Day 9

Sleeping on things totally work sometimes. I just had to spend some time thinking and visualising what I thought the scene would be like. And now, I think I'm finished with the first draft of chapter one! I am very excited. And hungry. I might reward myself with honey melon.

Anyway, for what it's worth, here it is.

***

"So, are you looking for anything specific?" Sam finally asked. Keir knew what she was thinking. This wasn't a quick and solid profit like the meds, and he wasn't about to argue the point. The odds weren't stacked for them to find something, and they couldn't bring even a fraction of the material that surrounded them back, they couldn't even look at a fraction of the material. He wasn't the least bit worried.
"No, not really." He responded airily, slowly taking a walk around, gingerly testing the strenght of a funny ladder on wheels. The pin promptly broke when he put weight on his hands. Whatever he'd take would obviously have to come from the bottom.
Behind him Sam snorted. "So what are you planning on doing?"
"I'm going to use my nose."
"Your nose."
"I can smell good business from a mile off. Two if the wind is right and the smog not to bad."
"Right". There was a short silence and then the sound of Sam taking a very deep and patient breath. "You do that. I'll stand guard at the door."
Keir grinned at her. "You're a goddess Sam."
"If I was a goddess I wouldn't be so keen on staying alive." And with that she turned heel and stomped back down the stairs to the door.

Keir chuckled and resumed his search of the room. He walked about the room two more times, pulling books at random. Most of them appeared to be for research of different kinds, he didn't get the cataloguing system and was, in addition, profoundly uninterested in the reproductive system of plants, educational research systems and nuclear physics.

He decided to explore the middle of the room, where a sort of research station stood, elevated a couple of steps. It consisted mostly of a bunch of tables and lamps that no longer worked, but there was also something that caught his attention, a lectern.

It was made out of some dark wood, which stood out against the bland and obviously mass-manufactured tables and chairs. Walking up to it he saw that the top had been inlaid with an intricate design of a white tree. Had he had the means Keir knew he would've picked up the entire thing and brought it with him. He ran his finger down the sleek surface, craftsmanship like that was not easy to come by and it would have fetched a pretty price at one of the bigger markets. He was, however, not at such liberty, it would have to stay. He knocked on the wood, more out of habit than anything, and was surprised by the hollow note that echoed back at him. He stared hard at it. If he was lucky, leaving the lectern behind would not even be a loss. Provided there was something in it. If he could get it out. Plenty of if's and maybe's, but, those were his preferred odds.

Twenty minuets later he could conclude that there were no hinges, no lock, no secret mechanism. The inlaid tree-pattern wouldn't budge and the wood was frustratingly dense and well kept and would not budge merely because you felt like giving it a frustrated punch.
After taking a moment to swear inwardly at himself, he went and got Sam.
"There's something in this thing" he explained as Sam went about the business of examining it. "Hear that hollow sound, yeah? It has to have a hidden compartment."
Sam hummed distractedly and continued her slow meticulous examination. Keir stared at her for a moment and then resignedly went down to the door to keep watch.

Keir considered himself patient. That didn't necessarily mean he didn't hate waiting. Consequently, it was a long time before Sam finally called out to him and startled him out of his internal reveries.
"Did you find something? Did you find the compartment?" He didn't bother masking his anxiousness, Sam looked pleased.
"Sure did, look here" she pointed, squatting down and showing right below the book rest. Putting her finger at a spot on the side, that looked no different to him than any other spot, she pushed and a small slide of wood glided to the side. "This opens the lid. It's really difficult to spot unless you know it's there."
"Have you opened the lid?"
"Generous that I am, I decided to wait for you." She shrugged, "also, if there's a nasty in there one of us should be ready to shoot it."
"Bundle of sunshine that you are, I'll let you do the shooting."
Opening the lid was profoundly unspectacular. Not unencouraging if you were expecting a curse or something with teeth he supposed. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, he couldn't say that he was surprised to see an old-looking book. What peaked his curiosity was that it had been welded shut with three bonds of steel. Whatever was in it would have to remain a riddle, at lest till they found the nearest blacksmith.

***

For those of you who are totally confused, I'm not surprised. This what happens when you write approx. 200 words at a time and jump around in the narrative. Hopefully it makes more sense when I post it as a whole.

EDIT:

And I just realized that blogger doesn't recognize my indents. I've been writing for almost 10 days now and I only just realized. Very embarrassing. I'll go fix it now.