The Emerton Library sat largely vacant with exception to the rows and rows of shelves holding books, and only a few people. Rooms of shelves loaded with books, a mix of carpets and hardwood floors, furniture, wooden tables, the works of any small town library included inside. Holly drifted back and forth between sections, passing by a single table with books constantly being stacked high with every pass. Sitting at one side was Elise, her gaze following Holly’s each and every move.

There came others, a few of them who would follow patterns similar to Holly. Up and down the aisles, returning with books and then leaving with books. She sat puzzled as this went on, head tilted. The books simply piled higher and higher, dozens stacked atop one another on the table.

Holly approached with five more in hand, setting them down upon the table right in front of Elise. A huff left her. Black hair flopped as her head turned, “And that luv is our entire inventory.”

“I just wanted your three best on the subject, not- not this. Even I can’t read all this. Heck I can’t even carry all this,” Elise replied baffled.

“Well that’s because there is no three best when it comes to this sort of thing. You either do or, well, you don’t. There is no middle ground unless you’re lazy.”

“I only needed to learn a couple things, gosh! Like, what am I supposed to do with this one. This one is all about reacting to being an amputee. I mean no disrespect but that’s kinda useless to me.”

“Never know when you’ll be an amputee though, heh heh,” Holly concluded slumping down into a chair, “Honestly we just needed to throw about nine tenths of these in the archives or in the trash, as our vendor asks. Not that we would trash ‘em. Newer, more up to date ones are coming. We’re required to do this every tenth year so, I just thought I’d pile them up and see how you’d react.”

“Ha ha,” she grumbled with an eye roll, “Well still, I just need whatever your best are.”

“Uhhmmmmmm- oh, here, this is a fairly decent one,” Holly said reaching into the pile.

Elise leaned forward, observing as out popped a book upside down. It was handed over, text covering the back. Upon being received, her eyes shot over it. A few seconds of looking, then a glance was granted back up to Holly with an even more confused set expression, “This is a furniture catalog.”

“Eh- what?” she replied swiping the book back, giving it a look over, “How did that get in there? Boras, here-”

One hand tossed the book back towards a man, while the other arm and hand reached into the pile for another book. The man turned only to meet the book cover to his face, “Gyah- dammit Holly!”

Another moment later and Holly pulled out another book, one cover-side up. The book was handed to Elise.

“Sweet. This one seems right.”

“So,” Holly began taking a seat yet again, “What does one need a psychology book for?”

“Curiosity,” Elise replied as the pages were flipped, “I have a friend that I’m worried about. Just hoping one of these books will help me figure things out.”

“Ah. Well you’ll find that what you’re reading is only good for a basic set of knowledge,” Holly spoke as she stood again.

“How do you mean?”

“Psychology is something that can be studied day and night for years on end. Unfortunately you’ll never find answers. Human emotions, really brains in general, they just aren’t all built the same. You can reference any of these that you want but really you should try and feel the situation out yourself for an answer. It’s just like trying to understand the world and the many people of the world. It doesn’t work.”

“I see,” she murmured, “If only people could just get along and go out of their way to help one another.”

“Unfortunately things don’t work that way. Sin defines living beings. There are certainly virtues to be had; but we’re still a species of sin.”

“Well that’s reassuring.”

“Give it time my dear. Things always get worse before they get better; but when they do get better, they get a lot better,” Holly concluded as she disappeared behind more aisles.

Elise returned focus back to what lied before her, eyes half closed, shaken. A breath of air left her as she nodded. Eyes turned left and down towards the floor before moving up the lines of shelves.