The Book of Money and Names

It’s 7 am as I drag myself out of bed, not expecting it to be any easier than yesterday. I brush my hair and get ready to leave.

“Deodorant, keys, purse, meds? Oh, my phone.” I mutter to myself.

“Good morning Thalia.” My roommate Klayton says all sleepy, eating a bowl of berry flakes.

“Hey, gotta go! Running late as usual!”

“At least drink some milk for breakfast.” He chuckles.

I grab a glass of milk and rush out the door.

I work as a file clerk at an old-fashioned doctor’s office. Everything is still paper and very boring. But it is a steady job, so I put up with it.

It’s finally 5 as I walk out the door and lock up. Weird, I think to myself. Everyone else seems to have already left for the day. As I walk through the empty parking lot to my car, I spot something on the ground. As I get closer, I see a little black notebook and an envelope laying in front of my driver door.

I pick up the book and envelope and get in my car. I open the book flipping through the pages to see if it had a name or a phone number, but nothing was written. I look in the envelope to find a lot of cash, like thousands.

I scramble for my phone, “Call Klayton!”

Ring… Ring…

“Hey Thal…”

“Hey, hey, shush! Listen. I was leaving work and I found an envelope with like 20 grand and this weird blank notebook. Just on the ground.”

“What? Is this a joke?” he scoffs.

“No, I am serious! And no one else was here, at all. Look I’m on my way home I will just show you when I get there.”

I drive straight home full of energy. I whip into the driveway, jump out of the car and bolt inside.

“Slow your roll.” Klayton looks over to see me trip on my own feet. The money from the envelope goes flying everywhere, the book landing open on the floor.

“No way.” Klayton sees the money gasping in disbelief. “You actually found 20 grand!”

“Told you! I don’t know where it’s from, I just found it.”

I see Klayton’s eyes stuck on a page of the book.

“I thought you said all the pages were blank?” He whispers.

“They are.”

I look down and the silence takes over the room. The little black book which was previously empty has begun to write itself.

I was watching the letters appear for what felt like an eternity, as if I were entranced by this book.

The book read:

“Use this wisely or not at all. Everything comes with a price.”

“Pshhh… That’s just reappearing ink, I’ve seen it online. It has to be a joke.” He laughs making fun of me.

“Cut it out! I wasn’t that scared, but you can’t tell me that wasn’t creepy.”

“Whatever, so… Are you going to share your cash?”

I roll my eyes and give him a look of disapproval.

“Okay, okay. I get it, listen to your magic book.” He replies.

“Fine you can have some, just to see if anything happens.”

He grabs some cash to put in his wallet.

“See! Nothing, I am going to take a nap.”

I go to my room and just stare at the money and the book.

“What is this book, why is there so much money?” I say to myself.

I put $500 in my wallet and decided I would try spending a little. I tucked the book and the rest of the money behind my bed for safe keeping.

“I’m going to the mall!” I shout to Klayton.

New Clothes, accessories, stuff for around the house and more. I am swimming in retail therapy.

“I brought home Chinese food!” I exclaim as I struggle to carry all my shopping bags inside.

“Oh, heck yeah. You used the mystery cash? oh… Wow! You really went shopping.” He says eyeing my shopping bags.

“Yes, and yes! Everything seems fine. The sky is blue, no feelings of existential doom, or flowerpots falling on my head.”

“Superstitious much?” He replies.

I slap him playfully. “Do you want food or not?”

I set down all my bags by the door to plate the food and walk to the couch to watch the news.

“Now here is Ms. Ingrid Sanchez at the scene with our field reporter.” The news reporter says.

“Mam, could you tell us what happened?” The man moves the microphone towards her.

“I got home after picking my 3 children up from school and there was a fire in the house. I am so thankful my children were not home. It destroyed $500 worth of our belongings.” She fights to hold back tears.

“Here at the news studio, we will be accepting donations for Ms. Sanchez and her family. What a strong woman she is, a single working mom. We are here for you Ingrid.”

“Yes, please go to our website for a list of donations we are accepting.”

“Dude the news is depressing can we watch something else?” Klayton says as he walks to the couch.

He grabs the remote and switches to a streaming service.

“Want to do something cool tomorrow? Like go for a private plane tour of the mountains?” I squeal.

“That’s oddly specific, why?”

