a short story, might work on it more, might not. |
Tonight was the night; Susan was to carry out her plan. She tried to deny the fact that she was terrified, and thought to her self, “There is nothing to be worried about, a book is just a book, and stories are stories. I have to do this!” Susan slipped silently inside the door. The front room was decrepit, with broken, shattered furniture littering the floor. Navigating through the mess, she passed a once overstuffed sofa with half its plushy insides spilled. The faded floral pattern was spotted with water stains and rat droppings. Susan worked her way to what she hoped was a door to the attic. She was lucky, and slowly entered the narrow staircase. Various shelves and trunks fill the attic floor space closest to the walls. At the floors center there was a book, laid perhaps forgotten, on the dusty wood floor. When Susan gazed upon the book she sensed the power for which it was famed. A demon ruled the book and the spells it contained. She wrapped the book tightly in her jacket and turned to leave the attic, with a very uneasy feeling in her gut. As she began to make her way back through the house, her uneasiness grew. It warped into something more. Her senses became altered and not quite right, making walking laborious, her breathing rapid and painful. Finally, she reached the door. Throwing herself into the night, frigid air filled her lungs. As Susan began the long walk home with the book held close to her side, she was overcome with fear. It was a deep, gripping fear, that caught in her throat and chilled her to the bone. She ran as fast as her slurred reflexes would allow, while flashes of demons played behind her eyes. Gasping for air, she slammed her front door closed behind her, as if daring the night to follow her inside. She unwrapped her jacket and revealed her prize. A faint glow was cast off the book, and you could feel the air of power around it. Susan knew the legend of the book well, “...and when the mortal gazes upon its pages they will be stuck in a fate of perpetual torment, trapped within the pages of the book.” No one was sure what exactly that fate was, but popular belief was that you were eaten by the demon itself. A brief moment of inner conflict distracted Susan's mind, she was unsure. Stories are just stories after all, but is it really worth the risk just to prove her point? After removing her still rain soaked clothing, she laid in bed. The book that she held in her hands is said to be enchanted and found irresistible to most people, only the strongest willed could resist. Reverently she whispers,“How much of these old stories could really be true?” She hadn't planned on reading it, she had told herself several times she would not even open it. What she hadn't prepared for was her own lack of self control. With a soft hand she gently caressed the book's cover. Slowly and with the utmost care, she opened it. The powerful magic was already starting to enchant Susan. It was too wonderful to look away from, and she wanted to read it, had to read it. With each word her mind became increasingly trapped. She could not look away no matter what now. Where there was only a faint glow before, Susan's entire room was filled with the light coming off the book. Something truly horrible began to take place. Susan started to age, her skin shriveled, and her hair became devoid of any color. Her mouth twisted into a silent, agonized scream, as her body shrunk to a shriveled gray mass. As Susan gave one final convulsion, her soul evacuated and slatted the demon’s hunger. |