The Interview.

I really want to do this.

I really want to do this. Jeffrey kept telling himself, sweating, from the warmth of the spotlights shining on him.

“Welcome back! Next on the show is Jeffrey Smith. He claims he has the veritable Book of the Dead, but does he? You be the judge.” Susanne Crowley said, looking away from Jeffrey and into the camera.

Did she have to say it like that?

“Jeffrey. Tell us a bit more about this book.” Susanne continued.

Jeffrey thought she looked a bit too animated with all of her hand gesturing, but as rehearsed before the show, he knew that was his cue to bare all in front of possible millions of people. He couldn’t look at Susanne in the face, so he looked down at the book it in his hands. “Well, this little black book holds the death stories of about a dozen people, or more.”

“Or more? What does that mean, and what kind of people are in the stories?” Susanne asked before Jeffrey could get the next syllable out of his mouth.

“I’m not entirely sure, but their plights and deaths seem so familiar, yet foreign.”

“Then, at the end of the book there is a riddle.” Susanne interrupted again.

Jeffrey became a little impatient at the time, crossed a leg, and looked out into the crowd of people. Of course he couldn’t see anything. The spotlights were too bright. He was on a mission and a deadline. “Let me read an example. Maybe that will clear up…”

“Yes, please.” Susanne said, crossing her own legs, nodding her head, and then looked at her smart watch.

Jeffrey took the rudeness again in stride, took the little black book from his lap, unbound the book by its band, and began to read after clearing his throat.

“All her life, Ginger felt her beauty marred by the bright lights of camera flashes. She pictured her skin blanching with each shot. That was the only life she knew, though. From before she could even talk, she was surrounded by cameras on movie sets, the paparazzi, and her fans. The fans, though, were always unpredictable, and nothing could prepare her for the fan she was about to meet.

She opened her eyes to find herself in a plain room with bars. The room was well lit, but empty, and all she could hear was a strange sound. It sounded vaguely like the clashing sound two metal objects make.

Everything seemed to be happening in stop motion, as someone was clunking their way down the stairs directly in front of her cell. She heard something metal hit the floor outside her cell. She didn’t dare look down to see what it was, as she was trying to make out the person in front of her, opening her cage.

Ginger’s heart began to beat faster and faster. She felt a tug on her arm, a sharp pain, a warm sensation where the pain was at. Then, she knew nothing.”

The entire audience, as if cued, were silent, waiting for Jeffrey to say more about Ginger.

After a little less than half of a minute, Susanne broke the silence, “Wow. Are they always so short and morbid, and end abruptly?”

Jeffrey looked up from the book. “No, some are quite thorough. Would you like to take a look?” He proffered the book in earnest.

Susanne looked at the book like was a jack in the box, waiting to leap out and scare her, and Jeffrey couldn’t help but smirk. She looked at him for a moment, and slowly reached out to receive the book.

She was tentatively reading the very first page. Then thumbed through the rest. She looked at the camera closest to her, towards the audience, and then at Jeffrey. “Wasn’t that story you read at the beginning of the book?

The smirk that left Jeffrey’s face, came back. “Yes, the book seems to change from person to person, and most people pay it no mind. They see some random stories. Stories I find quite interesting.”

As if she was asked to, she looked at the camera once more with wide eyes, and then began to read her first story. “Darrien felt the love each person emanated toward him, as he felt more and more sleepy. He had to fight it. Someone important was coming. Someone he couldn’t miss, because it was literally the last time he would see him.

‘You keeping starting at the door, Paw paw. You’re expecting, him, aren’t ya?’ A strong feminine voice filled the tiny hospital room.

“Just one last time.” Darrien said as he reached toward the room door.

“That damn Josh. He may be your age, dad, but I’m ready to kick his ass.” Another voice, equally as strong, replaced the other.

‘He loves me too y’all.” Everyone looked at each other. They knew he was gay, but he never talked like that to them, and for good reason. To avoid the stares he knew he was getting.

His heart leapt as the door slowly opened.

“Josh!” Darrien cried out, with a huge, sleepy smile on his face.

Josh took Darrien’s outstretched hand, kissed his forehead, and Darrien flatlined with a smile on his face.”

No sound once again from anyone. Susanne audibly swallowed. “This one was just as short.” She handed the book back to Jeffrey.

“Most of the people I know who read this book, never make it even close to the middle.” Jeffrey added.

Susanne gave him a look that told him she completely understood. “What happens towards the end?”

“After the last story, there is a list of the names of each main character from each story. Then the reader’s name is the last. There is a riddle, and then the very last line says, ‘Solve, and you will be rewarded with riches beyond your comprehension’.

“What is the riddle?” Susanne asked, being a part of the rapt audience.

“The riddle never seems to be clear until you read each story. Like it’s ever changing.”

Susanne continues to look at him, and then Jeffrey remembers why he’s on the show to begin with. He proffers the little black book, and says, “Here, you read what yours says. You’ve already read one story.” Susanne took the book, and Jeffrey added, “Heck. Read the riddle, then read another story, and read the riddle again.”

Susanne focused on the book in front of her, looked at Jeffrey as if waiting for approval, and then flips to the end of the book. She heaves a sigh, takes a deep breath, and reads, “Like a fasted water, you must confess without being a martyr.” With clueless eyes, Susanne looked up slowly at Jeffrey, and Jeffrey used the hand motion for her to continue. “I really hope this isn’t going to be like the others.” She sighed, barely audible, referring to the random story she flipped to. She looked toward the audience for a moment, and then read aloud.

