That Blasted Book

Chapter 3 - Unmentioned Events and Magic Explained

To make a long story short let us skip the bit about the awkward showering with that strange book ever looming over Steve's' elbow, and forget about hearing how Steve found out the book can talk, no use in boring you with that. Even the part about the failed seven hour long persuasion sessions, Steve trying to pressure the manuscript to detach itself from his arm will not be mentioned and forget about hearing how he stacked up an entire volume of encyclopedias, poured a few canisters of kerosene over them before setting them alight. This was meant as a a scare tactic to frighten that blasted book, but in the end both the book and Steve quite enjoyed the warmth and the crackle of the fire.

We shall have none of that extra dribble. The point of the story is the blasted book, remember? So let's jump to the point where the book ends up persuading Steve to start writing in it.

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"Why me? I hate writing me. Almost as much as reading I hate it. Canny I pass you on to the town scribe at least? I am sure he would do a fine job of it", Steve was pleading, pretty much for his life. What happened was that the blasted book had explained the entire scheme and old Stevie boy didn't like it one bit.

You see the secret of the book is that whoever posses it would be in charge of writing whatever would happen the next day.

Many previous book owners had gotten lazy and simply wrote page after page of, "just another normal day in Bucksly. These where the quiet years, the so called "good old days" everyone seems to always refer to.

Then of course some ambitious fools would end up with that blasted book and a crazy fairy tail would ensue as everyday was written as a sort of stage, while turning the people into actors. These lunatics would then 'take pause', whatever that is supposed to mean, and watch things play out as they dictated. It was usually these people that got so consumed by the glory of the whole affair that they would write themselves into kingships then go sit in a tall tower and spend every waking second adding to a story they never bothered to live out.

There is one huge problem with all this, at least for the current possessor of the book. If you refuse to write your story ends right then and there while the book finds a new writer. Or, always remember to check what the "or" might have to offer.

In this case the or is simply writing the ending to your story a day in advance and making sure you make the book pass to someone you hate.

Actually that blasted book had never struggled to find a home as there are always a few fools that will trade their life for a chance to rule the world.

But the new owner it had found was neither interested in ruling nor writing.

Eventually after much heated debate, and more than a few threats, Steve gave in, picked up a pen, then with much groaning and gnashing of teeth he penned the words, "just another normal day in Bucksly".

Soon after he fell asleep and the blasted book released its grip, allowing the magic to flow from the pages into the big wide world.