#Seven Footprints To Satan

[weirdlookindog]

Abraham Merritt - Seven Footprints to Satan. London: The Richards Press Ltd., 1st edition, 1928. Cover art / illustrations by S. G. Hulme Beaman.

[seacavepuzzle]

Seven Footprints to Satan (1929)

[gameraboy2]

Seven Footprints to Satan by A. Merritt Avon Books T-115, 1957 Cover by Raymond Johnson

[tomoleary]

Virgil Finlay "Seven Footprints to Satan" by A. Merritt (Argosy, June 24, 1939)

[oakendesk]

book cover - Seven Footprints To Satan - 1957 (modified version of 1950 book cover Europa)

Raymond J Johnson

book cover - Europa - 1950

Raymond J Johnson

[churchofsatannews]

Get Thee Behind Me, Satan: Carl Abrahamsson on Satan in Golden Age Hollywood, February 19

Got your ticket yet? Buy here. Taking a look at some golden era Hollywood films, Carl Abrahamsson ponders the occasional occurrence of Satan in various guises. How come this popular yet stigmatized figure/symbol popped up when and as it did in Hollywood? Expect an infernal rollercoaster through masterpieces like “Madam Satan,” “Seven Footprints to Satan,” “Angel on my shoulder,” and many more.…

[myrioi]

[nelc]

Patrick Woodroffe's cover for A Merritt's Seven Footprints to Satan

[goryhorroor]

What are some underrated horror films? I have watched all the popular ones and need more! Thanks!

mentally prepare yourself because im ready to give a gumbo list (this has been sitting in my inbox because i had to ask all my friends and this is the list we came up with):

curse of the demon (1957) the serpent and the rainbow (1988) paranoiac (1963) the old dark house (1932) countess dracula (1971) golem (1920) haxan (1968) island of lost souls (1932) mad love (1935) mill of the stone women (1960) the walking dead (1936) the ghoul (1933) tourist trap (1979) the seventh victim (1943) ganja & hess (1973) dead of night (1945) a bay of blood (1971) let's scare jessica to death (1971) alice sweet alice (1976) the deadly spawn (1983) the brain that wouldn't die (1962) all about evil (2010) black roses (1988) the baby (1973) parents (1989) a blade in the dark (1983) blood lake (1987) solo survivor (1984) lemora: a child's tale of supernatural (1973) eyes of fire (1983) epitaph (2007) nightmare city (1980) slugs (1988) death smiles on a murderer (1973) intruder (1989) short night of glass dolls (1971) the children (2008) alone in the dark (1982) end of the line (2007) the queen of spades (1949) the housemaid (1960) tormented (1960) captain clegg (1962) the long hair of death (1964) dark age (1987) the crawling eye (1958) the kindred (1987) the gorgon (1964) wicked city (1987) baba yaga (1973) 976-evil (1988) bliss (2019) decoder (1984) amer (2009) the visitor (1979) day of the animals (1977) leptirica (1973) planet of the vampires (1965) lips of blood (1975) berberian sound studio (2012) a wounded fawn (2022) matango (1963) the mansion of madness (1973) the killing kind (1973) symptoms (1974) morgiana (1972) whispering corridors (1998) dead end (2003) infested (2023) (this just came out but im adding it) triangle (2009) the premonition (1976) you'll like my mother (1972) the mafu cage (1978) white of the eye (1987) mister designer (1987) alison's birthday (1981) the suckling (1990) graveyard shift (1987) messiah of evil (1987) out of the dark (1988) seven footprints to satan (1929) burn witch burn (1962) the damned (1962) pin (1988) horrors of malformed men (1969) mr vampire (1985) the vampire doll (1970) contracted (2013) impetigore (2019) eyeball (1975) malatestas carnival of blood (1973) the witch who came from the sea (1976) i drink your blood (1970) nothing underneath (1985) sauna (2008) seance (2000) come true (2020) the last winter (2006) night tide (1961) the brain (1988) dementia (1955) don't go to sleep (1982) otogirisou (2001) reincarnation (2005) mutant (1984) spookies (1986) shock waves (1977) bloody hell (2020) the den (2013) wer (2013) olivia (1983) enigma (1987) graverobbers (1988) manhattan baby (1982) evil in the woods (1986) death bed: the bed that eats (1977) cathy's curse (1977) creatures from the abyss (1994) the dorm that dripped blood (1982) the witching (1993) madman (1981) vampire's embrace (1991) blood beat (1983) the alien factor (1978) savage weekend (1979) blood sisters (1987) deadly love (1987) playroom (1990) die screaming marianne (1971) pledge night (1990) night train to terror (1985) the devonsville terror (1983) ghostkeeper (1981) special effects (1984) blood feast (163) the child (1977) godmonster of indian flats (1973) blood rage (1980) the unborn (1991) screamtime (1983) the outing (1987) the being (1983) silent madness (1984) lurkers (1988) forver evil (1987) squirm (1976) death screams (1982) jack-o (1995) haunts (1976) a night to dismember (1983) creaturealm: demons wake (1998) the curse (1987) daddy's deadly darling (1973) nightwing (1979) the laughing dead (1989) the severed arm (1973) the orphan (1979) not like us (1995) prime evil (1988) the monstrosity (1987) dark ride (2006) antibirth (2016) iced (1988) the soultangler (1987) twisted nightmare (1987) puffball (2007) biohazard (1985) cameron's closet (1988) beast from haunted cave (1959) the she-creature (1956)

