the first floor, though. We'll save this for later," Danny decided and they began to move down the side-hall. After ten or so feet, there began to be doors on the sides. One read, "stairs." Tucker opened it up and looked in, obviously trying to get to the basement.
"Score," Tucker said loudly and poked his head back through the door. "You guys can go on. I found stairs that lead down."
"Be careful Tuck," Danny called after him.
Once Tucker left, the teens flicked on their flashlights. The windowless hallway was now quite dark, and they were unable to see adequately. Danny and Sam shown their beams on the doors that appeared at regular intervals and Jazz kept her beam trained on the floor.
"We have walked further than a block," Jazz noted suspiciously.
"This place is weird. I'm not sure we're getting any…" Sam trailed off as the walls split to either side. That was a definite sign of progress, but to where?
Their lights danced until one of them caught a solid, definable edge of something. It trailed off into the darkness. They almost thought it was another set of hallways, then they saw the first evidence of something much more interesting than a hallway.
A book. Then more. As their flashlights alighted on more and more of the solid, rectangular structures, realization dawned. It was the library. As the light trailed off and became vague patterns of light, they began to see the scale of the library.
Long story short, it made the library of congress look like a corner bookstand.
Sam gulped and turned the other way. More of the same. There was absolutely no clue as to how long it really was. Stepping up to the first shelf, she gingerly picked up on of the thinner books. It was a hardback with green, flowing script on a brown cover.
"Diagrams of meditation upon thought and body and the energy within," Sam read. "By Alfred Lucien. I have never heard of this book before," Sam said and opened the first few pages, reading quickly. Jazz and Danny walked over, curiosity getting the better of them.
"It's a book based on Tai Chi, Zen, and ancient Greek and Roman thought processes. A book that teaches you how to more and think, interesting." Sam translated and shut the book, sliding it under her arm. "And look at this system." There was a small switch that was colored red underneath where Sam had taken the book, marking its place. There were switches underneath all the other books, they read green.
The system was truly impressive, considering that it had been working for over fifty years ago. Danny turned back and found the librarian's booth. On a hunch, he found the archivist and inventory office on the other side. They were regular, oaken booths. Oak seemed the predominant wood used here, actually.
"Well, since you two have your work cut out for you, I think I'll get to mine." Danny said.
"Let's check in with Tucker first," Sam offered. Danny nodded and pulled out the walkie-talkie.