“Well since you asked! I have been looking at super cool stuff to do around here and that’s on my list.”

“Weird, but okay.” He smirks at me.

Waking up today felt a lot easier. I rush around in excitement getting ready. I grab the plane trip money and rush to Klayton’s door.

“Come on Klayton it’s time to go fly over mountains and waterfalls!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Stop pounding on my door I’m coming.”

“We are here!” I can’t help but to almost burst with excitement.

A tall scruffy man in a jumpsuit walks towards us.

“Hi, I’m Jacob, I will be your safety instructor and pilot today.”

We follow him to the classroom and prepare to fly.

Looking at these mountains is chilling. The green trees and the rolling hills of the countryside. Such a beautiful sight, what can’t money get you if you use it right? Nothing.

I heard someone once say that money can’t buy air. It felt so pure, but it isn’t true. Looking at the trees I realized trees make air. You can buy trees. I saw how high we were, and I remembered you can buy airspace above buildings. A nice thought at best, air.

After the plane everything just felt right being quiet.

Chime

I check my phone as I am getting ready for bed.

“News Story: Local Pilot Crashes During Lesson”

“No way…” I mutter.

I open the article hoping this isn’t what I think it is.

“… luckily, there were no fatalities, but both parties are in the hospital. Jacob Palmer and his flight student will fully recover soon…”

I reach for the little black book to see if there was anymore reappearing ink or whatever it is called. Not that I believe in mystic powers, but something doesn’t feel right.

This is all my fault.

The book, the money, his name is here.

Not just his name but

“Ingrid Sanchez”

“Jacob Palmer”

Ingrid Sanchez sounds familiar. But from where?

A quick google search should do it.

“The woman from the fire!” I scream.

“Mind telling me why you are screaming?” Klayton pokes his head into my room.

I don’t know if I should tell him. What if he gets hurt? Maybe he can help.

“Okay you may think I am crazy, but I promise I am not.”

“Just listen…” I try my best to explain everything while still sounding rational. Judging by his face it is not working.

“Look at the names in the book! They are the names of people who recently had something bad happen.”

I point to the names on the list and pull up the news sources.

“Ingrid lost $500 worth of belongings in a fire the exact same day I dropped that much at the mall. And the pilot, the pilot from this morning. Jacob, he got into a plane crash and is in the hospital right now.”

I feel my eyes stinging. Saying it out loud is making me feel even more responsible.

“I was warned! I still messed up.” I start bawling uncontrollably.

Klayton walks over to my desk and hugs me.

“We can fix this, I promise.” He smiles down at me and for some reason I believe him. We can fix this.

Brainstorm time.

“What can money not buy?”

“Imaginary things? Like a dragon!”

“Please be serious. Maybe I should help them?”

He looks up at me curious.

“Give them some of the money to cover damage and medical bills?”

He gives me a tired nod in agreement.

It’s not much but it is a start. I get the money ready to send out tomorrow morning as we wrap up for the night. I lay down hoping to be able to sleep but I can’t stop thinking about the book.

“Everything comes with a price.”

It’s right nothing in this world is truly free. Then what do I do with the money? Why did I get the book? Did it choose me or was it a right place right time thing? All these questions flow through my head preventing me from even closing my eyes.

I pulled out my phone and started making a list of things that I could use the money for that would benefit people besides just myself.

• Animal shelter donation

• School supplies for low-income area schools

• Care packages for the homeless

• Me and Klayton’s bills?

I think that will work for now.

First thing in the morning is delivering the money to Ingrid and Jacob. Klayton wanted to come with me so I am fully ready to make this right.

Luckily, Jacob has good insurance because most of the bills were covered but we remained anonymous and took care of the rest.

Next stop, Ingrid. We put a yellow envelope containing $2000 for her and her children in the mailbox wishing them well.

“Isn’t putting things in people’s mailboxes illegal?” Klayton looks over mockingly.

“Would you call the cops if someone put money in your mailbox?” I laugh.

“After all of this I Just might not take it.” Klayton says somberly changing the mood.

We finish the list. Shopping and delivering school supplies and care packages.

As we are driving home, I decide to check the book.

The names they are gone, we did it!

“Klayton, the names they’re gone! Pull over and look, something new is being written!”

“It can’t buy humanity.”