The Book of Inclination

A peculiar pen suddenly falls out of the book. It looks like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I gently lift the pen, barely picking it up between two fingers. There are three perfect grooves and my hand slips naturally into a writer's form. Immediately, the metal grows and begins to weave itself around my hand. The crinkled pages grow brighter and begin to look as new as the day they were first made.

It’s beautiful. The iridescent pages beg to be written on and the pen makes me feel alive. I’ve never held something of such quality.

This book is probably worth more than my entire, lackluster town! Why would mother keep it so secret?

What do I even do with this thing?

“What you invest into it, it will invest into you. Give it your best shot." I hear my mother’s voice.

Okay, mom. For you. I take a deep breath in and with shaky hands, I press the pen to the page. Immediately, memories flood my mind as if I were reliving them once more.

“Mother, I will still be hungry after this.”

“I know, love. But that’s all that we have right now.”

The small version of me stares at the tiny pile of peas. The loud growls from her stomach rang loudly in the empty room.

“Go on, darling. I’ll see if I can find you something else, okay? Just eat them slowly.”

“Okay, mommy.”

I watch as the younger version of myself eats a single pea at a time.

“How am I here?” I breathe. Little me looks up from her plate.

Oh no. She heard me.

A small, sobbing noise echoes through the kitchen.

“Mommy?” I follow her to the source of the sound and peer through the crack in my mother’s door.

“I don’t ever want to see my daughter hungry again.” She whispers through clenched teeth.

Suddenly, a bright light consumes the entire house and makes its way towards me. Next thing I know, the younger me is back at the table staring at a large plate of beautifully cooked chicken paired with mushroom risotto and a tall glass of my favorite white grape juice.

The memory fades as I watch myself chow down with excitement. My mom can be seen in the corner, arms folded, with a small smile as she watches her little girl with delight. A single tear escapes her eye. The last thing I see is a shiny, metallic ring on her thumb.

When I open my eyes, I’m back in front of the book. It’s glowing brighter than ever. A luminescent rainbow emanates from the leather cover.

Words begin to form on the page.

Straight from the heart, you must mean what you say. With only one chance, what will you write about today?

So that’s how she did it! She wasted her one wish on me?!? I slam my eyes shut and begin to sob. I always wondered how she could manifest such delicious food even when we are dirt poor. It was just that, manifested! No one even asked questions when they saw it! When I offered to share, they would look at it with disgust and politely decline.

More realizations crash in on me as I remember everyone talking about how my mother would never eat. And I was too naïve to see that she starved herself, while I ate to satisfaction each day. When I asked her if she was going to eat, she always replied,

“Do Chefs sit down to dinner with their company?” My heart aches as I count the nights she suffered for me.

Come on, Mother! Can’t you just think of yourself for once?

I open my eyes with purpose. That’s it!

Responding to my passion, the pen began to creep up my arm, wrapping it in intricate detail.

She deserves so much! I won’t let her spend another day pouring herself into others until there’s nothing left!

The pen encompasses my entire arm in a thin metal lace. Surging with power, it is a masterpiece. Except it’s the artist, and I’m the canvas.

I’m overcome with ecstasy, as words unknown to me appear on the page. The scratch of the metal against the delicately thin paper is like the song of a bird. The iridescent colors lift up and caress me. I’m encompassed in paradise. And then, it goes quiet. For once, I feel the sun kiss my skin through the windows.

As I open my eyes, I read the words designed on the page.

No longer will my mother want for anything.

The stunning, lacey pen unwraps itself from around my arm and morphs into the most elegant ring. And I continue to watch in awe as the ink leaps off the page in a graceful swoop, settling inside the ring. It looks like the purest form of silver in existence, and it fits perfectly around my thumb.

“This is crazy!” I screamed a little too loudly.

Mother peaks her head through the door. “Everything alright in here, sweetie?”

“Everything is better than alright, mom! You won’t believe what just happened!” I raise my hand to show her the ring. “Look, what the pen from that book you gave me turned into!”