[hotvintagepoll]

Charles Gemora (Seven Footprints to Satan, The Unholy 3, Blonde Venus)—literally guy whos Thing in movies was being the guy in the gorilla suit. out of all his known film appearances (at least 60) only 9 credited him and at least 3 of those were by a different name. his performance as ethel the circus gorilla in the 1932 laurel & hardy short "the chimp" is the keystone of the entire piece, pure chaos but at the same time all sarcastic intent and wit. the scrungle is in the chaos here. he was the griller.

Katharine Hepburn (Sylvia Scarlett)— Look, I get that thee Katharine Hepburn might not be the first pick for scrungly little guy, but I deeply believe that she was a scrungly little guy trapped in the body of an astonishingly beautiful woman and that she was clearly having the most fun when she got to show her scrungly side. Additional propaganda: This post [link]

This is round 1 of the contest. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. If you're confused on what a scrungle is, or any of the rules of the contest, click here.

[additional submitted propaganda + scrungly videos under the cut]

Charles Gemora:

21:50 through the end:

Katharine Hepburn:

[ronmerchant]

Sojin Kamiyama

I’m not sure what film this is from, but I do know he appeared in-among others-

.the THIEF OF BAGDAD (1924)

.the BAT (1926)

.the ROAD TO MANDALAY (1926) w/Lon Chaney

.the CHINESE PARROT (1927)-as Charlie Chan

.SEVEN FOOTPRINTS TO SATAN (1929)

.the UNHOLY NIGHT (1929)

.SEVEN SAMURAI (1954)

[weirdlookindog]

Seven Footprints to Satan (1929) - Herald

[snuh]

Lawrence Sterne Stevens: Seven Footprints to Satan - Fantastic Novels, January 1949

[ronnymerchant]

SEVEN FOOTPRINTS TO SATAN (1929)

[fivecenturiesverse]

full discography for the “your love is standing next to me” series

Small Town Satan, (IP, Single, 1991)

“gotta run from myself // if I wanna outrun Matthew Hopkins // got blood on my hands // but I swear it’s from holding my own guts in”

Car Trunk’s Bloody, (NBB, Single, 1992)

“we got out // but I’m still wringing out bloody clothes // got weapons crusted black // in the trunk of my car”

Grand Canyon Through Town, (NBB, Single, 1993)

“she’s looking down the canyon // where daylily and larkspur grow // columbine and yarrow // wondering how Arizona came east”

“and when the gorge opens up // and swallows us down, down, darling // and our footprints, erased from the school bleachers // and the parking lots cave in like sink holes // just take my hand and we can fly // when the gorge opens up”

Iron Briars, (NBB, Album, 1994)

Iron Briars

“candle wax pools // still spool of fire gold // through iron the tennis // goes one way // then the next // one moment home // the next some place else // candle wax pools // but who lit the candle?”

