Little Black Book

Peter finished up with the last coat of paint, looks at the city skyline from the living room bay windows. ‘Worked on this job for a few weeks gonna miss that view. Must be nice to come home to view like this.” He thought. Peter has been working on this job for over a month. Finally putting the finishing touches. The apartment once belonged to a spiritualist/ Archeologist. He died, leaving most of his things to the nearby museum. The rest went to goodwill or the dump. He cleaned up and got ready to go home. His boss asked “ Hey Peter could you do one more thing for me before you go?” Peter hesitant but nodded yes. “Thanks bud, there’s a box of old books that needs to go down to the basement, set that to the side near the compacter” Peter gathers his things and picks up the fairly heavy box. Says good night and heads to the elevator. He gets to the basement places the box down next to a few other boxes that look like its from the same apartment. “Wonder why they’re getting rid of these books. Seems like a waste.” Peter shrugs and starts to walk toward the door. But he stops. Something grabs his attention. In one of the other boxes he notices a little black book. He picks it up flips through the pages, Blank. He looks around and thinks “well I mean they are just going to destroy it anyway”, places the book in his bag and heads out of the dank basement.

Finally home, Peter gets ready to wind down for the night. Grabs his bag and puts it on one of the chairs in the dining room. Remembering the book, taking it out and placing it on the dining room table. Peter showers cleaning off the primer and paint. For dinner he looks into the nearly empty fridge. “ I guess it will be left over chow mien and beer” Bon appetite!

He sits on the couch, turns the tv on and watches the replay of a baseball game he recorded. Opens his beer. Gives a big gulp and exhales. Eyes closed thinking about the past few days and how this job will be the last until the next three weeks. Recounting his funds making sure he will be covered until then for food and bills. ‘Ehh things have changed since she had left. As his mind started to spiral with the could have should haves with his girlfriend.. well I guess ex girlfriend at this point.'

Peter stops as he hears something. Thrrwwp. What the hell is that? He turns down the tv and listens for the sound again. Silence. He shakes his head and goes back to the game only to hear it again. Thrrrwp. The noise is coming from the dining room. Its like someone one is flipping through pages in a book. But, no one is home but me. Peter gets up and looks towards the dark dining room. No one is there. Thrrrrwwp, A bit shaken Peter goes to the dining room flips on the switch. There is the book where he left it.

Peter looks down at the little black book.

No way that sound is coming from that book. Thrwwwp. No fucking way! Peter stumbles back in disbelief. Goes to his beer and takes a well deserved gulp. As he looks into the dining room, the over head light shining upon this book. Which seems to have found a noise to give it a voice of some kind. Almost as if it is whispering “Come Peter open me up." Taking in another swig from his beer. He walks towards the table.

He feels compelled. Places his beer onto the table and picks up the book. He looks upon it. It’s just a regular black book, a journal someone would write down thoughts. Nothing mystical or magical. He thought to himself.

But then he heard the whispers again. “Open me up Peter. You were destined for this moment... it’s time to seize it!”

Peter drops the book upon the table in disbelief. The book opens. Pages flipping through, on its own. Now a gold ting starts to illuminate the once blank pages into scripted writing. “The one who finds this book is destined for greatness and adventure." Peters hands shake a bit not sure if he is living in a dream. The book seems to know what he is thinking. For the words appear in gold script. “Oh no Peter this is very much a reality.” “There is an adventure that awaits. An adventure if you were to follow this is as a guide. Will lead you to a treasure, an experience you may only have dreamt of. Maybe that would be reason enough... so what do you say Peter? Would you like to take on this venture?

"Wait a second, I’m standing here listening to a book. What is this?" Peter exclaimed.

Here’s the story, everyone on this planet has a little bit of magic inside them. There are quite a few who know it and others who appear to be asleep to it. You noticed me among so many other books. For whatever reason you chose to take me with you. Not realizing at the time what power I truly possess. So here we are.

Peter trying to make sense of what is happening. His mind racing. Almost nauseated.

"Ok, ok Peter take a moment and relax. Your spirit is finally awakening from decades of being asleep. That is normal. Just breath. Inhale through the nose, hold for three and then exhale slowly out your mouth."

Peter does as instructed. Feeling better after the third time, he felt his body calm and relax. The nausea finally leaving him, his mind quiet.

“There you go” The book seemed to say. As the light went from a gold to now a light blue.

Peter could feel the energy shift in his apartment. Things felt lighter and less chaotic. The outside city noise also has become quiet. It is just him and this mystical book.

"Let me get this straight, what just happened to me is normal? How have I not noticed this before?"

"Well, you have had small moments in your life that you couldn’t explain. The interactions with certain people or certain actions in your life that you avoided. You see people, meaning you see their true nature. Friends would wonder why you grimace with a person that you have just met, Which end up being unfaithful or a creep. Actions where you should have gone left but in turn you went right. You just followed your gut, it never failed. You can sense energy of others that don’t appear to be there. It's as if you have always known but tried to think of it in a logical sense."


"Ok, so now what? What happens now?”

"That Peter, is entirely up to you. Like I said there is an adventure ready to take place. You have always felt there was more to your life. You always felt this pull of wanting more than what has been provided to you. Now it stands or shall I say lays right in front you.. Are you ready to that leap and see where it leads you?"

“If I take this, what will happen next?” asked Peter.

“The journey that will awaken you into your dream which will be your new reality. So, Peter what do you say to that?"

Peter looks upon the book, then to his one bedroom apartment. "How does this work?"

The book responds "It's quite simple. If you are ready, I will begin."

Peter nods and says “Yes, I am ready.” The book starts to change back to gold. The script begins. Peter starts to read. ‘Close your eyes breath in like I taught you, and start to remember your dream.' Peter closes his eyes, the script in the book now a whisper inside his head. As quickly as he closes his eyes he starts to see it. Something about this dream he has always had whether it was when he slept or randomly played while on the train to and from work. Picturing waking from his comfy bed looking around his bedroom, only it isnt his bedroome from his apartment. This room is warm and bright. Light coming through the french doors. He would get up opening the french doors to a beautiful countryside and his own lake. Breathing in the fresh morning air. He could hear his wife in the kitchen preparing breakfast for his daughter. The smell of recently brewed coffee. Just taking it all in. Not a care or a worry. Knowing that there is money in the bank, he is the owner of this home with his small family. The feeling of absolute comfort and the warmth of love that fills this space. Then the change to excitement as he looks upon the lake, knowing that at any moment he could grab his fishing rod and make his way to a perfect cast. He’s at peace and he is happy.

The now familiar whisper from the book then says: "Very good Peter, with this dream it is now your reality. A gift that is now your own. Now open your eyes."