“Uhhh.. your hand looks very beautiful, Ana. Just like your mother’s.”

“Mom, I’m serious! Do you not see this gorgeous ring?!”

“I think you’ve maybe had a little too much white grape juice.” She laughs. “I don’t see anything but your gorgeous skin, my love.”

“What? No, mom, look! The pen that came with the book you got me.” I run and lift the book to show her, but I notice it’s returned to aged, black leather. How could this be? I open the book and a generic ballpoint pen falls out.

“What kind of joke is this? You literally gave me this book and it came with this beautiful metal pen unlike anything I’ve ever seen before!”

“I’m not sure what pen you’re talking about, sweetie. But I’m glad you’re at least using your imagination and putting that old notebook to use.” She smiles. “Dinner will be ready soon!” She closes the door and disappears.

How can she deny it? I look down at the old decrepit book.

“Unless you did something. You mystical, magical whatever you are. I gotta say, the ball point pen trick really took it to the next level. Bravo.” I roll my eyes and toss the book on my side table as I face plant onto my bed.

"I guess it IS too good to be true. Maybe I'm hallucinating. Or maybe I'm not doing something right? How is this supposed to work anyways?" I hear pages rustling and I peak through my eyelids to see the book is vibrating. The cover radiates those unusual colors again. It stands on it's spine and falls open. I reach for the book and gently lift it into my hands once more.

One chance, one wish, but how much time? The choice is yours, for you wear the design.

Gotta love a book that answers questions with questions.

"So.. the ring? Yes, it's all in the ring! Okay, okay. So the wish is tied to how long I wear the ring?"

The ink shifts on the page.

The ring is pure, the magic is true. Yet it's solely magic, until it's removed.

"Uhh.. what? So.. wait.. so you're saying the wish becomes true reality once I take the ring off? What happens if I don't ever take it off?"

You ask many questions, but that's okay. If you don't take it off, it will all go away.

"Oh, you have quips. Dang! Someone's getting a little short!" I glare at the book. "But that still doesn't explain why my mother couldn't see the ring!"

The ink disappears.

"No, no. Hello? Did you not hear me?"

The page remains blank.

"Please come back, I didn't mean to be so brash."

The book remains still.

"Fine! Don’t say anything! I bet the lack of memory is just another one of your magical mumbo jumbo tricks, anyway! Just for fun, isn't it?"

Ink returns to the page.

Yes.

"Wow! Of course it is. You're sooo clever and hilarious! Come on, Ana. You can't even outsmart an old leathery tree!"

The ink disappears, the colors fade, and the book slams itself shut.

I cross my arms. Typical. Puts a ring on my finger, then gives me the cold shoulder.

Suddenly my mom busts through the door.

"Ana you're not going to believe this!" She frantically waves a letter in my face.

"What mom? What happened?"

"You remember that old pocket watch we found in your dad's shop?"

"Yeah?"

"I took it to The Vintage Nook down the street, and there was a man there who was very interested in it. He offered to buy it if he could verify that it's genuine, and I just got the official letter proving that it's real!"

"That's great news, mom! We might be able to catch up on a few bills!"

"Oh, honey. Bills, schmills! We're buying a new house!"

"What! What do you mean? How much did this guy offer you?"

"I just got off the phone and he offered me twenty thousand dollars!"

"Are you kidding? That's unbelievable!"

"Oh, it's true, sweetie. He's coming by first thing in the morning!"

I thoughtfully glance at the closed book in my hands and it's ring on my thumb.

"What are you waiting for, Ana? Pack your things! We're moving!" She dances with excitement down the hall.

I place my hand on the book's rough, black cover.

"Thank you, my friend. You have no idea what this means for my family."

The book opens up once more.

I'm a hundred years old, I know quite well what's to unfold.

I smile as a tear streams down my cheek. I stare out my window for what could be the last time. Taking in the familiar scene of the neighborhood kids rushing inside before sundown.

The ink begins to shift again.

Don't forget to take the ring off, you dimwit.

I clutch the book to my chest as I burst into giggles.