Summer at Skull Rock

 “war council by the great rock // had a few girls up here // when the weather was nicer // now summer sits storm heavy // and the flies hum in the shade // and the stink of loam rises // don’t think me and girls’ll be back again”

Eyeless House

“party town // pool fill up with blue sound // and spirits // (take a sip) of her soul or his // (take a sip) of whatever they offer round”

Tennis At The Country Club

 “eighties lovers say: // just back from Greece, // European holiday // to Rome or Nice // country club girls // in tennis skirts // and mommy’s pearls // so the ball boy flirts. // you’re by the fence: // all American dirt // an’ no money sense // ball boy says // “twenty love” // but I think you’re // another kinda love”

Supine

“laying where the Dali clock drips // in the bed of pine needles // and the nest of second hands // time runs grey // not ichor bright // slow like a camel // and the eye of a needle // aureate sand in the hourglass // unblinking or maybe sleeping”

Racket

Flashy Car

Empty Master Bedroom

Tunnels

Whistles Moonlight

The Strangest Shade, (IP, Album, 1994)

The Strangest Shade

“jade’s a shade too bright and she // wades out beside me into the Styx // black dye bleeding from her little midnight dress // slack goes her mouth // and it isn’t dye but blood // hand to her stomach // I let Jade die // in the jade black waters // of Hades’ Styx”

Ghosts in Newspaper Print

 “there’s a ghost sitting // on the wall where the clock should // she raises a finger to her lips // and it’s stained last years date // in newspaper ink // I want to go back, weather permitting”

Big City Satan

Glass Shards

Galactica Girl

Adeline

“she tastes like brine // my sweet Adeline // never seen a girl so fine // it’s like deep sea diving when our lips align // my girl so vulpine // and I cannot divine // why she wants to entwine // with me as her Valentine // the sweetest Adeline // how does outshine // even the coastline // rhyming goldmine”

Bo Peep

“we held tight the lambs // him and I // (him and I) // and stamped them // with our paint mark // so we might find them // when the world got dark”

“now they carry age // and heavy pelts of wool // still carrying our mark // in the eyes and the soul // and tells the world we were here // before they could stake a claim”

Corroded Coffin

Viscera

Ash Weekdays Ending in Y (For Preachers), (BTBB, Album, 1995)

Un-Nuclear Families

“miracles align when it’s you and I // facing down monsters as > mom and dad”

“don’t take my hand if it doesn’t feel right // God I hope > it feels right // feel like both my hands are left // and my feet forget to dance // and our kids are watching // ours since God made our shoulders wide // to hide them and build like Noah // a home from the kraken’s ribcage”

Winter Birds Love Ladies Too

 “a little birdie tells me // to take one of seven deadly sins // like an old lady’s purse toffee // and stick my teeth together”

Ash Weekdays

 “doesn’t hurt to try // if the day ends in ‘y’ // doesn’t hurt to try // till it does”

In My Palms

“however the time passes // like palm ashes through my fingers // the indent of your teeth // against the bone of my knuckle // feels like yesterday and today // and it will be tomorrow”

Was My Girl

She Is

Found Deep

For Preachers

Days Ending In

There’s Nothing Under the Bed, (NBB, Album, 1997)

Lost in Fairy Land

 “lately when the house grows cold // I feel memories thought lost // creeping out of the dark // with white spider’s legs // they grow and grow // inch closer and closer // I feel memories thought lost // in the fires of fairy land”

Breaker Box

Dwell

Sarah

Maria

There’s Nothing Under the Bed

Eyes!

Eyes II

Bridal Style

Witches Screamer, (IP, Single, 1999)

“moons come crashing down // like asteroids of love”

“like asteroids of love // in the fever dream // where time waxes and wanes // falls wide open, gibbous // and lets the wide river time // draw past in slow and marching number”

Miracle Haze, (NBB, Album, 2000)

Fungi Funky

“beyond wasted babe, you think the sky crashes down”

Miracle Haze

 “loving you like a bruise // don’t fade to that miracle haze // purple wine stain like a storm brews”

What He Said In Nonsense

“just try falling, it doesn’t matter why // promise it won’t hurt if it doesn’t”

“and it’s like sunlight // on my poor face // red lightning fades like capillaries // you bloodless but alive enough to smile”

Marmalade Mornings

Lavender, Allium

Space Out

Forage

Amelia

Pizza Van Greens

Cheapened Scars, (IP, Album, 2003)

Dream the Law Maker

“miraculous doesn’t fade like cheap scars // keep drinking pinot noir with panda eyes”

“she’s the asteroid and fever dream // it’s a miraculous, world cracking love // the cusp of greatness it seems // us with the wine-stain devotion // that won’t wash out // like rocks even time can’t carve aside”  

