The Book
“You heard me right. This will sound crazy, but believe me, it is all true.” The shop owner hesitated. I pulled up a chair and settled in, trying to get comfortable. It was strange, because despite all my visits to many old-style book shops, I had never come across a story that could drive you mad—a cursed book, if you will.
And I’ve been to hundreds of these types of shops, but this was the first time hearing about this book. Whenever I inquired about a rare or peculiar horror book, the book owner would reluctantly display a meager selection that failed to satisfy my craving. But on this rainy Saturday, I finally found the golden ticket, shimmering like a treasure in my hand.
I’ve always been a passionate reader of horror, but I’m an even bigger enthusiast when discovering obscure types of horror novels. These were the unheard tales, never whispered in the public’s ears. It’s like a little peek into the unknown, plus it helps me to expand my catalog back home.
The book owner’s unexpected response surprised me. His small shop was nothing to write home about. Honestly driving in the rain, I almost missed it, but something about it caught my eye, as if I found this place for a reason.
When I asked the Shopkeeper, his eyes widened with surprise, and he gestured for me to come closer. Whispering, “Have you ever heard of the book with no name”. I scoffed. It sounded like a poem. I shook my head. As he looked around, he wiped the sweat off his forehead, feeling the dampness in his grey hair. “I have something like this, but the stories behind this book are strange, to say the least, and disturbing at best,” The Shopkeeper said. I felt a tingling sensation in my ears, and my eyes lit up with excitement. This was something I craved more of. Ignoring the warnings, I couldn’t resist exploring his collection of other books, which piqued my curiosity. Meanwhile, he cast an odd glance out the window and abruptly closed the shop.
Despite feeling surprised, I reassured myself that I could easily out pace this old man if the situation escalated. “This better not be a way to lure me in to kidnap me. I got 911 on speed dial.” I pronounced. “Oh no sir, I’m sorry for this abruptness, it’s just when talking about this book, things happen, this is a dangerous book which harms the reader, and I am hoping to sway your opinion in buying it, so I’m sorry for my rashness in trying to tell you about it.” The man pleaded.
“Okay, so what is so special about this book? For you to need to be all creepy and secretive about it.”
“The book will kill you…. well if you're lucky…. If not, it will drive you to want to die. You will be driven insane.”
I couldn’t help but pause, feeling the urge to laugh, but the man’s serious demeanor behind his grey beard kept me in check.
“You heard me right. This will sound crazy, but believe me, it is all true.” The shop owner hesitated. I pulled up a chair and sank into its plush cushions, instantly feeling more comfortable.
I became intrigued, as the only sounds that filled the room were our breaths and the rhythmic pitter-patter of raindrops outside. Now I wanted to know more, “What makes you think this book will make you go crazy? How are you not crazy? Where did you even get this book?”
He paused for a second, took a deep breath and spoke, “Okay young man one thing at a time, it will be a lot easier if I explained the origins of the book, then this will lead to how I received the book and hopefully after hearing about it, then maybe you will second guess it.”
“I’m sorry to have even brought it up, I was so tired of holding onto it, I didn’t even notice that I was trying to rid myself of the weight of it, but to make you bear the weight of something so heavy, I am truly sorry.”
“Don’t be. This is something I’ve been waiting to sink my teeth into, so tell me about this book. You called it the book with no name?”
“Yes, it is an ancient book. I cannot pinpoint the exact date on it, but I can at least say that it originated around the 1800s.”
“So why did the Author name it like that?”
“Oh no, young man, you misread me. The book has a name, but it’s written in a language that should not exist.”
“What do you mean?”
“The book’s cover bears unfamiliar writing, which might be a language unique to the author, although no evidence surfaced to support this theory.
It’s not known who exactly made this book, but under the title there are smaller words underneath it, so most people assume it’s the author’s name.
And the only thing we know about the author are a few rumors, legends, and theories.”
“So does that also resemble those strange things that happen to whomever reads the book?”
“No, I wish, but with first hand account, I have seen what this book can do to others. The creation of this book remains shrouded in mystery, with many rumors speculating on its origins, ranging from tales of devil worship and drug-induced hallucinations to the possibility of a foreigner fabricating a fictional narrative. But the one thing that stays true is before the creation of this book, the creator had a bizarre dream and whatever he saw in that dream, he had to write it out, right after he died. Therefore, people question how he discovered the grammar that evening, but whatever he encountered that night frightened him. Terrified him so bad he was too afraid to sleep and for three days wrote this book. Then died after placing the last period. Only to be found by his wife and child.”
As I listened, my palms dampened with sweat, giving me an eerie sense of being trapped in a horror movie. “And then what happened?”
“Just as the final touches were being made to the completed book, someone brazenly snatched it away, leaving no trace behind. It circulated among people, eventually gaining the status of an urban legend. The terror he experienced was beyond human comprehension, and the mere act of reading the book would cause one to lose all grasp on reality. Consumed by fear, they resorted to extreme measures like gouging out their eyes, constantly screaming in terror whenever they saw a shadow, and desperately trying to escape their thoughts, which tragically led to their untimely demise. This sounds crazy, I know, but I thought the same thing until my grandmother found the book and its mysterious whispers filled the room. It changed her. It ruined our lives.”
As he stared off into the distance, the old man’s lips quivered with emotion.
“So what happened and did you ever read the book, too?”
