::12 Years Ago::
At the impossible age of sixteen, David Wilson was utterly alone. His adoptive parents had been killed in a car accident and years before that, his five year old adopted sister had been strangled by a stranger while she was lost at a park. His current foster parents didn't mind him coming home late as long as he wasn't doing anything the police would need to get involved with. As usual, David decided to visit The Bookmark, a local bookstore that also sold coffee and small pastries.
He may not have had family, friends, or even a girlfriend but like most lonely people, he had books. They were his friends and would always keep him company. He picked up his favorite book, The Anonymous Servant. It had actually won several writing awards when it was first published. He cracked open the book, enjoying its smell of newness. He put the pages up to his nose to take a better whiff.
"Are you smelling that book, son?"
Startled, David jumped up and let the book fall onto the table in front of him. "I'm...I'm sorry."
The man standing in front of him laughed, "Don't worry. I don't work here. I just haven't ever seen anyone besides myself sniff a book before."
"You like to smell books?"
The man laughed again, "Having you say it...makes it sound pretty strange, doesn't it?"
David shrugged.
"Do you like that book?" the man pointed to the red and white cover of The Anonymous Servant.
"Yeah...I mean it's okay."
The man nodded and smiled, "I'm glad to hear that. I come here all the time. I guess I'm a book lover."
He waited to see if David would respond, but he didn't.
"I guess you are too...since I see you all the time too," the man went on, "I always see you sitting alone with a stack of books. You always have The Anonymous Servant and I thought I would offer you a favor."
David made a face of disgust as he thought, "Is this some psycho pervert? I need to get out of here."
David looked up at the man with the light blue eyes and started to get up, "I'm sorry but I have to get home."
"I'll autograph the book for you," the man said.
David shook his head, not really listening, "It's not my book."
"You read it every day. Don't you like it? I'll buy it for you."
"Have you been watching me? Look man...I'm not into whatever sick game you have planned. I'm not some kid you can bribe to get into your car with candy or books."
The man began to laugh, "Don't you know who I am?"
David looked at the man, he did look a little familiar. The man picked up The Anonymous Servant and showed David a picture of the author, Vincent McDaniels, that was on the inside flap. David looked at the picture and recognition dawned on him.
"Oh...oh my God! It's you! You're him! You're Vincent McDaniels."
Vincent chuckled. "That's right...I wrote the book you're always reading in here. I'd like to buy it for you if you're okay with that. I promise it has nothing to do with any sick games."
David blushed in embarrassment. He couldn't believe he accused his favorite author of being some sort of pedo. "I'd be honored if you bought me a book and then autographed it."
"C'mon kid, let's go check out."
As they exited the bookstore, David smiled. He looked over at Vincent, "I'm sorry about earlier. You just never know a person's real intentions nowadays."
YOU ARE READING
Bones of the Demon King
Horror[COMPLETED]"The search for my queen continues." He's known as the Demon King. He's a serial killer that brutally murders women. Eva Lewis is the reporter that named him...but is she also his next victim? The FBI must race against time to catch the D...
