3rd Page’s the Charm.

2:23 P.M. on the, somehow, gummy and battered clock. Last period of the day.

As a junior in highschool, this was the best feeling.

“Okay everyone, for the rest of the class, you will be reading. Look to your left where the bookshelf is and find your book. And please, for all that is sweet and right, DO NOT FIGHT!” our exhausted English teacher - Mrs. Taika- scolded. But definitely almost lost it at the end.

I dreadfully scan the bookshelf while others were pushing and shoving for their own books. Most of ‘em are illiterate so I’m not sure why there’s a fuss. Shaking my head I continue my search, then I notice...a stocky, yet small, pronged notebook sat lonely between two dictionaries. Why was it even on the bookshelf? Looks like it’s personal... Which means I have to read it.

Don’t get me wrong, I have morals, but it’s on the bookshelf.

I slide from under my desk and walk calmly, but still fast enough to snatch it before these savages catch interest. I slip my index finger into the top prongs and pull it out. As I do the pages flail open, a beam of dim orange light- almost like a fireplace- escapes, setting its warm shine onto the dictionaries it was just huddled with.

I catch and hold the book from the bottom, staring at it in astonishment, very intriguied. I scurry back towards my seat, almost tripping over my own feet. I stand by my desk for a second, thinking if I imagined it. No one else had seemed to notice what just occurred. Before I sit down I glance up to the clock:

2:58 P.M.

Hmm, that quick huh... “Mrs. Taika may I please go down to the office? My Mother said she’d be out front early today.”

“Ugh, bye Harmony, next time say it’s you that’s wanting to leave early.” she says, rolling her eyes with a crooked smile, then casting her attention back onto her touch screen phone.

My eyes perked up and a laugh almost burst through my lips from her seeing right through me. Nevertheless, I scoop my things up, especially, that small black notebook.

I stroll down the hall and exit the thick, bulky, wooden double doors at our school. I’m left with daydreams of what the light in this book could’ve been.

There was something special about it that made my arms tingle when it opened.

**

I run frantically into my room and close the door, the curtain, and even unplug the TV just for there to be a 3rd thing to do.

My mother is at work and will remain there until late in the chill night. I’m home all alone, like any other day, good, bad, or eventful. I don’t resent her, she works too hard for that. Every morning, at the crack of early dawn she always says,

“Alright now, my Harmony. I won’t be home when you get here, but maybe I’ll find the world to give to ya. I love you, be safe! Lock the doors!” With a kiss.

I lay belly down on my carpet and slide the notebook right into my view. Kicking my feet up onto my mattress that lay on the floor with me. I glide my hand over the notebook’s black cover. It felt rough and almost thick, a nice texture under my fingers. I didn’t notice that earlier. I peel the cover open to the first page...it read:

“Harmony, I’ve been waiting for you to pick me up (yes, the notebook)

There are miracles possible for the ones that need it, and ones that want it so goodly bad enough, they take it.

P.S., Once you decide to read further into my story, your hair will catch fire”

My eyes shot wide open, heart beating with anticipation. I’ve never seen this notebook in my entire life. Yet, my name is here in some fancy cursive writing.

Running my fingers along the edge of the page, I chuckle, “Yeah right, as if a notebook had the power.”

Turning onto the next, several moving images start to dance around on the pages.

Countless strips of camera film, were imbedded in this notebook, but it’s clear as day with colors as bright as the Fourth of July and...moving?!

I lean in closer to the top left of the first official page, witnessing a huge building with an even huger blanket of flames covering it. This looks almost like a barn in the middle of the woods, but has signs in the front of it I can’t quite read. My eyes start to tear up from the heat radiating off the film on the page.

As I’m watching, the roof on top of the building starts to cave, rupturing every other foundation keeping it together.

With a loud cracking and crashing sound, a hefty gust of warm wind and FIRE emerges from the notebook. Hitting and grabbing onto my hair, singeing my ends, I jump up in such a hurry I almost give myself whiplash.