“God no, after I saw what it could do, I made it my mission to hide it, and to save as many people from it as I could. But you don’t understand, once you’ve laid an eye on it, even the cover, it will drain you, and weigh heavy on you each day. Each day, the book will remind you of its presence and keep eating at you to open it. Every day becomes a fight for control. A drug just waiting for the one moment you slip, and today was that moment.”
“Yes…yes..you told me, so I’m curious what happened when you got the book.”
With a slow and deliberate movement, the old man rose from his chair and departed. He disappeared for a few minutes, only to reappear with two water bottles, the sound of the caps twisting open, breaking the silence.
After taking a sip, he handed me the other bottle and pulled his seat closer. My grandmother found it from a yard sale, the only place she frequents and knows like the back of her hand. However, this one had a unique aura. It was the one where she had found the book. She had walked around for a bit, exploring old dressers, shelves, and tables, but nothing really caught her attention until she stumbled upon it. As she described it, she felt an inexplicable pull, as if it was beckoning her towards it. As she reached for the book, she felt a weight pressing against her shoulders, adding to her growing curiosity. She knew books would be the perfect gift for her grandson, especially with his birthday coming up.
She began speaking with the individuals managing the yard sale, but none of them could recall the origins or arrival date of the mysterious book. They simply claimed it materialized one day, yet no one dared to touch it; fear seemed to be the underlying reason. Without a second thought, my grandmother purchased it. She knew I loved books and believed it would be the perfect gift. Unfortunately, this would only add to the hardships we were already experiencing in our lives. I put the book aside with the rest of my collection, but there was something about it that gave me an eerie feeling. Plus, fear ran deep with me, so much so that even the sight of my shadow made me startle. And so, after a week or two, we notice weird things started happening. The House had an oppressive atmosphere, like the suffocating weight of a scorching summer day that drains your energy and makes movement difficult. Strange occurrences began happening at midnight when our phone would ring. However, every time we answered, there was no one on the line.
Then, as if on cue, we would hear mysterious sounds coming from outside in the dead of night. Sometimes, we would catch glimpses of eerie shadows lurking nearby. However, whenever my dad ventured outside to investigate, there was never anything to be found. We tried calling the police but they couldn't find anyone and the neighbors could have sworn they saw a few figures, but nothing violent ever came of it.”
Phone Rings
I freeze in place and stare, unsure if it’s them or just another customer. Seeking reassurance, I glance towards the old man. He notices the movement and acknowledges it with a slight nod.
“Don’t worry, they can’t hurt you. Now where was I? Oh yes.
And then my grandmother came back to visit after sometime. Noticing I still didn’t open the book yet, she became its next victim. To be honest, we never put two and two together after what happened. While the book was odd, we couldn’t envision the consequences it could have on someone. Since my grandma returned with a sense of curiosity, she felt compelled to at least explore the contents of the book she had purchased. I assumed she would have let it go, but no, it had a great deal of control over her. Although we weren’t physically present in the same room, we both witnessed the aftermath. As a child, it pierced me to witness what our grandmother did afterwards.”
“What do you mean?”
He paused, his face turning pale as he desperately covered his mouth, trying to suppress the urge to vomit.
“Let’s just say some things are better left for the mind to imagine
My Grandmother’s life ended after that, but none of us thought it could be from the book. That's ridiculous from a book. But it continued when my friends tried taking a peek at it. Pleas, screams, cries of pain. The book stripped them of their humanity. Of their souls.
Next was my baby sister. She must have reached from it from the shelf, but we only saw the aftermath of it. After that one, my parents divorced shortly after that. And so I felt responsible throughout all these years. It took me decades of research and travel to gather all the information about the book’s history and research.
This could be the reason I serve a bookstore. All I have left of a family is just this book. I only thought of opening up this bookstore three years ago. After wrapping up the book and hiding it, the weight subsided, but from time to time, I still felt a lingering presence. They never fully revealed themselves, but every time I closed up, I could glimpse a person’s figure in the distance, concealed by the night.”
“Was there anything or evidence you could pull from the Authors’ past?”
“No, it’s strange. It’s as if he didn’t exist to begin with. If not for this book and the quiet whispers of rumors online, I wouldn’t have believed it. But if you want to take the book, it’s yours for free, but it comes with a price.”
“I still want it. You’ve got me even more curious.”
The old man chuckled, his laughter echoing through the room as he rose from his seat. He navigated through the aisles of books; the shelves towering over him, and disappeared for a few minutes before reappearing. Clutched in his hands was a neatly taped cardboard box, its edges smooth to the touch. As I reached out to touch it, a wave of unease washed over me, urging me to flee. Every fiber of my being was on high alert, and I felt a chilling breeze rush by. There was a lingering feeling that if I had brought the book home, something terrible would have happened to me. I backed away. “You know what? I’ll take your advice. I have enough to read at home.”
With a hearty laugh, the Old man closed the book, stowed it away, and gestured towards the other captivating titles in his shop. After finding a few things, I expressed my gratitude to the man and exited the place. As the rain continued to pour, I quickly made my way to my car, seeking shelter from the downpour.
Just as I turned the corner, I caught something in the alley across from the bookstore. Just for a moment, I thought I had seen a figure in the corner of my eye, but when I looked again, there was nobody there.
Music Credits-
@Myuu
@CO.AG Music
