The Blank Book

Theodore Haden stood in the opened door with his mouth agape. He wasn't quite sure he'd heard his visitor correctly.

"Excuse me sir, could you repeat that?"

The grayed and haggard man cleared his throat and repeated himself.

"Mr. Haden, my name is David Walker. I am a representative to your family estate. Your grandfather, Maximillian Haden, has passed away and as the last living male of his lineage you are set to receive ownership of his estate. May I come in?"

Theodore normally would have slammed the door in this man's face as he wasn't one to believe every line fed to him; however, he never knew his grandfather, so he couldn't write off this proposal so quickly. He decided to let the man in and hear him out, it wouldn't be hard to throw him out if need be.

"Sure thing, come in, we can sit in the dining room and discuss this."

David sat down at the table and opened up a suitcase full of documentation and photographs.

"I assume you'll need some proof that I am who I say I am and that Mr. Haden is your grandfather, so here are supporting documents as well as photographs of him and your father."

Once they were in front of him Theodore didn't look up from the pictures, this was the first time he'd ever seen his grandfather. He was a burly, stern looking man. Bald head, big bushy beard, a strong brow line that held short eyebrows and sat above thin green eyes. His right hand was resting on the shoulder of his son, Theodore's father, Jacob. There were other pictures of his father, some older, but he didn't really need them; there were enough identifiers that proved his identity. The scar on his eyebrow, his freckles, and the resting scowl he wore.

"This is...I mean I don't...my father never talked about him. I always just assumed I'd never know about his side of the family, but this..."

"I understand, this must be a lot to take in. Take your time to read through everything and I will get back to the matter of your inheritance."

There wasn't much to look at otherwise. All family photos though they all were missing his grandmother. There were a few pictures of the estate, a large plantation style mansion that Theodore shuddered at the thought of trying to maintain.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah, a bit big though."

"Sure, but with the money from the inheritance you'd be able to afford some help."

The suggestion made him wince. His father raised him better than that; maids and butlers were for lazy rich people who thought themselves too good to pick up a broom.

"Yeah well we're getting ahead of ourselves. What's the catch?"

"Catch?"

"Yeah, is granddad just giving away all of this with no strings attached? Or do I have to do something to get it? Stay in this haunted mansion or something?"

"Ah, I see. Yes. There are conditions," David cleared his throat, "As of today you will receive a fraction of the monetary inheritance for relocation purposes and for whatever else you see fit to spend it on. The total sum for the relocation stipend comes to $20,000 dollars even; however, the stipend, the remainder of the inheritance, and the estate are provided on two conditions."

"And what exactly would those conditions be?"

"The conditions that must be satisfied are for you to live in the mansion for at least one month and to keep in your possession your grandfathers most prized keepsake," he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a small black book, about the size of a typical passport, "this small journal."

The request was enough to put Theodore back into a dumbfounded state.

"I..don't understand. Why would that-"

"Sir. I am not the one who wrote the requirements. I am simply a messenger in the matter. For whatever reason he had, Mr. Haden wanted a successor to have this. I haven't opened it so I don't know what he used it for."

Theodore started thumbing through the book and found that every page was blank.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"I assure you it isn't. Mr. Haden was a...curious man. Perhaps he found the idea of having a journal on hand comforting and wanted someone else to do the same. Regardless of that peculiarity, do you accept these terms for inheritance?"

Theodore sat back and thought for a moment. The possibilities were both infinite and finite. Sure the twenty grand would be a huge help, he could pay off his debts and even start a business with the larger inheritance; the temptations of an easier life were setting in. He could also take the rest of the money, however much it would be, and then sell the mansion. He could pay his debts, buy as many buildings and supplies as he needed outright, and secure a future for himself indefinitely. He could travel, see the world and all of the mysteries it hid from the poor.

Besides, he thought, Why take a few coins when you can have the whole purse?

"Yeah, I accept the terms."

***

Theodore sat in the entrance of the mansion, anxiously waiting for David to arrive. He'd called him a few hours ago and told him that he needed him at the mansion as soon as possible. Either David didn't take him seriously or he didn't live close enough to get there faster.

As he was contemplating that idea there came a knock at the door. Theodore nearly jumped at the sound of it and scrambled to answer it. It was David.

"Hello Mr. Haden, I apologize for the time it took for me to arrive, but I had prior business that couldn't be put off. How can I help you?"

"Come in, please, we need to talk about the book."

"The book?"

"Yeah the book, the one my grandfather gave me, that book."