“Ninety-Seven long years. Ginia Porteet was a baker, a banker, a firewoman, a policewoman, a trucker, an artist, and ended as a writer. The money never stopped flowing in from pensions, investments, and royalties. She couldn’t have asked for a better husband, who she survived for 20 years. Her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids of all ethnicities knew exactly how to live and how to live it. She believed that a parent’s responsibility was to teach the child how to do the things they need to do, in order to lead productive lives, and they all did just that. She had the picture-perfect life, and behind closed doors wasn’t bad either.

Ginia laid on the cold and hard stainless steel, constantly looking at the young woman next to her, to the tag on hers and the young woman’s toe to signify a corpse. At any moment, that was going to be her body, and she could live for another 100 years as a completely different person.

‘What’s her name?’ Ginia asked slowly.

‘Amy Schumacher’ a disembodied voice stated.

Great, a Schumacher, she thought to herself. ‘Did you check her system for drugs? Her liver?”\’

‘As we always do. Rest assured, you are getting the best body we have found.’

Ginia stared at the ceiling, picturing herself as the young blonde, getting used to a completely new body.

‘Do you understand the rules, Mrs. Porteet? After the transfer, you must abide each of them, or you could be found out.’

‘Of course. Do you know what year I was born?’ Ginia had undergone this brain transfer system twice already, and her date of birth was sometime in the mid 18th century. It was getting much harder to breathe. This was the first time she was able to die of old age. She wanted to hold on as long as possible, but this planned suicide had its own deadline.

The man behind the disembodied voice finally showed part of his body to Ginia, while putting a special oversized helmet on the Amy’s body, and finally on hers. ‘3…2…1…’ Ginia closed her eyes, flatlined, and in exactly 2 minutes, Amy opened hers. ‘Ms. Porteet?. Are you with us? Good, your eyes are opened.’

Amy looked over at the old woman, who was just a husk now, and fought back the urge of self-pity. ‘I thought my name was Amy Schumacher.’ The disembodied voice was silent, but Amy could imagine he was smiling.”

The gap between story and speech was significantly shorter this time around.

“So, I take it there are some fictitious stories in this book as well?” Susanne asked.

“I’ve never really considered the possibility.” Jeffrey honestly answered. “Neither of the stories sound familiar to you?”

“To some extent, but brain transplant? Come on. I probably read it in a book.”

“Or these are stories from our past lives.” Jeffrey deadpanned.

Mixed emotions were uttered and felt by the audience. Even Susanne looked incredulously at Jeffrey. “Past lives, Jeffrey?”

Jeffrey didn’t answer her question. He only said. “Read the riddle again.”

With brows furrowed again, she looked down at the book where she left off, and thumbed to the back of the book, and read in a huff, “Like they fasted, like the flood, you must profess without being dragged through the mud.” She looked towards her audience. “I’m even more confused.”

“I’ll read mine.” Jeffrey stated, while reaching for the book. “You have 40 days to tell the world about this book without being punished.” Jeffrey looked up at Susanne.

A man came up to Jeffrey, whispered something in his ear, and handed him a cordless phone. “Excuse me, Rupert, we are recording, you can’t just come up here and speak to my guest.” Susanne said with a higher pitch in her voice.

“Sorry ma’am, I had urgent news for Mr. Smith.” Rupert said, leaving, stage right.

“Yes, this is he. Really?” Jeffrey started, and wore a big smile on his face.

Exasperated, Susanne said, “Let’s cut for a long overdue commercial break. God, we’re going to lose a lot of funding for this.”

“Yes, that address is correct. Yes, I can be there in about 30 minutes. Great, see you then.” Jeffrey said as he wrapped up his phone conversation.

“Welcome back, we are just ending our show with Jeffrey Smith, who claims he has a veritable book of the dead. Does he? You decide.” Susanne said again. After all, the show must go on. “Well, Jeffrey. What was the interruption about?”

Jeffrey stood and laughed. “I just won $20,000 in the lottery, and I have to meet with them to get it in about 30 minutes.”

“Really?” Susanne started blandly. “Can we continue with my show, now?”.

“That is part of your show.”

“It is? How is it, pray tell?” Susanne pursed her lips. She was losing control, and she hated it. Especially over something that was making her look like and feel like a fool.

“I picked your show because it was the least watched, on a very low-level network, but I could still get my message to the required amount of people, and the officials of the US wouldn’t be watching.” Jeffrey walked in a semi-circle, looking at Susanne and the audience.

Susanne was heated, and she let it be known, “What?! What are you talking about? That book? It said to let the world know and you would get a reward beyond comprehension. My viewers aren’t the whole world, as you so rudely pointed out, and $20,000 is very well within my comprehension.”

“You are right, but keep in mind, this book was made thousands of years ago. The whole world was probably only as numerous as your viewers, and $20,000 was probably more money than all of the money on the planet.”

Susanne looked as if she was going to retaliate and cry from anger.

“Sorry, but I got to collect my money.”

“Wait. Where’s the book?” Another crew member asked aloud for everyone to hear.

Jeffrey looked around, just before taking off for the back exit, and wearing a big smile. “I don’t know. When I got that phone call, it just disappeared.” With that said, Jeffrey completed the command of the little black book, and left to collect his money. Susanne fumed, and screamed to halt production.

The End.