Downpour(III:5) The Record Keeper

5. The Record Keeper

     Stepping into the shop felt like entering a library. As soon as the door closed behind them, the din outside became silent, and there was a tiny tinkle of a bell above them. Books were stacked incredibly high, almost reaching to a ceiling that was over 40 feet high. Shelves ran around the edges of the circular room, and a thin spiral staircase worked its way up to different levels until it arrived at a solarium at the very top.

     A voice from above spoke to them in three languages. In each, it said, “Be right with you, wipe your shoes before you step on the carpet.”

     Nick looked at Lopsang and shrugged. Their feet were covered in a mixture of forest mud, and whatever pieces of decayed corpses they had trod on in their path. “Probably best to be polite,” said Nick, and wiped his shoes on the mat beneath them. It read, again in several languages, “If you cannot read this, you are illiterate, so don’t bother wiping your feet, and kindly leave.”

     Nick chuckled. He had already taken a liking to the place. While he had never spent much time in libraries as a child, he had always loved the silence that accompanied them.

     From high above, they heard someone ruffling through papers, and saw a loose sheet fall over the railing. It floated down lazily to the floor, where it landed on an ever growing stack of discarded manuscripts. “Unbelievable. The second someone dies they think they become Hemmingway and send me this garbage.” Whoever was speaking did so in a near perfect English accent.

     “Actually, why don’t both of you come up?” It was the voice from above again. “You seem like the first customers that might not actually be wasting my time in eons.”

     Nick felt confused as to where to go, but as if hearing his thoughts, the voice spoke again. “Just up the spiral staircase. Come join me in the solarium.”

     Nick pointed questioningly to the large sunroof above them, which was currently showcasing the black sky with green streaks above them.

     Lopsang shrugged.

     “The room with the big sun roof,” said the voice, annoyed. “I thought you might be worth my time, but if you’re just another pair of illiterates, well,” the voice trailed off, as if it had become interested in something else.

     Nick stepped forward and headed toward the spiral staircase. The voice might have insulted them, but its sarcasm made Nick feel like he had found a kindred spirit. It had been far too long since someone had thrown him a decent insult, and his company of late had been rather grave. “We’re coming up,” said Nick, with a slightly awkward tone.

     “Yes, I know. I can hear you. Now shut up while you’re at it. We will have plenty of time for talking in a minute.” The rustling of papers restarted, occasionally punctuated by curse words.

     The spiral staircase was narrow and made creaking noises with each footfall. Nick winced, thinking that even the smallest interruption might anger their host. As they ascended, he looked at the names on some of the books. Most of them were simply labeled “Registry of the Dead” and then followed by their roman numeral volume number. Why would anyone still use roman numerals to count? Thought Nick, as he tried to parse through the series of Xs and Vs on a volume they passed.

     Lopsang looked up at the shop in wonder, struck by its beauty. He did not think that there could be anything of such taste in the land of the dead. Everything else had been constructed of stone and still looked somewhat like a tomb. The bookshop was a breath of fresh air, in a land where no one needed such a thing.

     They came to the top of the stairs and found a small alcove beneath the roof. Comfortable leather chairs had been set out in a small ring around a glass table, and Nick saw a series of crystal decanters containing dark liquid beneath it. His mouth watered with the prospect of getting a real drink for the first time since El Dorado. It had only been two days, but it felt like he had been through an eternity.

     “Don’t stand on ceremony. Come, sit.” A slender man had appeared from beneath the bookshelves. He wore a black knit hat, with a long tassle that ran down his back. It swished behind him as he bustled over, and Nick could not help but view it as a tail. From beneath his cap, tangled strings of black hair fell out. They looked like they had not been combed in ages, and if not for the hat, would have flown out in all directions. He also wore a large pair of glasses that magnified his eyes slightly.

     “Pleased to meet you, I’m,”

     “Nick Ventner, yes I know. A couple of individuals have come our way cursing your name you know? Some villagers just came through yesterday griping about how they had been taken before their time by the Yacumama?” His eyebrows raised, watching for a reaction from Nick. “But not to worry my friend; I do not deal with the problems of the mortal world. I only record them.”

     Nick sat back in one of the chairs, not knowing what to say.

     “You,” he said looking Lopsang up and down. “You I don’t know.” He adjusted his glasses, trying to see Lopsang more clearly.

     “I am Lopsang,” he said, reaching out a hand to shake that of the record keeper.

     The man’s hands did not budge, and instead he turned to examine Lopsang’s open palm. “Smooth hands, yet traveling with a monster hunter. By the looks of your shoes for some time. Only way that could  happen is if you possessed the power of regeneration, but you don’t look like a god.” The man paused to think this over for a minute. “A demi-god, yes of course, how blind of me not to see it before. Please, have a seat. You will be the first demi-god I have hosted, and I would not want to appear rude before a deity.” He motioned quickly to the chair beside Nick’s.

     Lopsang sat, and the man let out a long sigh. “I am Gabriel.” He fell backward into another chair, as if the conversation they had been having was very tiresome. “I am one of the record keepers here in the Land of the Dead, but I expect that you already knew that.” He looked at Nick, and then down to the large bag he carried at his side. “Curious that you would bring weapons to a place like this, they will not help you at all.”

     “We haven’t come here for a fight. We’re looking for a friend.”

