After Kenzie regained her composure, she allowed me to treat and cover her wounds. Luckily, the scratches appeared superficial, although undoubtedly painful.
Afterward, Kenzie made us both breakfast. Sitting down to an omelet I could only describe as divine, and after Kenzie refused to provide me with her recipe, I brought up our current problem. "So, the way I see it, our goal is to stop the Great. He's the issue, not your lucid dreams or the Dreamlands itself."
"I never want to lucid dream again." Kenzie informed me. "Once this nightmare is over, I never want to go back. I want to have normal dreams again. It's just not worth it."
"Fair enough." I agreed. "So this Great is obviously stealing his name from the 'Great Ones' you told me about who live in that castle palace place. The palace you say is guarded by a monster-thing The Great is also using that as a fake name, like how I use 'The Corsair', to conceal my true identity."
"Makes sense."
I continued brainstorming out loud. "This Great joker wanted to know my real name. He asked me about it. I'm sure he wanted to know my name so he can find me here, in the real world. I can only assume that means he's actually able to find me in the real world."
"What?" Kenzie asked, refilling my coffee cup.
"I mean he sleeps, goes to the Dreamlands and wakes in the real world like we do. He wanted to know my name so he can find me here, in reality. That's why he wanted to know who I was. That's a good sign. He's just a person, like you and me. He's not some immortal being in the Dream Realm, he's just a guy. He obviously knows who you are, right?"
"Yes. I brought him to my little apartment here in the Dreamlands. The one that exists in my dreams. Back when I trusted him. He's seen the whole place. He knows my name and where I live in both realms." Kenzie confirmed.
"So the best course of action is to find this guy here, in this reality, in the only reality I mean, and stop him." I explained to both Kenzie and myself. "Do you have something I can write with?"
After bringing me a notebook and pen, Kenzie asked, "What's up?"
"I saw the other names of people who signed that damn spellbook you showed me. At least the ones on the same page you signed." I explained, attempting to recall the names I saw. Then, with Kenzie cleaning up our breakfast plates, I wrote down each name.
Walter Gilman
Frank Elwood
Brown Jenkin
Kenzie Mason
Harley Warren
Once I had, Kenzie glanced over my shoulder. "I know him!"
"The Great?" I asked. "Who is it?"
"No." Kenzie replied. "I know the first name on your list. Gilman. Walter Gilman. I never met him, but I knew he rented this place before I did. He was a student at the University also, but never renewed his lease here. Lucky for me at the time."
"There is no such thing as coincidences." I told Kenzie. "Also he also signed this book; thus I assume he conducts, or conducted, lucid dreaming also and actually slept here, in this apartment, where you sleep now."
"I guess." Kenzie confirmed. "Not in my bed, though. I brought that with me when I moved in, but I guess he slept in this attic apartment also I guess."
"This is a huge clue." I told Kenzie. "This Gilman character might be the Great."
"You think so?" Kenzie asked. "I don't think I ever met him."
"I'm not sure, but we should look into it." I replied. "You say he's also a student at the University?"
"Yes. I think so."
"Good." I explained. "I wanted to return to the University library in the real world anyways. I want to see if that book, the one you signed, exists here also. We can look Gilman up too."
"Let's go!" Kenzie exclaimed, heading to her bathroom to clean up.
* * * * * * *
An hour later, after driving from Kenzie's apartment on one side of Essex County to the other to visit a doctor friend of mine, Kenzie and I returned and entered the sole library on the Miskatonic University campus.
Kenzie scanned her student ID card at the entrance to the library and I scanned the visitor ID I still had.
"Nash, you never did tell me why you were here in the library, the day we met. I mean, you're not a student, right?" Kenzie asked.
"Shhh." The aged librarian cautioned Kenzie.
"Yeah." I whispered to Kenzie. "I thought I told you. I'm doing some research in the Orne Library portion of the University Library. You know, the occult section. I'm researching some of the expeditions the University funded in the early nineteen-thirties. Nothing that can't wait."
"Why?"
"Long story." I explained in a low voice. After remembering how Kenzie struck up a conversation with me over a week ago, in this very library, I decided to ask her about it. "We met here. You approached me."
"And I'm glad I did." Kenzie added, winking at me.
Ignoring her, I continued. "So, what I mean to say is, and don't take any offense to this, but do you meet a lot of men here?"
"A lot?" Kenzie asked angrily. "What do you mean by that? A lot of men?"
"I mean, I'm trying to figure out who the Great might be. Maybe you met him here." I glanced around the busy library. "Do you know anyone here now?"
Kenzie examined the other people in the library and tilted her head at some of them. "I know that old guy over there. His name is Joel. He's a principal at a high school in New England. Manton I think. Yeah. Joel Manton. He told me he prefers this library to his own to avoid running into his teachers or his students." Kenzie continued to scan the crowd as we walked around the library. "And I know him. That guy. I think his name is Randy. Yeah. It's Randy. He's an ex-student if I remember correctly. Doing research here like you are. Lots of people conduct research in this library. He's a weird one."
Interesting. I thought.
When we first entered the library, I noticed how both of these men, Joel and Randy, glared at Kenzie and me as if they both knew us. Sure enough, Kenzie confirmed they did both know Kenzie and conversely, she knew them also, at least she knew their names.
"One of those guys might be the Great." I commented. "Or they might not be. I'll check them both out in a few minutes, but first, let's find that book. That has our priority right now. If I'm right, those two won't leave us alone in here for long if one of them is actually the guy we're looking for."
Entering the restricted area of the library, the Orne section, I scanned the vast collection of titles of ancient, occult books which made the Miskatonic University Library famous the world over.
CORPUS HERMETICUM
Excerpts from KITAB AL-AZIF
YOUNICH Manuscript (Illustrated Version)
YOUNICH Manuscript (Codex Version)
ASKUMIAN CHRONICLES (Collected Works)
The Tome of VALMIKI
LIBER INVONIS (THE BOOK OF EIBON)
The Collected Scrolls of the TSATHOGGUAN CYCLE
The UNAUSSPRECHLICHEN KULTEN
"Here it is, Nash!" Kenzie exclaimed, holding up a book entitled the BOOK OF AZATHOTH.
"Shhhh." A well-dressed scholar, also searching the book titles, chastised Kenzie.
"Sorry." Kenzie apologized sheepishly. Together, Kenzie and I sat at a nearby table and I opened the spellbook.
"Damnit." I whispered, turning the first few pages over.
"What?" Kenzie asked.
"No names or signatures." I explained, handing Kenzie the list of names I wrote down earlier in the day. "You must have only signed the Dreamlands version. I'll tell you what. I'm going to read this. Try to find some clues to help us. Can you please do some research on all these names. After all, besides all these creepy books, this is still a university library, isn't it?"
Kenzie smiled at me and with the list of names in her hand, headed towards the media section of the library. Alone for the first time all day, I turned my attention back to the BOOK OF AZATHOTH.
After over two hours of fascinating study, I managed to skim approximately half of the book. As I flipped another page, the overwhelming smell of cat urine assaulted my nostrils.
A man's voice startled me. "Don't read any more of that book!"