The drive this morning was much smoother because Vinny had taken the helm of driving. Habit whined that he was going too slow and that he could make it go so much faster. Thankfully it didn't last long, as the drive today was short
They had arrived in a small town in Pennsylvania to get some information on if Cornthal was still alive. They said it was better to get all the information they could before charging to where Cornthal might be. However, Amber wasn't sure if they had stopped at the right place.
"Are you sure this is the library?" Amber asked, looking at the brick building that was covered in vines. There was a large sign saying "Public Library above that was missing the P. If it wasn't for the cars outside one might assume it was abandoned.
"Yep," Vinny looked at the piece of paper in his hand. "This is the right place. Come on," Vinny motioned to the others, and the group headed inside. The library's interior was a nostalgic throwback to a bygone era, with its carpet being at least two decades old and the lights maybe older as they did a semi-good job of lighting the inside. The group walked up to the front desk and asked the not too much older woman at the front desk. She looked up from typing on the computer and smiled
"Hello! What can I help you find today?" she asked, momentarily diverting her attention from the screen. Vinny inquired about the availability of computers, to which she responded, "Certainly! Just go all the way to the back of the library near the cookbook section," she stated, before returning her focus to the computer. "You'll find the computer room there. If you encounter any issues, feel free to let me know." Vinny thanked her and they began to make their way back.
"You think we'll be able to find where Cornthal is?" Jeff asked while they walked toward the back
"It's worth a shot," Vinny replied, turning around to face Jeff outside the computer lab. It is not like we got other options." Vinny scanned the group before asking. "Where's the Habit?" Amber looked to see he wasn't amongst the group. Amber looked around and remembered feeling Habit's presence fade near the kid area.
Crap.
Amber darted away from the group and ran to the kid's area. She feared what Habit would do to kids, knowing what he had done to the guys. She heard a scream as she turned the corner to the kid area to her surprise…
Habit sitting in the middle of the circle of kids. They all ranged in age from preschool to second grade. They were all alive and unhurt but that is not what surprised her. What surprised her was that Habit was smiling earnestly while petting a fluffy brown rabbit that had sat on his lap. An adult, who Amber assumed was some kind of teacher, noticed and waved there.
"Oh, hello there." The adult greeted me. And Habit looked up, his smile dropping and she nervously chuckled. "Is this your friend? She walked over and began to give facts about Rabbits. She is very smart," The teacher beamed. "Buttercup loves her. " The rabbit leaned up against Habit and kissed her. Habit laughed and nuzzled into it
"Hi, sorry I just came here to get my sister. She loves animals and has a tendency to wander off," Amber lied and gestured to Habit who shrugged, blushed, and gave Buttercup to a kid and got to his feet.
"What the hell was that?" Amber whispered as they made their way back to the group.
"Uh," Habit fumbled. "Look, when I possess a host, I gain certain traits of their personality. For Evan, it is his strength and speed. But I can also gain other traits…"
"Like my sister's love of animals, specifically rabbits?" Habit nodded and Amber sighed. "Your secrets safe with me,"
Habit raised a brow." Really, why?"
"Wouldn't want your big scary reputation to be ruined, now would we?" Amber smirked. Might be better to have the big scary demon on her good side. She never would know when it might come in handy to have some leverage.
Habit rolled her eyes and huffed. "Yeah, you're just saying that so I won't kill you later." Habit muffled and walked ahead. When the group asked what happened, Amber lied and said Habit was engrossed by a book in the horror section. Thankfully they bought it.
They arrived and Vinny turned on the light.
"Oh, my god." Habit muttered, staring at the room before them. The room was filled with outdated PCs, their beige casings and clunky keyboards reminiscent of a time long gone. Dusty monitors stood like forgotten gods, waiting to be awakened from their slumber. When was the last time this room was even used? "I think we've finally stumbled upon something older than me," Habit remarked, half-jokingly. Amber rolled her eyes. She grew up with these. How old could it be?
"I grew up with these. They're not that old." Amber defended, blowing off the layer of dust, which caused everyone to cough. "Okay, maybe Habit has a point," she admitted, sitting down and powering on the computer. Vinny suggested typing the hospital Cornthal worked at. She searched for the Fairmount children's home, to find out it had burned down in 2002. However, there was a hospital built there named after the place that looked after mentally unwell kids.
"Huh, thought the place was closed down. Go to the staff page." Jeff ordered. Amber did and found a newsletter from three months ago congratulating them on having a new family physician to the team named-
"Dr. Cornelius Cornthal," Amber read out loud. The group looked over her shoulder.
"Are you sure that is right?" Vinny asked. Amber nodded, after checking the date once again. Vinyl laughed turned to Jeff and high-fived him. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Vinny shouted white laughing. Amber turned to see the rest of the group, except for Habit who was just brooding under his cap, was also celebrating. The group printed off the address and went outside the library. Vinny took notice of Habit, who was still brooding.
"Come on, what got your panties in a switch?" Vinny asked
"This is much too easy," Habit muttered. "Something is going to go wrong."
"Oh, Habit you worry too much. Nothing will go wrong." Jeff said and Habit threw his hands in the air.
"Great! You jinxed it. Something is going to go wrong now!" Habit huffed and pushed past the rest of the group. Jeff shrugged and continued to talk to Evan. Everyone ignored Habit but Amber couldn't help but feel he may have had a point.