The Library

Chapter 5- The Purpose

At some point during Jess reading the book I notice tears running down her cheeks. "Jess?" She closes the book and wipes at her tears. "What did it say?" Clyde asks. She doesn't say anything, she just sits there and stares at the book cover. "It talked about my life. Memories, and dates, and people I can't remember."

She shakes her head. "It said I have twin brothers, and loving parents." She laughs and wipes at more tears. "How could I forget that?"

"It's okay Jess..." I try, but she stops me. "But it's not. Did you know I have a scar? Right.....here." She points to a place on her elbow. "I got it from falling of my bike when I was eight. My mom told me not to go down that hill but I just had to show off to the boys...." She laughs again. "I have a really great life." She whispers.

"That's great, isn't it?" Sage asks her.

"Yeah, that's amazing. The question is how do I get back to it." We don't say anything, because honestly we don't know what to tell her. "Have you read the end of the book?" Clyde asks her, finally breaking the tension.

"How could I? So I can find out more great things about my life I can't remember. Or the end could be, could be....."

"Your death." He finishes for her.

Jess starts crying again, this time great big sobs. "I don't want to know, I don't want to know...." I immediately rush over to her and begin shushing her just like last time telling her everything will be okay. But surprisingly Clyde jumps in. He first apologizes for all the things he said to her and then begins asking her questions about her life.

While he keeps her occupied I get up and go to Sage. "Do you think the end could really be her death?" I whisper, so as not to disturb the moment. He shakes his head. "I really don't know. The only way to find out is to read the end of the book." I nod, staring at the book that's clutched in Jessica's hands.

"We have to get it from her." Sage whispers. "But don't snatch it from her, try asking her first. Who knows maybe that could actually work."

I agree, and start walking back to Jess. "Hey Jess, do you mind if I take a look at your book for a minute? It'll only be a moment." She looks up at me with tear filled eyes. "Why?"

"Because, we're trying to figure out if the book holds a greater purpose. If you want I won't tell you anything I read unless you specifically ask about it?" She thinks about it before nodding her head. "Yeah okay, just don't spoil anything." I promise her I won't then take the book back over to Sage.

"It worked?"

"Surprisingly." I hand him the book and he begins searching through it. "She does have pretty good life. Says here both her parents were lawyers, so they never had any money issues. And then it says she went to the most prestige school offered in her state." I nod, relishing the fact of hearing about someone else's life when I know so less about my own.

"Let's flip to the end shall we?"

"Sage I don't think-"

"Oh."

"What?" He doesn't answer me. I see his eyes moving quickly over the written words.

"This isn't at all what we thought."

"What!"

After finishing the page, Sage closes the book. "Sienna, Jess doesn't die at the end of the book. As a matter of fact the book isn't even finished."

"What?"

"Look for yourself." Sage opens the book to where he left off. After flipping to the next page I can see that it's blank. And so is the next page, and the next page. "It's not just pages that aren't complete. It's chapters. Tons of them. " He flips through whole chapters for me to see that they're all blank.

"Jess' life isn't over, it's not even complete." Sage says.

"How is that possible?"I ask, unbelieving.

Again he opens to the last written page. "I believe this page holds all the answers."