The Book of Time and Space

By Ron Mueller

Late the next morning the three once again carried the giant book to the table. This time they noticed each chapter page had weird figures drawn around the margins. Claudia took pictures of each chapter page. She wasn’t sure what made her do it but she took a picture of the very last page. It was the only other page with a drawing in the margin. This drawing was different than any other drawing in the book. It was clear it had been drawn after the book had been printed.
“Ok, let’s put the book back,” Clarissa said as she grabbed for the front cover of the book.
“Wait let me see the first chapter again,” Claudia said flipping all the pages back to the right.
“Yea, here these symbols say, and she clumsily pronounced the translation she had gotten the day before. Suddenly there seemed to be an immediate change in the room.
Sylvia let out a scream as a thing or person or something appeared from nowhere. It, he, whatever mumbled something. They all heard the words but the creature had no mouth. Yet all three heard him, it. It seemed to float up the stairs and out of the room. It seemed to have passed through Claudia.
Claudia flipped the book shut and locked it. The three put it back on the center shelf and locked the cabinet. They ran out of the Library and all the way home. It was a bright clear day. By the time they got to their neighborhood all three were laughing hysterically. They were convinced they had imagined the whole event. But the words would not leave them.