Long Drive By Compass

“what I said that day, and why I left // haunt me like you in the back seat // from Cincinnati, on”

“long drive by nautical means // (magic compass) show me a way that ain’t home // feel like I’m swimming in you still // angry words like the choppy sea // first saw the sea with you // now you’re not beside me it seems // that life is a long drive by nautical means”

“your eyes in the back seat // from Cincinnati on // your dark eyes too warm // when your mouth is that cold”

Loveless Loser Overture

“sun strike me down now if I’m wrong // strike me down now // strike me down // bloodless like king kong”

“a V of geese silhouettes // marking the season turn // like the browning leaves // and cold north winds // horizon afire with sunset // strike me down now // or send me home”

Pantyhose Doorknob

On The Run Blind

Shades

Motel Blues

Cheapened Scars

Stealing Candy From ‘Em is Easy, Try Killing For, (BTBB, Album, 2005)

Killing For Candy

“killing for you ain’t sweeter // but sometimes it’s easier // than taking loving hold of loving hand”

On the Road to Hell

 “little council // full of words learnt // on the edge of death // and the cusp of life // I want to set school desks // amidst the rocks // and leave them to learn // while I ride // to the valley of death”

Dirty Mattress Portals

Aftermath

Back of the Gymnasium

 “only time our paths cross // you drinking water like it’s life blood // sweaty bangs and short shorts // watching me sell out // to the after school flood”

Magic’s Name is Numbered

 “magic’s a little girl (magic’s the little girl) // who talks on the radio (talks on the radio) // magic’s a little girl (magic’s the little girl) // standing next to me (standing in front of me) // when our days are numbered (numbered, darling) // magic’s that little girl (that little magic girl) // who rides the lightning storm”

Childhood Sweet Tooth

 “he took a dance (she took a dance) // out on that gym made ballet score // she’s in her eyes (like the world spins past) // he’s in his eyes (like the sun awakens you) // they’re dancing up a storm // bright like nebulas made candyfloss (like liquorice black holes) // they took a dance (gym made ballet score)”

Quarry

Arcade Parking Lots

Fungi Funky Reprise, (NBB, Single, 2006)

“we know we’re madder // than that hatter // oh darling, at and with and -ly in // and something in-between // did you really think the sky would crash down? // when it’s you and me?”

The Orange Tree House, (NBB, Album, 2007)

Lionesses Stalk My Kitchen

 “the girls bring in the carcass // rotting, foetid, technicoloured fleece of dreams // they say eat it, like toffees, this time swallow // and oh, my heads falling at the seams // and something in my heart is hollow // carrion crows hop on my lion’s deadly sin // the girls loll in the sun // and wait for us to eat”

“wrinkles and sun damage // on Leonid leonine eyes // textures my fingertips have known // counted, loved // smoothed and designed // an image of time // I: the architect”

Scarlette

“wind rush in the Corvette // her eyes starlit // and her kisses like orbit // eyes like chocolate // big bang started with a turn of the faucet // to meet Scarlette // brink where stars are darkest // her eyes starlit // and her kisses like orbit // eyes like chocolate”

Greenwich Mean Time

 “time feels like rust on a porch swing // like flowers growing where the earth // opens her mouth to sing // time feels like that, on summer days”

Polarise / Polar Rise / Polaroid

“_polarise opinion, doe eyes // darling knows she’s too good for Polaroid // but digital’s for the tabloid // let me take a picture girl in Vogue // polar ice will rise // before your looks polarise // Polaroid like it’s eighties, darling // doe eyes, and kissing girls // is in vogue”

FL

Oranges

Bella

1990

Guest Room

Suntrap Garden

Gilded, (IP, Single, 2008)

“it was girls hopping stepping stone rocks // below the boulders of your gallery // (take your pick, liege) // beer sweating up in the copse // please don’t ask for Mallory // she don’t want to join the gilded folk // or to float that blue sound soak // girl on the stepping stones alone // someone said her name is Sloane”

“soft eyed king // and Sloane // outside the stars and Mallory // dance the wizard dance // John and the innocent // tied by strings”

Daffodils In Autumn, (NBB, Single, 2009)

“don’t turn your eyes from that rear-view // I’m in the mirror calling, don’t look at the road ahead”

“Leala follows God across the sky // in your wing mirror // held by spider web strings // into blue and bird sound sky // into grey overcast // ahead on the road // songs and stars dance // Leala holds her peace // I’m in the mirror calling, please”

