Magical Black Book

Sabrina walked through the city, not at all excited to get home. After all she had chores, two siblings to take care of, and an alcoholic father. She never asked for this life and sometimes she wondered what would happen if she was to just run away from the caged life she currently lived. She was only seventeen years old, having to work, take care of house chores and protect her siblings. How was she suppose to live a normal teenage life when she was suppose to take care of adult things. Perfect practice though for when she does leave her family behind.

“Sabrina!” A seven year old Alyssa ran to her, hugging her legs.

“Hey Alyssa, how was school today?” Sabrina asked and she shrugged with a wide smile.

“I met a new friend. He is new, and really funny.”

“What is his name?”

“James! We promised to be friends forever!”

“That’s good. Friends are always good to have.” Sabrina said and Alyssa’s twin brother Alex hugged her legs next.

“James is okay. He isn’t that funny.” Alex said and Sabrina couldn’t help but giggle.

“Sounds like someone doesn’t want to share his sister.”

“Not true. James can have Alyssa!” Alex protested and each child took Sabrina’s hand.

“Don’t forget Alex, you should always protect your sister. Like how I protect you.” Sabrina said and Alex stuck his tongue out at Alyssa.

“I rather protect you instead big sis.”

“Well I don’t need protection. I will always protect you two.” Sabrina said with a smile. They nodded and made their way home. The walk wasn’t far from her twin sibling’s school. So after five minutes they had arrived. Their father wasn’t home, and probably won’t be until late at night.

“Okay you two wash up, do your homework, and clean your room. I will start dinner once I’m done with cleaning the attic.” She said and they nodded going to their rooms. Sabrina changed out of her clothes and went up to the attic.

She hated going up there because it was always so creepy. She walked around the attic and began to clean the dust off of everything. It was rather messy up here like no one has been up here in years. She sneezed when some dust got up her nose. She continued to clean the dust off of everything before seeing a chest hidden in the corner.

“What the?” She never knew the family had a chest, so she walked over to it and kneeled down. She touched the top of it gently before opening the chest. She covered her eyes as a bright light illuminated the attic before dying down.

“A magic chest? That can’t be right. Magic isn’t real... right?” She said and peered inside curiously only to see a small black book. There was no dust on it, and looked like it was just placed there. No way though, because no one ever went into the attic. She grabbed the book curiosity still filling every sense.

She flipped the small black book over seeing it was blank on both sides. Just then when she went to the front of the book again, her name began to carve into the book. She dropped it letting a small scream out. It spelled out her entire name, on the black book. “Sabrina Renee Jackson.”

She picked it up again and opened the first page, it had a list of rules that must be followed and she began reading them aloud.

“1. Do not let ANYONE have this book

2. Now that you found this book, you must keep it on you at ALL times.

3. Do not tell anyone of this books existence.

4. You must write what goes on in your day every day. This book never runs out of pages.

5. You can only use the pen that comes with this book.” Sabrina blinked and looked inside of the chest and picked up the pen. She went back to reading the rules.

“6. If you desperately want something just simply say the words: Book of shadows, fortune and misfortune please grant me (your wish). It will come true. If not if you follow these rules, different types of fortune will come your way.

7. If you follow these rules good fortune will come your way... but if not tragedies will occur.” Sabrina was confused, she at first didn’t want to believe it but a magic chest that shines bright lights and the fact a book had carved her name in it, she had no choice but to believe it.

She began to write the events of today into the book. From what happened in school, to picking her siblings up, to even finding this book. Just as she finished writing about her day, another page appeared in the book. So every time she used a page a new page would appear explaining why it says it never runs out of pages.

She put the small book and pen in her pocket and began cleaning again. Not thinking anything else of it. Since she had to get her chores done. The attic took about an hour so she went down stairs and began to start dinner, and as she did she took out trash, cleaned dishes, swept and mopped the floor.

She sighed softly after finishing the chores and just kept an eye on the food. She played on her phone right as her phone vibrated with a notification from her bank.

‘Deposit: $30,000 has been deposited into your bank!’ Her eyes widened and she quickly went into the bank app. No way. It actually was there, in her bank account. The sender was unknown, it just said deposit. She pulled the small black book out and on one of the pages it had a check mark near the large sum of money. She was speechless. This was enough to take care finger siblings, especially if she kept working part time. No way was she telling her father what was in her bank account.

She got up from the chair and stirred the food making sure it didn’t burn. After all she didn’t want to get hit by her father if it burned. When it finished she called her siblings down and they began to eat. After all they had to get to bed for school tomorrow.

Sabrina woke up to her father, gripping her arms. She let a small cry out, careful not to wake her siblings. She struggled against him but he only continued to hit her across the face, the smell of alcohol filled her nostrils.

“Your mother died because of you. It’s all your fault now you have to pay.” He slurred and Sabrina’s eyes widened as her father tried to kiss her. She struggled harder but to her horror, her dad’s hand slipped underneath her nightgown. She felt tears fill her eyes as she continued to struggle against her sick father before remembering the black book.

“Black book of shadows, fortune and misfortune, please grant me and my siblings safety from my father!” She cried out desperate in hopes something, anything would work. Suddenly everything began to spin, and her father was nowhere in sight. She looked around, and everything was different, brighter. Her book was in her hands and she flipped the pages.

“Safety from father…. it was checked right underneath the $30,000 deposit.”

“Sabrina! Can James come over?” Alyssa asked, and Sabrina was shocked and confused it was day time, but just a few moments ago it was midnight.

“Uhm, yeah he can.”

“Thanks!”

“Big sis, can you make me a snack?” Alex asked and she nodded going to make him a peanut butter sandwich with milk and set it in front of him. She flipped through the pages, this book was truly amazing. She had no intentions of breaking any of the rules, her siblings are safe, she had money in her bank account. She couldn’t ask for anything more. She wrote about what happened, for day two. Once again her phone vibrated just as she finished.

‘Deposit: $100,000 has been deposited!’

She smiled she was definitely going to make use of this money, go to college, get her siblings into college, buy a house. Donate some to charity, maybe a charity that helps people out of abusive situations, and invest. She wanted to help people and her siblings and so she started her journey. Keeping that small magical black book with her. Where ever she went.

Little did she know, her mother’s death, was only because her mother broke the rules of the little black book. So her mother was met with a great misfortune. Death.