Infinite Possibilities

Infinite Possibilities

"Hey Noah! Wake up we have things to do!" Noah slowly stood up from his pile of empty bottles. "Why does my head hurt? Zeal I thought I wrote ``I no longer want hangovers in the book." Noah stood in front of a man wearing an all white fitted suit, the only prominent feature this man had was his bold yellow eyes looking through him. "I did grant you that wish Noah as for the minor concussion you might have suffered in last night's bar brawl would say otherwise but alas I'm no physician." Noah began to frantically search for his most prized possessions. "Ah here it is!" He wrote the word "a clean bill of health" in the book. Noah let a sigh of relief as the aches and pain dissolved in an instant. Since Noah had "found" a book that gives him whatever he wants Noah has been living the good life of stardom. All the parties and women, he couldn't get enough. He looked out the window of his Vegas penthouse thinking to himself that life can't get any better. If he wants money and power he can have it. The world will bow to him and only him, with the exception of Zeal of course. "You know what Zeal you have been riding me over the last few weeks. Can you please let me in on the secret you've been keeping from me." Zeal stood up and followed Noah to the bathroom, stepping over the many guests Noah had invited to his room for a little get together. "Noah please, if I tell you what it is we are looking for you may just not believe me." Noah gave Zeal a disapproving look. What more could there be he thought to himself. He has a book that grants him wishes and it has turned him into a celebrity. "Well maybe you can handle it." Zeal started by telling Noah the words that were written in the first page of his book were actually a death curse. The more Noah uses the book, the more like Zeal he would become and eventually becoming Zeal himself. "You have roughly a week and a half to find my counterpart, my dear brother's black book and make a wish to stop the curse from ending your life." Noah couldn't believe what he was hearing, he had Zeal's little white book for over three years and not one word was said about a death curse.. "Where exactly is this other book?" A perfect smile came over Zeal as he thought. "Now we can finally settle the bet, brother."

It was always a tough decision for me: do I study at home or do I go to the library? I didn't like studying at home, the dorm life was too chaotic to concentrate, my roommate was always going on about something or other; I stopped listening to him after he dragged me to some pretentious gathering for intellectuals discussing art and politics. I mean I could get behind talking about art, I like art but politics however are not my forte despite my older brother tells me black people should form a political identity and we can no longer sit on the sideline and watch. Maybe he's right but all I want to do right now is pass this microeconomics exam and finish my term paper on Nietzsche and the loss of expression. Going to the library would just heighten the stress, walking in there you smell the old, dusty books mixed with stressed induced flop sweat and anxiety. At least at the library people will leave me alone, so that's something.

