The Secret Book

Gaius walked between the two rows of books on shelves carrying an oil lamp. Dust and cobwebs clung to the books. He felt a presence pass from behind and he jerked around-nothing.

“Perhaps the old library is ahaunted house!” he gasped. He shook himself. Where could it be? he thought. Gaius glanced up and down the shelves. He came to the end of the aisle of books and came to a wall. For some reason something made him shiver. “This place is disturbing me. I should leave,” he said. He turned and rushed back out the door.

He went to the thick, wooden door and exited the old library. Light wind howled and blew leaves in the gloomy night. Gaius pulled the hood of his cloak and made his way home in the north direction of the hill where the library stood.

He came to the cobble stone sidewalk of the town Wrethmire. His black boots clicked on the hard surface. He came to his house and went to a burning hearth. The fire crackled and Gaius looked at his clock that showed one O’clock in the morning.

He ran a hand through his hair then approached his Bible on a table and opened the sacred book to Matthew and flipped all the way to the last book of the New Testament, Revelation. “If only I had it!” he said.

He closed his Bible and slipped into bed.

Morning came and a golden sun cast a square light through his window onto his room wall. Gaius got dressed. He got a small metal cylindrical container with pre-ground coffee beans and filled it with water then put it on a tripod over the fireplace to brew.

A knock came from his door. There stood a fair woman. “Good morning, Gaius. A fine a day is it not?” she asked.

“I suppose. I spent time in the old, vacant library last night. I still have not found what I am looking for, Emily.”

“You know it’s haunted.”

Gaius cocked his head to his left side and paused in thought. “That may be so…but I don’t care.”

“The library is immense. It would take years to find the Old Testament. Besides, everything we need is in the New Testament.”

“For you, perhaps.”

Emily sighed. “Anyway, I came by to invite you to a party. I am having at my house. Everyone will be there-John, Ruth the nurse, the bright family, Derick the Dentist and Pastor Ronald plus some new faces.”

Gaius nodded. “Very well.”

“Excellent! See you at seven O’clock tonight.”

Emily left with a smile and trotted away. John sat on a chair and sulked his shoulders and ran a palm down his face. “I hate parties. I would much prefer to be alone,” Gaius uttered.

Gaius’s clock showed nine-thirty-nine. He went to his large single bookshelf and pulled out a copy of Dante’s Inferno and opened it to where he left off. Ater two hours, he closed it and went to his copy of the New Testament. Oh, Lord you put it in all the pages of the Bible for a reason.

Gaius had learned long ago, as far back as he recalled from Pastor Ronald that there was more of the Bible, but the town he and everyone lived in was situated in an isolated town in England, surrounded by a forest. This was another reason why the old library was so fascinating-no one knew where it came from.

Gaius left and went to his antique store and turned the OPEN sign facing out the window. After an hour, Gaius nodded off and the door above the door was silent. The bell rang and Gaius and he jolted awake. He looked and saw no one. He noticed an envelope with a caption entitled: Signed to Gaius Darvy

Gaius was mystified and he gingerly opened the envelope and pulled out a letter with a large golden key. Gaius read the letter that said:

To find the secret you seek, go to the old library and take this key and go to the left corner where there is a collection of chests. Look for the one that has a silver eagle’s crest at the seal and use the key.

Gaius’s heart thumped. He would have left at that moment but suddenly a slurry of customers filed in by the hour. Finally, it was five O’ clock and it was time to close. After locking up, he sprinted to the sidewalk to the grassy hill that led to the library. When he arrived he hurried to the corner and saw the collection of chests and found a small, eagle crested one with a keyhole.

His chest was about to burst as he inserted the key.

The chest opened and bright golden light shone from within. Gaius squinted through the light and saw in burning letters that said [i}Old Testament on an azure book. He took it out and held it up triumphantly. Then he felt presence behind and he turned and saw a transparent figure in a grey robe. “You will not take the book!” the figure said. “The Word of God will remain incomplete!”

“What are you!”

“I am a ghost from the Abyss who guards the book. Leave!”

The entity mentally sent Gaius flying back and he dropped the book. Gaius didn’t know what to do. Then he realized the great power that he and all believers possessed.

“I rebuke you in the mighty name of God!”

“NOO!” shrieked the ghost. Then it blew away like smoke into the air. Gaius’s lifelong search was over!

The book stopped glowing and man in a cloak appeared before him. “Do not fear. I am a messenger of God. I left you the note.”

“An angel!”

“Indeed. God has much to speak through these ancient texts. Go now and spread the word!”

The angel disappeared and Gaius felt giddy and serene[/b}. A new era of wisdom was about to be revealed!