Beware of the Black Book

As I sit at my desk trying to finish the last chapter of my novel," Coded Riddles," I eventually throw my hands up into the air, dropping my pencil just before I turn off my desk light to call it a night. After turning off my light, I stand up and walk over to my bed then sit down on the edge of the mattress. While sitting there, staring out my window in front of me, begin wishing; that I had a way to fix all of my problems, but realize there is no chance of that ever happening. I reach out in front of me to close my curtains, then turn around to stretch out on my bed, letting sleep take me.

The next morning, I wake up to a black book laying by my head, on the pillow. Curious as to what it is, I pick it up and open it to look inside. peering through the pages which only brings me to find that they are all blank. Thinking that my roommate decided to play a prank on me, I toss the book behind me, landing on the floor. About the time I sat down something hits me, "owe,” I say while rubbing the back of my head and look around my room for the culprit, only to find that I am alone. I simply shrug my shoulders as I look at my clock on the bedside table until I see out of the corner of my eye that the black book I threw to the floor is laying on my pillow. Reaching over to my pillow, I pick up the book and open it once more, only this time there is a set of instructions as well as a set of rules on the first page. Above them there is a sentence that reads, “Do not throw this book again or parish.”

Soon as I read the words I scream and fumble the book in my hands, nearly dropping it but catch it just before it hits the floor. Letting out a heavy sigh, I regain my grip on the book just before taking another look. Though what I find is words appearing on their own. “Human's I swear they always scare easy. Look boy, just read the instructions and rules. Otherwise, your little brain would not be able to comprehend anything that I say, even if I tried to explain how I know your every move. Good luck kid.” Then all the words disappeared except the rules and instructions though as for me all I can do is sit and stare trying to figure out what just happen.

As I blink my eyes and shake my head to rid the thoughts of trying to figure it out knowing all too well about how the saying, “curiosity killed the cat,” turns out. I look at the book and begin to read the instructions, “First and for most, this is a onetime thing. Once you write on the last page the book will disappear, you’ll have three days to spend $20,000 dollars provided by this book. Once the book disappears, nothing changes, and everything is permanent. My advice is to please read all the rules very carefully, but keep in mind that things do not always turn out the way that you want them to. I hope things turn out better for the one reading this than it did for all the others before you.

Rule 1, if anyone besides you writes in this book they will disappear.

Rule 2, every page must be filled, and the money must be completely used within three days or else you will suffer the same fate as the others before you.

Rule 3, if the book is not full, it will fill in the empty space itself.”

Ughh.., I wonder what rule 3 means, *shrugs*, ah oh well!, I am sure it is nothing to worry over about, let’s me see here. First, I will pay off what I owe my roommate, although this is probably some sick joke of his, so I start writing, “Mark Lewis, $2,000 dollars.” Then I thought of my mother, heaven only knows she needs and deserves it for all the years she has put up with me. So next part, I write, “$6,000 for her, Jinffere Holmes.”

Once I am done writing the amount of money, names, and information, I close the book and set it on my bedside table, turning off my light and return to bed, falling asleep. The next day, I wake up to a knock on my bedroom door along with a shout for me to get up. “Yo Drew!, dude get up! It is 4 o’clock in the afternoon and I need to talk to you.” *Bang* *Bang* “Yo! Dude, wake up already.”

Ugh, I groan as I slowly begin to stir from sleep. “Jeez man, you know I work late on my novels. What is so important that you had to wake me.” I say to Mark, after opening my bedroom door.

“I wanted to thank you for paying me back all the money you owed me from paying off your debt. What do you say we hang out tonight and I buy dinner my treat.” Mark said.

“Huh..,” is all I can say before my mouth falls open, stun at knowing what happened even though Mark does not. I close my bedroom door and run to my bedside table to pick up the black book inside . Which now reads, “Mark Lewis, receives $2,000. Jinffere Holmes, receives $6000. You now have $12,000 left to spend before tomorrow night.” Then I hear a noise and feel a vibrating sensation which startles me enough to fall backwards off my bed onto the floor to find my phone vibrating and ringing within my pocket.

I groan as I sit up slowly, “ugh.., damn, I wish the universe would lay off my head.. That hurt, *groans*, this is going to be a migraine from hell.” I say with a grumble just before picking up my phone to find a text from mom saying. “I received money in the mail, going on vacation, and I hope all is well with your novel. Tata..,” since when does mom say ta. ta. *Sighs* Oh well, no matter, I return my phone to my pocket. Now the book says $12,000 remains. I write my name and information and an amount of $10,000 in the book then return it to my bedside table shortly after I fall asleep on my bed.

Few hours later, I wake up and look at the book to find a heavy sum of cash inside it with a piece of paper on top that reads “$2,000 remaining.” Then I think of my friend I always wanted to help, but never could, I write, “$2,000 for Anna Parker,” along with her information just before falling asleep on top of the book. When I wake up and look down at the book it reads out, “Now see the effects of your choices, good luck you will need it.”

Huh.., wait what? the book is still here? I thought it was supposed to disappear once the last page was full… Oh no… The last page, it is empty! “Wait a minute, fill in the empty space itself..,” I say out loud to myself as I finally realize what the third rule meant. “Oh no! Mark! Mom! Anna! I grab my phone to send off a text, but it won't go through, I read on the screen “invalid number.” What the.. Then I stumble just before getting up, breaking into a run, heading out my bedroom door, and down the stairs as quick as I can to find Mark on the floor in a pool of blood. His eyes looking into mine as I fall to my knees while tears fall from my eyes. The sight of my roommate rendering me unable to speak.

Then I hear the tv news reporter talk about a strange break in, killing a sixteen year old who had been hospitalized and her family had just gotten a letter this morning saying that they did not owe the hospital any more money. When some strangers busted in shouting where is the money? Then start killing everyone in the room, only to mysteriously disappear seconds after. Leaving only the older brother who was out running an errand for the family at the time. Only to shortly return and discover the death of his family. I hear the names of the family members names; I realize it was my friend and her parents.

It was not long after hearing this horrendous news that the black book appeared before me, opening it and it starts writing on its own once again. “Now you have a choice on how to fill the page. Fill it by accepting the losses or by losing yourself in their place. Simply write your reply of your final choice.”

Then I write, “If I choose myself will it bring them back?”

Book reply, “Only one.”

Write down another question, “My friend, Anna Parker and her family can it be them?”

It replies, “Hmm.., well yes I suppose so, be as how your roommate and mother, plus you would be here.., so yes this can be done is this your choice?”

Instantly I write, “Yes,” feeling myself fade into nothing, leaving everything around me to disappear.

My lesson was not just one, but many. First, careful what you wish for you, just might get it. Second, not everything is always what it seems to be. Third, things do not always go as planned. Forth, it is better to give than to receive. Finally, do not always trust something you find laying around because you never know what dangers it just might bring.