Once inside, the two of them sat in the study. David examined Theodore for a moment and the man seemed on edge.

"Perhaps you need a drink to calm your nerves?"

"No, I'm good. Just need to collect myself."

He took a deep breath and then pulled the notebook from his pocket.

"This book is talking to me. I can't explain it and I know I sound crazy, but ever since I moved in I've been able to talk to it, like I say something out loud and the book has a response written in it. I thought someone was messing with me, but I saw it happen with my own eyes. I don't know what to do, I feel like I'm losing my mind."

"I see. So, what is the book saying?"

Theodore sat down again. His voice was shaky and David could see his jaw trembling.

"It's been telling me to go down to the basement. No matter what I say or write or think. It tells me to go down to the basement."

"Did you?"

"Would you go down into a creepy basement because a book told you to?"

David couldn't help but chuckle, "No I suppose I wouldn't. Come on let's go see it for ourselves shall we?"

The tension that was built up in Theodore's jaw vanished and his body slumped in relief.

"Thank you for not thinking I'm crazy Mr. Walker, I mean you didn't even look in the book."

"No need. I know Mr. Haden was a peculiar man with peculiar trinkets."

***

The two of them stood at the basement door. David opened it, flipped the light switch, and motioned towards the spiral staircase.

"Go on sir, the lights still work after all."

"Sure, sure. Let me just check the, um, book."

Theodore opened the book and, on any page he opened, were the words: GO TO THE BASEMENT. So he took a deep breath, pocketed the book and started down the stairs, with David following behind him.

The descent was unnerving. It wasn't like the staircase was in bad condition. The railings were still shiny, the lights didn't flicker, and the steps didn't creak. It was the silence that got him. The echo of their footsteps. The rising fear that on one of the turns down there would be something sinister to greet him.

They eventually came to the bottom of the stairs and a short, rather elegant, hallway greeted them. Paintings and sconces adorned the walls; the door at the end of the hallway was locked.

"Hey David, I don't suppose you happen to have a key for this?"

"You should check your pocket."

Theodore reached into his pants pocket; the only thing there was the book.

"Oh right, maybe there's some instructions or-"

He'd pulled the book out of his pocket again and opened it. There, in the crease of the page he'd opened it to, sat an old fashioned key.

Theodore hesitated, but decided to keep moving forward. He had to know what all of this was about.

He opened the door and found a room so elegant and grand that it better served a church than a basement. Marble columns stood in each corner and a fireplace illuminated the room in a soft glow; in the center of the room sat a closed coffin.

Before Theodore could voice his confusion, the door closed behind him. He banged his hands against the door and shook the doorknob so hard it's a wonder that he didn't pull it clean off.

"David what the hell are you doing!"

"My apologies Mr. Haden, the conditions of my employment demanded this. Farewell."

A loud thud grabbed Theodores attention. Behind him, the coffin lid had slid off and fell to the ground. In the light of the fire, he could see a withered and desiccated hand wrap it's fingers around the edge of the coffin. Those wretched fingers pulled up a skeletal figure so ghastly that Theodore could do nothing but flatten himself against the door in some fruitless hope that it would disappear behind him.

He couldn't help but think of how the creature resembled the nosferatu. Perhaps the early audiences who saw that film felt the fear that he did now. Seeing something new and terrifying. A creature with skin so tight that all you could see was a skull with bulging eyes and a mouth of jagged fangs.

The creature stood tall and began to sniff the air with slit nostrils. Inhuman groans oozed from its throat as it got on all fours and crawled slowly over to him. Every foot closer it got to him sent greater fear into his heart. He could smell the carrion musk on it. He could hear the creaking, cracking, and popping as this corpse broke the rigor mortis that had cemented it in the coffin.

Run.

Theodore's body refused to listen.

Fight.

The creature grew closer.

I don't want to die.

It was face to face with him. A slender skeletal hand grabbed his face with impossible strength. The creature sniffed him, breathed in his scent deeply, and somehow managed what could only be considered an attempt at a smile.

A disgusting beastly scent escaped its mouth as it groaned one word.

"Graaaaandsooooon."

***

Once the screaming and thrashing had stopped David Walker took out his pocket watch and waited exactly five minutes. At that point he opened the door to see a burly naked man standing in front of the closed coffin.

"It's good to see you Mr. Haden, I trust you've found things to your liking?"

Maximillian stopped thumbing through the black book and faced David.

"Yes, thank you David. Both you and this little beauty continue to serve me well."

He turned to the coffin before exiting the room.

"It was good seeing you grandson, it's always a treat to spend time with the family."