Wish Monsters Stayed Dreaming, (BTBB, Album, 2013)

Second Look

“honey, I’ve gotta feeling somethin’s outside // don’t take a second look, I don’t wanna know”

Where Are We Going Now

“I’m looking in the mirror, can’t see you now // (passenger seat, darling) // you were meant to haunt me, I’m still looking back // (passenger seat, darling)”

“sun don’t matter if the moon’s looking on // like miracles in solar flares // lighting us both just enough to see by”

Stayed Dreaming

Wishing Well

Flowers, No Note

Shoulder To

Tableau

Open Season

Salmon Run

Northern Lights Off Switch

Corner of the Dance Floor

Gonna Be Abput Yoou, (IP, Single, 2014)

“made you a promise // built on our ash-soaked rudiments // like cornerstones bleeding tequila come new year’s eve // but I made you a promise, spirit eyed or not // this songs gonna be about you”

“call me back on things I said // say nothings changed // but the sun don’t burn so bad // love was something I did to you // now it’s something I drown in // call me back on the things I said // I’m gonna uphold promises, I’m gonna tear down threats”

“made you a promise // built on our ash-soaked rudiments // like cornerstones bleeding come midsummer // I made you a promise, fat fingered or not // this songs gonna be about you”

All This Way Please, (IP, Album, 2015)

Love’s A Lake

“on the heart shaped bank // waits youth in the wings // watching as we plunge // to the brackish jade waters sank // where hell awaits, eerily sings // for them, I think // we return from the brink”

Hellfire

All This Way

“_wet paper // tears beneath my feet // and we go tumbling // one year to the next // hardly a moment to grab on // and make memories // even in the slow heat of morning // and the hum of summer afternoons”

Pleasing

Begging You On the Way (Out)

Devil’s Tang — erine

Drowning Tax

Georgia

Elephant in the Room

The Forest Out Back, (NBB, Album, 2016)

Eden’s

On Moss

“time like hot soup // afternoons like treacle wells // until the flowers droop // and curl their petals // into bedtime kisses // the mosquitoes and the stars // and laughter gells // tears in the dark // where monsters still sleep // by the sundial mark”

The Forest Out Back

Skull Rock Revisited

 “sunbeams through spring leaves // us at the altar that holds minds // the lake deepens ahead like warning clouds // the children kneel about us // and we bind our hands // sunbeams through spring leaves // at the boulder of love born again”

Oaken

Sunbed Wilderness

The Valley

School’s Out

Wine Stain

Sundress

Ellie

Blood in the Water’s Good for Drowners, (BTBB, Album, 2023)

Lady Jane Grey of the Basketball Team

 “tell them what you want // an’ don’t line up that shot // tell them what you want, hold it up to vaunt // don’t let it be the crown baby, it’s thorns baby // I’ve given up that throne, isn’t mine to haunt”

“lion’s mane and pool aquamarine // don’t open up your mouth // and show us the hollows // they took your fangs, baby // and with it the crown”

Entwined

 “side by side (by side) // entwined at the mountaintop // no more time to bide (to bide) // just us at the world’s stop // where time goes on (the great beyond)”

Letters for the Bold

 “whole constellations fall // the moment we breathe // and stars flicker out and die // and the blackness of space overwhelms // the phone line clicks // somewhere I’m still breathing”

“you said the moon falls // you said that space is nothing // but what’s that now creeping over the garden walls // if space is nothing // where do monsters breathe // and flicker // and die”

Ice Rings Like Saturn

 “there isn’t time to talk // I’ve been hiding in dark spaces // there’s only time to sing there // only time to write // darling, I’ve tried talking // in the dark spaces”

Sun-Bleached Bones

 “blood in sun soaked water // do you feel like you’re drowning now? // SPF and pool noodle, space suit left back stage”

“I’ve been hiding, back seat and rear-view // but been loving you since y days”

“it’s always been bats for us and bats don’t swim // but there’s blood in sun soaked water // and your bones are white like mine // let me touch them, when I can see not moonlit // when the biggest star looks close // do you feel like you’re drowning now?”