I had a good two hours of solid study time before my concentration was interrupted by one of the most vexing people on campus. "Hey Frederick do you mind if I study here next to you? I really need to buckle down and I know you can keep focus enough not to distract me." I didn't know how I was supposed to respond to such a rhetorical question. I really wanted to tell him "No Alec! If anyone is going to be a disturbance here it's going to be your obnoxious ass!" I couldn't be that brutally honest, Alec is not that bad a guy, he tends to go off on a tangent and spend the next few hours talking about stuff he sees on social media. I mustered up the smallest sigh I could before I spoke. "Sure dude, I don't mind, if you need any help let me know." Why did I say that? Now he's more inclined to invade my space with his nonsense. Before I knew it I was surrounded by dozens of books and a look on Alec's face that said "Help me I don't know what I'm doing." Great not only do I have to put my own studies to the side now I have to teach this doofus what he should already know. I got a good hour out of him before he whipped out his phone and started scrolling. "Frederick, you have got to see this video of Noah in a bar fight. It is the most incredibly hilarious thing that happened this week." I knew of Noah Brightman, he had become internet famous or more like infamous over the last couple of years. He came out of nowhere and now he's like this big star, it's ridiculous how some people are just lucky and get money and fame for being the biggest tool in the world. I chalk that up to life, it's not always fair but karma will balance out those misdeeds in due time, as for me I just have to keep my head down and don't bring any kind of attention my way. I reached for a book from the pile that had accumulated thanks to Alec as another tower of books began to sway and tip over. I let out a breath of frustration, Alec was no help in gathering up the mess, he continued to giggle to himself while looking at his phone. "Yo Freddie? I gotta jet, Chloe just said she is willing to help me study and you know can't pass on that opportunity. Thanks for your help." As his voice trailed off. I laid under that table for a good three minutes pondering to myself. "So much effort wasted on nothing." I organised the fallen books in an immaculate stack and started to head out. It had been a long, stressful day and all I wanted to do was go home and let off some steam, maybe play something on my Xbox or maybe watch a movie or two. I reached for the door leading out of the library when I felt a tiny hand touch my shoulder. "Sir? You forgot your book on the table back there." I turned to see the small brown haired women with a small black book in her hand. I took the book without thinking. "Oh thank you so much!" She nodded and returned to her desk. I didn't know why I just took a book that wasn't even mine but I have a habit of just playing along, going with the flow and not saying anything to cause trouble for someone. The black leather felt old and worn, I could feel the scuff marks that were left behind on it from repeated tapping against a hard surface as if someone was constantly tapping it on their leg as a nervous or anxious tic. I flipped it over to see big bold gold letters printed on it and it read "Infinite Possibilities" maybe it was a notepad or diary/journal perhaps. If this book contains the innermost thoughts of a complete stranger, reading it would be a total invasion of privacy but then again how was I supposed to return it to its right full owner if I didn't read it right? I picked a page at random and to my surprise it was blank. Something this old looking having a blank page is kinda odd but maybe one of the first pages will have the details I'm searching for. Again the page was empty, I ran my hand over the blank page, maybe the owner used some kind of invisible ink, if I couldn't see what was written maybe I could feel the marks of the pen that was used. I felt nothing on the page but the paper itself seemed just as old as the leather that bound the pages together. I couldn't put my finger on it but I'm getting the feeling that this book is holding secrets that I should not be looking for.

I sat the book down on a small table, it doesn't belong to me so there is no point in keeping it. I didn't know turning my back on that book would be this hard. My curiosity was indeed getting the better of me and I was actually happy with that. I took a quick glance around me to see if anyone was watching me as I turned to the first page. To my dismay there were a few words written. "I am you and you are me. Your Happiness is my one true purpose." I considered what that meant, were they words of affirmation? I began to think about my own happiness and what that really meant. My thoughts were interrupted by a mellow regal voice. "May I suggest you write what might make you happy." My first thought would be paying off my college tuition and having a little money in the bank couldn't hurt but there is no way that could happen with a snap of the fingers. I humored myself and wrote that I want my entire college tuition paid for and to have some money in the bank because you know what they say about the power of suggestion. The voice that I was convinced came from my own head due to some stress induced breakdown simply replied. "Done, what's next?" Two seconds later I received a text alert saying my account had received a seven hundred and fifty thousand dollar transfer. There was no way that was true, it had to be a mistake. "It is true young Fredrick, money will no longer be an issue for the foreseeable future. Now let's discuss what will make you truly happy."

Many questions came to mind when I asked myself this question before. Right now however the question that needs answering at this moment is; who am I talking to? The voice responded. "I am Gabriel and I will fulfill any wish you may have. You only have until this book is full after that I can no longer help you." If this is really happening and I have stumbled upon a magic book that grants wishes, I could literally do anything. "Do heed my words young Fredrick, there will be consequences to your actions." That alone made me cautious to the power I now wield. This book could change the world for the better or for worse. Gabriel spoke and I listened, the pros and cons by his words seemed to be too heavy for me to entirely comprehend, I did my best to understand and came to my own conclusions. Gabriel is here to give me a happy life but it's up to me to figure out what that means. I took a deep breath. I think I know what I have to do. I could feel Gabriel's non-existing foot tapping in my mind as he was growing impatient. He had never had an owner take this much time to consider what they wanted from him. A light bulb went off in my head as I started to write what would make me happy. Even though Gabriel wasn't there in person I could feel his smile. "See Fredrick I knew I would take a liking to you!"