“WOOOAH! Holy sh-” I scream, slapping my hair and wiping my face aggressively. I take several deep breaths, staring down at the shimmering book that just tried to confiscate my hair and eyebrows.

The note said this would happen.

I squeeze my short brown hair up into a ponytail, even more interested. Definitely spooked by what just happened but it did say something about a “miracle.”

Just as I lay into my original position, the images get to moving faster, shifting focus onto two men who’re escaping from the basement of the on-fire barn. This basement was in the back and at the butt. It was for sure on fire, but not demolished?

Survivors?

I lean in a little closer realizing the huge grins across their faces. Not a “I survived” look if you ask me. They both hobble away into a family of trees not too far from the barn.

I turn to the next page, revealing even more moving images. More importantly, these two very suspicious men.

“We can go out to eat, and go to all the parties and clubs we want with this money!” One of the men laughed happily to his companion.

“Oh hush, you want us to be broke again? Only thing I want is a new place. Keep your voice down we weren’t the only ones in that place. Right now, focus on getting us out of here and back home.” says the other.

My eyebrows furrow while I observe the both of them continue their walk, successfully making it back to their dingy and unappealing apartment. They must have stole from that barn and set it on fire. Pretty terrible people.

Flipping to the 3rd page, greeted with more to see, I huff, not fully understanding.

“Dude! Did you feel that?!” one of the men shouted quickly.

The other jumped at his unexpected outburst, “Colby, dude, chill out. Your paranoia ain’t cool, makes our money sour.” said the man.

“I ain’t paranoid, ZANDER. I felt someone breathe on my neck.” said Colby

All of a sudden, a sparkling sentence in bold cursive red letters appeared under this particular film. As the two men go back and forth with each other about ghosts, I read it:

“This is the part where you take matters into your own hands, literally.”

The guy in the film felt my breath-

“Okay let’s count it,” Zander demands, pulling out a huge plastic wrapped package, shaped like a potato sack, from his pants.

The two throw said package on a table in the middle of their shady and gloomy kitchen. Zander and Colby, rip it open.

Hundreds of one-hundred dollar bills fall into their hands. All American money.

They both laugh together, throwing the money through the air in victory.

A one-hundred dollar bill slaps my face, as a delightful greeting. I gasp, snatching the money up and checking it’s authenticity. It’s real!

Looking at the men count the money, I grin.

“So. Goodly. Bad. Enough-” as I say this my hands slide underneath both sides of the notebook.

“Take it.” I give the book a light shake.

Zander and Colby throw the money in effort to catch their balance. The dusty decorations and pictures falling off the wall of their crusty apartment.

The cash they threw landed on my carpet floor like confetti. My face lit up with excitement, a gaping smile on my face. Truly unbelievable.

I shake the notebook frantically as the bucks shot up out of the film pages.

“Hey, HEY! Where’s all our money going?!” Colby yelled at Zander, hugging their fridge for stability while the entire apartment shook. I shook it with some more force and then set the book down.

Ignoring their arguing and fussing I look around my carpeted floor, now covered in one-hundred dollar bills. My breathing trembles and gets heavier, like is this for real?

I flip to the next page, and it’s blank. No films.

Another sparkling, red and bold sentence was revealed:

“That’s not what I had in mind, but great work Harmony! Return me where you found me. Most kids never ever decide to reach out to me, yet I knew you would. Don’t ever tell anyone this happened and your money is real it’s for you to keep. Tell your Mother, it was a gift from a special something.

P.S.-”

“Oh great,” I roll my eyes with a chuckle.

“P.S., never lie to your teacher, Mrs. Taika, she knows things.”

“Mrs. Taika?” I shake my head of those thoughts for a minute and look back around my room. A smile uncontrollably appearing on my face. It won’t get us a new house or anything, but it’ll make our living, so much more comfortable.

I scrape up the money, “I suppose I should get to counting,” I giggle to myself.

**

After an entire hour of counting, I ended up with roughly twenty thousand dollars!

I’ll tell Mother, her Harmony found the world for her today.