In Legalese: Can’t Tell You More ft. Tammy Thompson

“What did you say to me, hello? That the fires burn yellow? // Now I’ll take you by the elbow “baby, forecast says snow” // You say it’s August, you doing blow? // I’ll say it’s this town, baby! This fucking town! // Fires burn black and snows year round // And dead don’t mean dead until you see it first hand // What did you say to me, hello? That the fires burn yellow? // Now I’ll take you by the elbow “baby, forecast says snow” // You say it’s August, you doing blow? // Blossoms open with teeth and tongues // And the bats are really vampires, baby. // I can’t tell you again, it’s this fucking town. // In the snows // With vampires // And petal maws // This fucking town // Don’t ask me on air // (Oh babe, please don’t) // Can’t say more, babe // Don’t ask me on air // (Small print, baby) // In the snows // With vampires // And petal maws // This fucking town // When the gorge opens up”

Silver

“dying isn’t so much one silence // but one mellow moment // and another // honeyed sweet // and going silver // like slow worms and iron // feels like becoming the earth // before it eats you”

“curling in the coffins // with silver bones // fusing to ancient stones”

Blood in the Water

Good for Drowners

Memories in Triplicate

Treasure Map

spent the afternoon adding songs to the incompleted albums. this (should be) a complete list of all the lyrics i wrote for any of the songs. as with all my fics i welcome transformative media (just use the inspired by function on ao3/tag me) so feel free to go wild if you want to write any of the rest of these songs. it’s been fun writing the series and i hope you enjoyed it to!

love fives

[saturdaynightghostclub]

Highway Hypnosis

Chapter 8: Babel

In the gap between Is and Was, there exists the liminality of a thousand uninhabited years. It’s the fall to the Underworld that takes somewhere between ten minutes and seven days, depending on who you ask. Len Is, then Len Was. I Was, now I Am. Stuck between projector slides, trapped in an elevator with the doors half-open. With every shelf I dust, my uncle slips further from Is, and I settle slowly into Am. He’s in a deep, veiled past now. If he speaks, it will be in a tongue I’ve never heard; our tower is crumbling with each day that I work to erase his footprint from the home he gave me. This is the best way I’ve found to describe the feeling of living without him, in his shell: it’s less that he’s gone, and more that there’s an irreconcilable language barrier that now separates us.

Jasper’s been in the library more often than not, dusting shelves and trying to decipher the complex organizational system Len set up. When I suggested that we just alphabetize everything by last name, he recoiled as if I’d invoked Satan in mass. Apparently Len was very particular about the order of the books, which to the untrained eye appears to be roughly genre-based with subcategories I can’t even begin to comprehend. He’s in there again today, kicking up dust and surgically removing and replacing books in the exact order in which he found them while I shove furniture around to get at the rugs underneath. I’ve been trying to wash them, to give them new life since Len’s ancient vacuum cleaner doesn’t seem to be doing the job. Mostly though, I’ve been hanging them over the porch railings to beat the ever-loving daylights out of them with a broom. I’m not sure what exactly I’m accomplishing, but it feels good to use my arms for something other than making coffee.

With each strike, I can feel myself getting lighter. It’s a funny thing to be aware of, the cognitive weight of oneself. When Jasper kissed me the other day (a performance he has yet to repeat, which may have something to do with my abuse of the rugs), I thought I would feel lighter; I thought, when you finally kissed the one person you were always meant to be kissing, you’d walk on air. Instead, I felt completely and beautifully heavy. Not heavy, exactly—grounded, maybe. I settled entirely into myself, solidifying like sand into glass. I was there, fully, inside my body inside his arms inside the cracked dome of the Evergreen sky. He hasn’t kissed me again, and we haven’t talked about it. And I feel like I’m floating.

Strike. Strike. Strike.

“Andie!” Jasper calls from inside the house.

“Coming,” I reply, dropping my broom unceremoniously on the porch before heading in. I round the corner and enter the library to see him standing in the center of the room, holding a small white envelope.

“For you,” he says, holding it out. On the back, in Len’s distinct chicken scratch, is my name. It certainly is for me.

“Where’d you find it?” I ask, trying against instinct to keep the shudder from my voice as I take it from him.

“Top shelf, right-hand side. It was on top of the books, I never would have noticed it,” he says, shifting his weight. “Do you want to open it? I can leave, or—,”

“No, stay,” I say reflexively, “I’m sure it’s nothing heavy.”

Jasper nods. I’m not lying; the envelope is old, covered in dust. If it was anything important, he would have written it recently. That’s what I assume, anyway. It never was any good, trying to read Len.

