The telltale sound of the door opening preceded Jack gingerly stepping into the store like he suspected stepping too heavily might activate a landmine.
He hadn't set foot inside the bookstore in the two months since he woke up in this slice of idyllic suburbia, and entering new places in Wayward Pines always ran the risk of startling awake old memories, something he spent his days hoping to avoid. Landmines indeed.
No psychological lightning bolts struck him during the first few moments he stood there looking around, which he took as a good sign. "Um, anyone in?" he called.
There were other reasons he hadn't looked into this place before now, too. Recreational reading just wasn't his scene, for one thing. It was a part of his persona in Rubrum, not being an avid reader of anything other than comic books. Time was precious and he'd made the call to polish his sword and his smile, not book smarts, but he knew the other Jack, the one raised by Nyx who grew up here, was different. He liked reading. He liked learning. It wouldn't surprise him to remember coming here on occasion--or to find out people remembered him coming here, a disconcerting thought all on its own. People getting a certain image of him he hadn't pre-packaged for their consumption was annoying.
If Elena recognized either version of him, it would probably be on account of his signature coiffed hair, which he was currently dragging his fingers through as he took in the store. It was a far cry from the Crystarium, but still. There were a lot of books in here.
May 12th
He hadn't set foot inside the bookstore in the two months since he woke up in this slice of idyllic suburbia, and entering new places in Wayward Pines always ran the risk of startling awake old memories, something he spent his days hoping to avoid. Landmines indeed.
No psychological lightning bolts struck him during the first few moments he stood there looking around, which he took as a good sign. "Um, anyone in?" he called.
There were other reasons he hadn't looked into this place before now, too. Recreational reading just wasn't his scene, for one thing. It was a part of his persona in Rubrum, not being an avid reader of anything other than comic books. Time was precious and he'd made the call to polish his sword and his smile, not book smarts, but he knew the other Jack, the one raised by Nyx who grew up here, was different. He liked reading. He liked learning. It wouldn't surprise him to remember coming here on occasion--or to find out people remembered him coming here, a disconcerting thought all on its own. People getting a certain image of him he hadn't pre-packaged for their consumption was annoying.
If Elena recognized either version of him, it would probably be on account of his signature coiffed hair, which he was currently dragging his fingers through as he took in the store. It was a far cry from the Crystarium, but still. There were a lot of books in here.