     “Ah, but of course. It is the only reason I would expect to see two mortals in my realm.” He raised his  eyebrows once more, and began to speak in a whisper. “You’re intending on bringing someone back with you aren’t you?” He leaned in, as if the subject of cheating death was very interesting. “I’ve seen men try it before, but they have a hell of a time getting back out once they’re in. Tell me, how did you get past Xolotl?”

     Neither Nick nor Lopsang spoke, both in awe by the Gabriel’s perceptive nature.

     “Do not be coy with me. If you want me to help you find your friend’s burial plot, then I expect you to be fully honest with me.”

     “We might have tricked him into thinking Lopsang was a direct descendant of the sun gods,” said Nick, slightly embarrassed after saying it out loud.

     Gabriel laughed loudly. “Oh he would fall for that. He’s been looking to get his old job back ever since the day he first lost it. I suppose that’s what you get for hitting the sauce as hard as he did. Although, you might have had an easier time just getting him to chase his own tail. Distracts him for hours that one.”

     At the mention of alcohol, Nick’s eyes flitted to the crystal decanters.

     The movement did not go unnoticed. “Unfortunately, I must tell you that everything we drink down here would likely kill you.” Gabriel motioned to the crystal decanters. “One of the many things they can never get right down here. It’ll get you light-headed, but nothing like the drinks I used to have above.” His eyes glazed over for a moment, thinking about it.

     “We’re running short on time,” said Nick, upset that there was nothing for him to drink.

     “Oh I should say so. Xolotl may not be the sharpest tac, but he is not stupid either. It will not take him long to figure out that you are not coming back, but he is not the only of your worries.” Gabriel’s eyes narrowed and looked up at the swirling sky above them. “The ruler in this land will be none too happy if he finds out you are here.”

     Nick must’ve looked worried, because Gabriel held out a hand to calm him. “Do not worry. At the moment she has bigger fish to fry, and if you get out of here quickly, you are likely to go unnoticed. She’s a very busy woman, and does not have time to deal with every intruder that comes into this place.” He removed one of the crystal decanters from beneath the table, uncorked it, and took a healthy swig.

     The stuff inside was black, and moved like tar, dripping slowly into Gabriel’s throat. He tilted his head back to help it go down, and his hat accidentally fell to the floor. As he bent over to pick it up, Nick saw the gunshot wound on the top of Gabriel’s head that had ended his life.

     Gabriel looked up for a moment. “Sorry about that. It’s why I wear the hat.” He picked up the hat and settled it back on his head. “Unfortunate side effect of death. You’re left in the state you died in. Can’t feel the pain anymore, but it’s not a pretty sight to look at.” He settled back in his chair and put the bottle back beneath the table.

     “I’m sorry,” said Nick, feeling bad about staring.

     “Not a problem Nick. It’s not the first time I’ve been gawked at since I’ve been here. It’s quite normal.” His tone was pleasant, as if he were actually enjoying their conversation. “I’ll cut straight to the point,” he said, placing his fingers in his lap. “I’ll help you find your friend, for no reason other than I want to see the old bat get egg on her face.”

     “Really?” asked Lopsang, a hopeful note creeping into his voice.

     “No,” said Gabriel with a slight chuckle. “As much as I do like you both, I’m going to need something in return.”

     Nick groaned aloud. “Please don’t tell me you have fighting pits here too.”

     Gabriel laughed again. “Of course we have fighting pits, but my interests are not so brutish. No, I want the book that you’ve been holding onto in your bag.” His eyes moved down to the spot where the Book of the Dead was hidden safely in Nick’s bag.

     Do the dead have x-ray vision now too? Nick examined Gabriel’s glasses, wondering if they could somehow see through the bag.

     “No Nick, these are merely glasses,” he said, straightening them on his nose. “I felt the book’s power the second you walked through the door. Now, I know that you’ve just fought hard to get it as there was a very angry werewolf down here the other night who can attest to it, but that’s my price. You’ll have no need of it once you have your friend, and I’m running terribly low on reading material.” He grinned at Nick.

     Nick had no desire to give up the book. In addition to the prize of retrieving James alive, he had been hoping to sell the book when they got back. It would likely fetch a hefty price on the black market.

     “Clock’s ticking,” said Gabriel.

     Lopsang looked at Nick reproachfully.

     Nick looked down at the bag and groaned again. “Fine,” he said, reaching in and removing the book. He looked over it’s cover inlaid with gold, and felt a temporary sadness on all the money he was about to lose. “Here.” He handed it to Gabriel, who took it, and ran his fingers over the cover delicately.

     “Such a fine piece.” He slid the book onto a table and then jumped up, clapping his hands together. “All right, now for my end of the bargain. What is your friend’s name?”

     “James Ramey,” said Nick, sad about the book, but happy at their progress.

     “Date of death?”

     “October 19^th, 2010.” It felt weird to talk about it so casually.

     Gabriel was already zooming around the shelves, looking for the proper volume. It only took him a minute or so before he returned with a leather-bound book that looked like the rest of the volumes in the shop. With inhuman speed, he flipped through the pages, mumbling as he went. Just as quick as he had started, he stopped, finger pointed to an entry on one of the pages. “Well Nick, it looks like you’re in luck. Your friend is not that far from here.”