Bitemarks 2.1

Bitemarks 2.1

Skarletta admired her reflection in the shop window. The clothes she had acquired pleased her. Her jeans were black baggy denim. Her trainers, soft and comfortable, made her feel like the gazelle they were named after. And atop that she had a plain blue T-shirt and a small black denim jacket. She marvelled at how far the clothing industry had come, for she remembered only too clearly now the ragged animal pelts of the past. All around her she had seen people with vastly different forms of dress. It certainly made it easier for her to fit in among the crowd. She adjusted her gaze to look through the shop window. The last customer was just leaving and that was her cue to enter. The man inside greeted her as she entered and she returned the greeting, smiling. Her body had assimilated so much blood since her rebirth. It was time to put her knowledge of the Dherroine tongue to the test.
"How can I help you?" he asked politely.
"I require information." she said.
"About?"
"Everything. History, culture... science." That last word was a concept she didn't understand too well but she was all too eager to know what it encompassed.
"Tourist?" the man asked, laughing, "You probably want to head to the library. They have internet terminals for the public."
Library. Yes. That sounded useful.
"Where can I find this library?"
"You're not that far actually. St David's Library is pretty huge. There's a map just down the street. Can't miss it."
"Thank you."
Skarletta gave him a wink and watched his response before turning and leaving. The men of this age were just like the men of old. Strong in body yet weak in will. They would serve her well.
She left the shop and made her way outside. The man had indicated she go left and so she did. A map? This was a piece of paper with markings of places and the routes to them. Why would it be out in the street? Her answer was soon revealed as a minute later she found herself stood before a large sign holding a map of the area beneath waterproof plastic. She touched the plastic with her finger. How very clever. Rendering the fragile paper immune to the ravages of the weather. Plastic.
A big red arrow pointed at her current location and she traced her finger down the street to the large library. A short distance. And then, then she would find this internet. She knew not what one was. The word was too complicated for mere blood to convey, but if a library was a repository for all knowledge then it would be a good place for her to start. She knew that she needed this knowledge but so far she couldn't remember why. Something was calling her. And there was still the second hunger. Not for blood, for she had fed well the night before. This was something else, just as animalistic. Ingrained in her soul and burning away at her insides. She had felt it a few times now. Once as her eyes first fell on Dr Keibler. Again when fighting the soldiers outside the Arctic base. When attacked in the alleyway. And just then when the shopkeeper greeted her. She hoped that the library could answer all her questions.