The Doll Collector's Son

Chapter 10: Kris' Diary

April 3rd, 2017

Libraries, a place for the old and the weirdos to converge in one place. And children. I hadn't been to a library since I had been a child, and I didn't have enough money for books of my own so tattered and battered from the local library was all I could do. Most of the libraries where I lived were small, and because of that, I figured that someone could easily remember me. After some aimless driving, I came upon the perfectly sized structure of the Los Angeles County Library. 

My intention was to hopefully scope out young women, given that libraries usually harbored old women, hiding from the world among books. I made it through the front entrance, met with a relatively quiet environment. Kids were seated around small tables just their size, either reading picture books or coloring. Directly across from them was the check-out desk. Seated behind it was an old woman. Not my type, so I ignored her and continued on towards the back.

It was marked Mystery. Great, perfect for me. A few other women were walking through the aisles, some books in hand, others, just appearing too depressed to even look at the titles. Not my type, so I moved on. The mystery section was crowded with middle aged woman, and some men. Typical, but with so many people, it was too risky. I moved into the next section marked Romance. I could have just about puked at the raunchy book covers of half naked women in the arms of a shirtless muscular man.

This was the reason that normal men couldn't find women. They were too hopped up on romantic fantasies to see a real good man in front of them. I pitied them. Too many teenage girls were filling the aisle. Definitely not my type so I moved on. I wandered around through the rest of the sections hoping I'd stumble upon the perfect target. My resolve was weakening the longer I was in that depressing building. Finally after a few minutes, I decided to leave. 

The children that had been seated at the table when I entered had filtered out. A notice sat on the table saying the next session would begin in an hour. I was almost to the entrance again when a small voice called out to me to have a nice day. Such things would never halt me, but the voice shook. It wasn't used to calling out to strangers and the sound awakened the hunter inside me. I smiled as I turned spotting a new young woman at the counter.

She tensed up the moment as our eyes met. I widened my smile encouraged by the blush spreading over her cheeks. Finally, she returned the smile and that was my cue to walk up to the counter. Her name tag read Charlotte. Pretty, meek, vulnerable.

"Did... uh..." 

Charlotte dropped her eyes, wringing her hands underneath the desk.

"Did... you find... everything okay?" she finally asked.

Oh, everything was perfect now.

"Yes and no." I said.

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"I didn't find anything worth checking out, that is, until I saw you."

I could punch myself. If she wasn't sitting behind the desk I would have bashed my own face on it. Her blush deepened. 

"My name is Mark." I said.

She nodded.

"Well-"

"It's nice..." she trailed off, realizing she had cut me off.

I nodded for her to continue.

"It's nice to meet you."

Yes, I could work with her.

"It's nice to meet you too, Charlotte. I'll be seeing you around." 

She brightened up into another blush. As I prepared to leave, a figure just to the side caught my attention. There stood another young woman, in a country dress. Her face was ablaze with a blush and her name tag read Isabella.