To my beloved Andie,

I’m sorry, my dear. In lieu of me showing up for you, please accept these books as a peace offering—if you’re still the little girl I raised, I know you’ll love them.

PZ7.R1975 Wh 2017

PZ7.B1135 Tu

PR4567 .A1 1996

Love,

Your uncle Len.

I’m lost. I hand the note to Jasper with a quirked eyebrow, a silent “What do you think?” passing between us. The codes on the page mean nothing to me aside from the fact that they clearly correspond to books in some way.

Jasper’s expression mirrors mine as he takes the note, but morphs into something else entirely as he reads. “Library of Congress,” he murmurs.

“Catch me up,” I say, crossing to stand beside him. So I can look at the note, sure, but what if my shoulder presses against his just so—what then?

He doesn’t notice. “These are Library of Congress call numbers. The letters correspond to subjects and it narrows down from there, see? That must be how he’s organized the books…” he trails off, turning away from me to run a finger along a row of spines along the back wall. “Jesus, of course he would—I don’t even know where to start here.”

“Google, maybe?” I say, pressing a light hand to his back to alert him of my presence before I pluck the note from his hand. I whip my phone out of my pocket—the poor thing barely gets any use since I arrived here—and set to work translating the call numbers to usable titles.

“Let me know when you get a hit, I’ll pull it,” Jasper says. He’s in mission mode. It’s adorable; he should have inherited the library instead of me.

“Okay, the first is—,” I start, squinting at my phone in my stubbornness against wearing glasses, “Where the Red Fern Grows.”

“Got it,” he whirls around, scanning a shelf seemingly at random before pulling a small volume.

“Next one,” I say, furiously typing, “Tuck Everlasting.”

Jasper moves back a few volumes, tapping each one as he passes it. “Done,” he says.

“Okay, last one…Oliver Twist,” I say, sliding my phone back into my pocket triumphantly.

“And…got it!” Says Jasper, pulling a particularly dusty book from a shelf I don’t have a prayer of reaching on my own. He turns to me with a boyish grin, like he’s solved the great mystery of the world by virtue of random library knowledge. I make a mental note of his image, smiling to myself. He passes the stack of books to me, watching me closely for my reaction.

“Huh,” I murmur, examining their cracked spines as I turn them over in my hands, “Wonder what made him choose these.”

“Troublemakers,” he says, “they’re all about kids running around, getting into shit. Sound familiar?”

I laugh, genuinely, and maybe for the first time in a while. “Fair enough,” I grin. Len spoke through him, just now. In my language.

The library mystery solved, Jasper and I take up residence on the beat-down porch of the cabin. Len never bothered with patio furniture, preferring to sprawl out on the splintering wood, so that’s what we do. We’re unnecessarily close on the porch steps, but I won’t acknowledge it if he doesn’t. How juvenile of us both.

“I didn’t think I was going to kiss you the other day,” he says, breaching the uneasy silence, “just so you know. I didn’t know I was going to do it until it was happening.”

So he does want to talk about it. “Do you regret it?” I ask, before I can think better of it.

“No,” he breathes in a near-gasp, turning swiftly to look at me. “Not even for a second, no.”

“Neither do I,” I say, bumping his shoulder lightly with my own. He didn’t ask, but he needs to hear it. Maybe I need to hear it too. He exhales beside me, confirming my suspicion: he was testing the waters. Now it’s my turn. I press forward, just an inch or two—as subtle as to be negligible, unless he’s looking for it. Now, a hand on his knee—the one furthest from me, so that I’m crossing his body with my arm. He understands.

Jasper tilts my face up to his with a finger beneath my chin and kisses me, with the same blissful softness he used before. I don’t think I’ve ever met a gentler man, one whose basic instinct was less “conquer” and more “find out.” I can feel his smile against my lips in the moment before he pulls away, and I answer it with one of my own.

“I can’t believe my luck, honestly,” he says, briefly pressing his forehead to my own before turning back to the horizon.

“What do you mean?”

“Just this. All of it. The fact that you’re here, one of the three transplants we’ve had in five years, and you’re beautiful and smart and charming, and you just happen to be into me. What are the odds?”

I press a kiss to his shoulder. “Better than you might think. You’d be surprised, there’s a real market for bookish introverts like you in college towns. You wouldn’t last three weeks as a single man where I come from.”

“I would,” he insists, “as long as you’re somewhere out there, I don’t stand a chance.”