The Cursed Pages

This was the fourth time the black book showed up in Len’s mailbox this week, and it was only Tuesday. Len rejected it each time he saw it, refusing to touch it as he grabbed his other mail and left it behind. When he closed his mailbox and opened it again it would disappear. Then, hours later, the flag on his mailbox would be raised again, and he knew what that meant. He knows the legends, he has sat through the stories about a small black book that appears on one’s doorstep or in one’s mailbox. A book that brings fame and fortune, unexpected riches at seemingly perfect times. A book that brings death and destruction too, one that causes life itself to crumble under the weight the book carries.

It is said that the black book was a product of dark magic. Many believe it was cursed to punish those who were greedy and selfish. Others believed the black book was possessed by a vengeful demon who sought revenge on those who wronged them. Conspiracy theorists believed the black book was like a marking or a target, placed in the hands of its victims by a serial killer.

No matter the legend, there were details about the black book that were consistent: It was referred to as The Cursed Pages. The black book would appear randomly, and on the cover would be your full name. The first page of the black book held personal information about the chosen individual, as though the book needed to prove its abilities and intentions were real. If the victim chooses to accept the book (simply by opening the front cover and looking at its contents), the following events would occur within three weeks: The Chosen (a name given to the victims by conspiracy theorists) would suddenly come across a small fortune. How they came into this money can vary, whether it be a lotto winning or a sudden promotion, or a recently deceased relative leaving behind belongings in their will. Their sudden good fortune takes a turn for the worse by the second week. The Chosen are nowhere to be found by the end of the third week. They disappear without a trace, and the black book disappears once more in search of its next victim.

There is only one person who was wise enough to refuse the black book upon encountering it, and describes the experience as a test for their life. They have since gone missing, presumably cutting off all communication with the outside world in fear of encountering the book yet again.

The Cursed Pages first made its appearance nearly a decade ago. It targeted seemingly random individuals. It made the news; a small black book found in the homes of the missing victims, book disappears before further investigation.

It disappeared for a good six years before it made a comeback. Len deduced it was now targeting ordinary people, judging by the story in the newspaper and the segment on his local newspaper.

The black book’s newest victim, thirty six year old Kara Hope, found the book in her mailbox one afternoon. According to her husband, Kara was intrigued by the mysterious little book that appeared suddenly with her name on it, and made the fatal mistake of opening it and looking at its contents. She and her husband suddenly came into a small fortune the following day. Twenty thousand dollars, to be exact. The money was a pleasant surprise, considering it was the amount they needed to pay off their debt. Her husband was convinced things were looking up for the couple.

Kara went missing exactly twenty one days after encountering the book, and the book disappeared from their home. On to the next victim.

Len knew the true origins of the little black book. He knew the original intentions for its creation, the calculated targets and who it chose next. So, he wondered, why in the world did he find it in his mailbox? He was certainly not on the list, it was impossible. How could it just deviate from its planned course? More importantly, why wasn’t it obeying his refusals?

Len searched through his bookshelves for a possible answer. An explanation, an escape plan, something that could possibly help him outsmart this book. Panicked, shaking hands scanned over the weathered spines of books whose names were faded and in languages few could understand.

Incoherent mumbles fell from his lips as he grabbed a rather small book from the third shelf and, without looking, opened it to its first page.

Len froze in his spot, eyes trained on the words displayed before him.

No.

No.

Lennard Jacob Matthews. Born 10 January 1985, 10:06 PM .

The intentions of this book are to seek revenge on those who wronged Lennard Jacob Matthews.

The familiar handwriting was crossed out in sloppy ink, and below it, the following was written:

What goes around comes around, Len. Now, it's your turn.

Len was pale. His eyes were wide as he read the last line over, and over, and over again. The other pages, usually filled with information regarding its victim, were blank. He slammed the book shut and examined the cover. Sure enough, his full name was embossed on the black book’s cover in silver. It glistened despite no sunlight in the room.

“No. No… No, I refuse. I refuse! You hear me?! I refuse!” Len shouted at his empty study, throwing the book into his trash bin and grabbing a match. He threw the lit match into the trash bin and watched as the bin’s contents went up in flames. The fire lit up the room and had it smelling like smoke in minutes.

His chest heaved. His head spun. Sweat dripped down his neck and stained the collar of his t-shirt.

“There… I… I refuse.” His voice quieted down to a timid whisper.

The book was burned. He refused. He should be safe now, right?

… Right?

One can imagine Len’s surprise as he checked the mail the following day, after a sleepless night and a paranoid morning, coming across an envelope from an unknown sender. His hands shook as he opened the letter, and he gasped painfully at what he saw.

A check, addressed to Lennard Jacob Matthews, for twenty thousand dollars. Not a penny more, not a penny less.

Len ignored the rest of his mail and rushed inside, wild eyed and panicked. The small black book, the famous Cursed Pages, the book he watched go up in flames the day prior, was sitting neatly on his desk in his study. On its cover, his full name, embossed in silver.

Now, it's your turn. Your turn.

The check fell from Len’s hands. Fear, denial, and anger washed over him in waves. Then, acceptance. How foolish was he to think he could escape such a book as The Curse Pages? Once it chose its victim, it was hard to escape.

Len should know. After all, he was the one who created it.