The Book of Desires

In an abandoned haunted house, there was a small cluttered room inside which was a dark blood red book. When Marcus ran his hand down the book’s spine, a chill ran through his body. He looked at his friends and everyone took turns holding the famous ‘magical’ book. Marcus daringly put it inside his backpack. The group had set out to confirm this uncanny legend. They decided to take turns reading the book every night. As they ventured home, Marcus’ backpack started shaking rapidly and he hurriedly flung it on the floor. A flash of light shot out as the Book emerged. It was surrounded by a grim, pale white light. 

A woman, as if a goddess descending from the Moon, came out and spoke in a clear voice “ You mustn’t ask questions and listen carefully. This book is the story of my life and yes, it indeed changes every day. This book shows the different opinions of different people in my life regarding where I ended up since that remains a mystery to all. My father was a powerful wizard who practiced black magic. I discovered his secret and was horrified. He trapped me in this book so that I couldn’t put him in the world. You must free me as he is planning something big. He-” 

Suddenly the girl was submerged in a cloud of black smoke and disappeared. The group was dazed and finally, someone spoke up “ That must have been her father preventing her from talking to us.” Every one started murmuring and chattering when Shauna abruptly shouted “Give me that.” She opened the Book, unfazed by the thick mist that suddenly crept through the door, and saw an alluring girl standing before her. The girl’s obsidian eyes were as deep and cold as an abyss of freezing water. Her translucent skin painted a faint silhouette around her. With windblown amber hair and lips like lotus petals, the girl was a peerless beauty, like a wild rose in the untamed forest. She looked scared and confused. “ Where is my sister?” she said, putting on her best demanding voice. “ I seem to have lost my sister. Can you help me find her?” she continued, raising her eyebrows at Shauna.

 Shauna looked at her affectionately, for even she knew the pain of losing one’s sister. She reached out to hold the girl’s hand, as if in a trance but fell forward in the book. The others tried to pull her back, shocked to see that Shauna was about to be sucked into the book. However, the beautiful girl, now wearing a twisted smile, pulled Shauna in and vanished. Everyone was extremely disturbed by witnessing Shauna’s fate. While some wanted to throw the book away, others wanted to free the girl and puncture her father’s plot. After vigorous debating, all of them reached a common consensus. They knew that the book displayed a person’s deepest desires and fulfilled them, only for a hefty price. Saving a girl heroically from a terrible fate was air-headed Marcus’ fantasy but his strong will helped him fight against the book’s vicious seduction. As soon as they realized that the enticing book was lethal, they buried it deep in the woods, hoping never to find it again.