The Little Black Book

Thomas was driving his usual route, it was a slow night probably because of the continuous rain. The road flashed as lighting danced across the sky. Sitting at a stop light he couldn’t help but think about his leaky roof, hoping Adam was safe and asleep. He hated leaving him alone every night, but working the graveyard shift allowed him to be home for Adam during the day. A loud bang on the side of his bus jolted Thomas from his thoughts.

“Let me on!” the man yelled frantically as he pounded on the door.

Thomas cracked the bus door and shouted, “I can only let you on at a stop, sorry man.”

He hated denying anyone a ride, especially on cold rainy nights like tonight. The man looked up at him panicked, clinging to his shopping cart full of trash. His skin was dark and wrinkled, his right eye was completely glazed over by cataracts. The left side of his face had a deep scar that began on his forehead, continuing all the way down to his neck. Thomas felt horrible leaving him soaking wet, he had been in his shoes before.

“Even if I could let you on, you couldn’t bring all that with you. This is the best I can do, hope it helps,” Thomas said holding out an umbrella from the lost and found box next to his seat.

“Help.. I leave it,” the man pleaded quickly pushing the cart away, grabbing his backpack.

Thomas sighed and opened the door for the man, he could tell he was a little off and needed help. As the man struggled to quickly board the bus he was tackled to the ground. He sprung from his seat to help as the attacker, dressed in all black wearing a mask, snatched the homeless man’s backpack. Thomas grabbed the bag from the attacker, noticing a strange symbol tattoo on his wrist. The attacker shoved him and quickly fled down the street. Thomas helped the man off the floor and on to the bus.

“You okay?” Thomas asked reaching for his radio.

“Don’t.. Please..they take me,” The man pleaded snatching the radio.

As the light turned green people began yelling and honking their horns. Thomas figured the man had it rough enough tonight and nodded in agreement. Thomas noticed the man was missing his left pointer finger as he took his radio from him. The man roughly patted his shoulder and made his way to the back of his bus. Thomas glanced at him occasionally as he rode the bus for hours. The man sat quietly scribbling in a little black notebook. Around 4:00am the man suddenly stood up and walked toward him.

“Do you need help?” Thomas asked.

“I stop now, this for you,” the man said holding out his notebook.

“It’s okay you keep it” Thomas said pushing it back, “you sure you want to get off now your stuff is blocks away, I can drop you closer?”

“Don’t need stuff, let me off!” The man barked tossing the notebook into the lost and found.

Thomas opened the door and watched the man disappear into the darkness. He completed his shift and dropped his bus at the depot, the strangeness of the evening still lingered. It was still pouring, Thomas reached for the umbrella in the box forgetting he gave it to the homeless man. He saw the notebook in it’s place and picked it up. Today was Adams birthday and he figured he might like to draw in it. He quickly wrapped it using his shoe lace and newspaper that was left on the bus. Thomas smiled as ran home, the thought of Adam getting an extra present this year was exciting.

Thomas entered the apartment, it was dark and smelled musky. The kitchen was on the right side of the studio. They had a small table with one chair against the wall. A tiny TV sat on the floor in the middle of the room. Thomas kept his sleeping bag in one corner, he heard Adam snoring in the other corner on a mattress they found in an alley. Their home was small but had just enough space for the them. It was much better than the dumpsters they were sleeping in after Adam’s mom died.

Thomas flipped on the lamp and walked over to Adam, “happy birthday to you..” he began singing.

Adams eyes sprung open “It’s my birfday, where’s my snickers?” Adam yelled and clapped loudly.

“It sure is, happy 11th birthday son,” Thomas handed him his usual gift and the notebook, then began cooking breakfast.

“I get TWO things?” Adam squealed, “Daddy, what’s this?” Adam yelled pushing the notebook into his fathers face.

“It’s a book to draw in, you like it?” Thomas said stepping back. Adam was diagnosed with Autism when he was six, and didn’t always respect personal boundaries.

“LOVE it! Look picture, what’s that?” Adam pointed to odd shapes and lines scribbled on a page.

“Don’t know, I can tear those pages out if you want,” Thomas said reaching for the book.

“NOOOOO, I like it, they teach stuff,” Adam jumped with delight.

“I am so glad,” Thomas said handing him a pen.

Adam ate while reading and doodling in his notebook. Thomas turned on the TV and sat on the floor smiling proudly at Adam. He was so glad Adam’s birthday was so special. He wished everyday could be special but classes and medications Adam needed took up most of his paycheck, the rest went to rent and food.

