Into the Twilight

The bell to Mr. Bibli’s Wonderful Book Store rings as yet another wide-eyed customer enters. Ashen, a quiet young man, dusts the bookshelves of the store as the giddy customers browse around making various “oos” and “awws.” Being an employee here for the past five years Ashen doesn’t blame the customers' excitement. Mr. Bibli’s store was known for being a wild attraction filled with tall bookshelves that reach the 50ft ceiling and is home to the rarest books from all over the world.

Ashen began sweeping the store aisles in preparation to close up shop. He hummed as he swept as he was quite delighted at the fact that he would be going home soon.

“What do you mean I can't reschedule?!” shrieked Mr. Bibli from his office. Ashen paused in front of the office door peering through a small crack to see a very frazzled Mr. Bibli. “If you reschedule the paperwork the renovation will be delayed another three months,” said a faint voice from the phone.

“Fine, I’ll meet with you at your office now to sign everything,” said Mr. Bibli defeated.

“Excellent,” said the voice. Mr. Bibli hung up the phone and called Ashen into his office.

“Yes sir?” Ashen said

“Listen, I need you to meet with a merchant in an hour. This is very important because I heard that they have a very special book I've been searching for over the past 30 years. Unfortunately, my other affairs will not permit me to meet with them myself today.”

“Can’t you reschedule with the merchant?” Ashen asked casually.

“Absolutely not! She’ll be on the other half of the world by tomorrow. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get in contact with these people?”

“Okay Okay, don’t worry I’ll go...where do I go?” Mr. Bibli’s brow creased. He opened a small drawer from his desk and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “Here,” Mr. Bibli said, handing Ashen the paper. “These are the directions to the meeting spot with the merchant. It’s very important that you follow them specifically in order to find her.” Mr. Bibli also hands Ashen a small briefcase. “Give her this in exchange for the book. Remember, The Little Beetle Goes Home? It’s the final book to the trilogy. You mustn't purchase anything else. Understand?”

Ashen nods his head slightly confused. “All this for a children's book?” he said.

“Not just any children's book. It’s the final book to my most beloved trilogy as a child,” Mr. Bibli refutes.

Ashen exits the bookstore with the briefcase and directions in hand. He looks bewildered at the directions as some simply don’t make sense. Make three rights? He thought to himself, Why not make a left? Though the directions were strange Ashen followed them exactly. He found himself in a dark alleyway. At the end of the alley was a very small black and white circus tent that looked only large enough for one person.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Ashen said under his breath as he approached the tent. The tent had a small gray flap used as a door that was partially open. Inside he could hear music playing.

“Hello?” Ashen said as he ducked down to step into the tent. “I’m here for a book.”

As Ashen entered he realized that the tent was much bigger than it had appeared from the outside. It was almost the size of a small house.

“Welcome.” said the old merchant woman who greeted Ashen with a toothless smile. “If it is a book you seek then you’ve found the right place.”

The tent was dimly lit and in the middle of it was a large table with a chest that sat on top of it.

“Yes, I’m here for Mr. Bibli.” Ashen said clinging tightly to the briefcase.

The old woman chuckled. “Who? Sorry dear I’m no good with names.”

She looks Ashen up and down.

“You’re here because you were meant to be here and that is all,” she said.

Ashen looked blankly at the woman.

“Come this way,” she said.

They made their way to the grand table and she took off a necklace that held a key at the end of it to unlock the chest that sat on top of the table.

“You see,” she started, “the books have their own way of finding people to read them… I’m just their loyal servant.”

She began taking out book after book. Ashen scanned each one to see if any of them were The Little Beetle Goes Home but not one book had that title.

The last book she pulls out of the chest is a small notebook with smooth black leather and a small engraving on the spine. For some reason this little book peeked Ashen’s interest.

“What’s that?” He asked curiously.

“Oh this?” she said. “This will be the last book I’ll ever read.”

Puzzled, Ashen said, “Isn’t it just a notebook?”

The woman quickly slammed her hand over the book.

“This one is not for sale.”

Ashen jumped back at the woman's abrupt gesture dropping the briefcase. It pops open as it hits the floor and two stacks of cash fall out. Ashen gasps as he looks down at $20,000 dollars that had just fallen. $20,000 for a children's book? He thought. Ashen knew that Mr.Bibli was an eccentric man but he didn’t know just how eccentric. He scrambles to pick up the money and place it back in the suitcase.

“So Sorry, I…”

The woman grew upset.

“You think your money impresses me? I’ve seen this trick before. This book is worth much more than anything in that briefcase. You got it!? Some books can’t be read by just anybody.”

“No! Please I’m only here for The Little Beetle Goes Home.” Ashen proclaimed.

There’s a brief silence before the old woman begins laughing hysterically.

“Well why didn’t you just say that? It's right over here.”

Ashen watches the woman stroll over to another chest in the corner of the room. As she digs through it Ashen cannot take his eyes away from the little black notebook. A book worth more than $20,000? He thought What could possibly be so special about it? Am I special? Ashen’s curiosity began to grow and get the best of him. While the woman's back was turned, he slowly brushed his fingertips against the leather cover. Ashen felt an overwhelming feeling inside of him that whatever was in this notebook he needed to know. While the woman was preoccupied looking through the chest, Ashen quietly slipped out of the tent grasping the little black book and leaving the briefcase in its place. The woman looked back to see that Ashen and the notebook were gone, and to herself she gives a mischievous toothless smile.

Ashen ran straight home clutching the book tightly to his chest. After entering his small studio apartment Ashen immediately sat on his bed and pulled out the little black book. He ran his hand over the smooth cover and was shocked because one side of the book was very warm while the other side felt like ice. Ashen heart skipped a beat. He felt as if he was sharing a secret with an old friend. He opened up the book to the first page and there, handwritten in large letters, read, “TO THE NEW OWNER OF THIS BOOK, BEWARE NOT TO SEE WHAT'S WRITTEN AS LIGHT OR DARK BUT THE VARIOUS SHADES IN BETWEEN.”

Ashen’s hair on the back of his neck stood straight up as he read the warning. He gulped as he turned to the next page which was blank and then the next page which was also blank. Ashen quickly flipped through all of the pages and quickly realized that the book was empty. His heart sank as he realized he made a grave mistake.

In frustration, Ashen threw the book. It slammed against the wall and fell open on the ground. This time the book’s pages began to flip rapidly on their own. So fast that it began to create a vortex sucking Ashen into it. Ashen screamed as he was pulled farther and farther into the book's vortex. He tried desperately to hold onto something but to no avail, the room faded away and all Ashen could see was twilight.