“Daddy look it’s in my book,” Adam screamed pointing at the TV.

“ Huh?” Thomas looked up trying to make out what the newscaster was saying through the static.

“An odd occurrence in the Lottery world today. A woman wins 5,000 on a ticket with the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6” the lady announced.

“What do you mean it’s in your book, these are scribbles?” Thomas said with confusion.

“Right here it’s the numbers and money” Adam pointed at lines and shapes laughing.

“That’s great buddy, it’s time to get ready for school,” Thomas said brushing off Adams silliness.

For weeks Adam was completely enthralled with his notebook. He would read it and add his own shapes and scribbles. He would talk about the shiny numbers and money they made. Not much of what he said made sense but that was nothing new, Adam often told wild stories and tales.

Friday afternoon Adam had an urgent request. “Daddy the numbers say buy that” Adam said pointing at the news.

“What do you mean the book told you?” Thomas asked, hearing things was strange, even for Adam.

“Here, 7 6 5 4 3 2, 10,000 on that thing. Buy them!” Adam franticlly pointed at the book and a lottery ticket on the TV.

“Okay son I will see what I can do,” Thomas responded, quickly forgetting Adams nonsense as he got ready for work.

As another long workday passed, Thomas sank into the monotony of his route watching the rain fall. It hadn’t stopped raining in weeks, tonight was especially bad. As Thomas rounded the corner at Battery park he caught a glimpse of the homeless man he helped a month prior. Surprisingly he had forgotten all about him, until he saw him standing on the sidewalk. The man winked at him then pushed his cart in front of the bus. Thomas slammed on the brakes, the passengers screamed as it came to a screeching halt. Thomas peered over the wheel, searching for the man but he was nowhere to be found. Shaken and confused Thomas stepped off the bus to investigate further, it seemed the man and cart had both vanished. Maybe he hadn’t seen him at all, Thomas thought. He was tired after all and it was dark and rainy. He climbed back on the bus, calmed himself and the passengers, and continued route. About half a mile down the road while still in a haze Thomas overhears two ladies discussing the lottery.

“Did you hear about those two freak lottery tickets with the numbers in order? Tonight winner got even more money, it was $10,000! ” The woman shrieked.

Thomas recalled his conversation with Adam as a chill ran down his spine. After completing his shift Thomas quickly sprinted home to wake Adam for school. As he was making breakfast Thomas questioned Adam about the contents of his book.

“There are new things to buy, here see” Adam pointed to scribbles. “ 13 12 11 10 9 8, three days,” Adam said smiling.

This time Thomas notices a strange familiar symbol but can’t place it. “How could the numbers be in order again? What are the chances?” He grumbled to himself.

There were three days before the next drawing, Thomas walked over to the freezer and pulled out a coffee can. He found a crumpled ten dollar bill, and remembered he didn’t get paid until next Friday. He opened the fridge and realizes that he just cooked their last meal. If he buys a loaf of bread, and a carton of eggs he might be able to make it last. Even if has to starve the whole week it might be worth the risk, plus If he wins he can fill the fridge. After deliberating Thomas decides to chance it. He drops Adam at school and runs to the store. He purchases, eggs, a loaf of bread, and a two dollar lottery ticket.

The next two days crawl by. On Wednesday he turns on the evening news as he prepares for work. Adam joins him on the floor as they wait for the winning numbers to be called. Thomas looks at the TV in disbelief as the woman reads all five of his numbers in another freak lottery win. Thomas and Adam begin screaming and jumping around they just won a $20,000 jackpot. Thomas grabs Adams book wanting to know what other secrets it holds, as he flips through the pages they are completely blank.

Confused, he hands the book to Adam, “what happened to the drawings?”

“The pages only glitter when we need it, Daddy we don’t now” Adam says smiling.

A loud knock on the door startles them. Thomas peers through the peep hole, he suddenly remembers where he saw the familiar symbol from the book. The attacker had the same symbol tattooed on his wrist, and that same man was now pounding on his door. Thomas backed away slowly, signaling Adam to be quiet. The pounding was too much for Adam to handle, he covered his ears and started to scream. The attacker kicks in the door, his face still hidden by a mask.

“Where is my book?” The attacker said in an unusually deep voice.

“No need to hurt anyone it’s right here,” Thomas reaches for the notebook.

“Noooo , mine!” Adam yelled lunging between the book and attacker.

The attacker pulled a large knife, Adam raised his arms in defense. The attacker slashed the left side of Adams face from his forehead all the way down to his neck. Adam screamed as the pointer finger on his left hand hit the floor.