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The Black Book

By Joshua Lemons

By Josh LemonsPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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I started my day like any other. Alarm goes off, hit snooze, fall back asleep, repeat. Per usual, I was running late for work. In a panic, I jump out of bed, throw on some pants while I brush my teeth, and slip on a beanie to hide my greasy, unwashed hair.

I run down to my car and I find a little black book has been left on my windshield. Intrigued, I snatch it up and open it. Inside the book says, “Follow my instructions to find the prize. With time passing, and become ever later for work, I throw the book in the passenger seat and drive.

I make it to work, clock in, and sit down at my desk. All I can think about is that black book and who would have left it on my car. The temption becomes too overwhelming. I run out to my car on break and bring the book back with me.

I open the book to a page titled “Step One.” It reads “Go to the cemetery.” In complete bafflement, I repeat to myself, “the cemetery?” What cemetery is the book referring to? There are so many, how will I find the right one? I think about the phrasing. The Cemetery. The. Which is “the” cemetery?

Unable to focus on anything else, I rack my brain searching for answers. The internet is no help. I take a break and go to the vending machine for a snack. There is someone I have never seen before at the vending machine. I wait patiently, hoping he won’t talk to me.

He turns around and looks directly into my eyes, as if he was staring straight through me. What was only a few seconds felt like an eternity. He then walks away without saying a word. I am tired and still focused on solving the puzzle, so I shake off the encounter.

As I step up to the vending machine I notice a poster has been placed on the vending machine. Apparently, a coworker’s mother had passed away and there were details for the funeral. That’s when I noticed the name of the cemetery. “The Arlington Cemetery.” In all my Google searches, I had never come across a cemetery with “The” in the name.

With a sudden spark of enlightenment, I take the poster and run back to my office. Google brings up zero results for The Arlington Cemetery. It is as if this place does not exist. Scanning the poster for any clue, I find an address at the bottom of the page. That was all I needed. That was the final push.

My work day is finally over and I am free to pursue the details of the book. As I leave the parking lot, I see that guy from the vending machine. He is staring at me again. A shiver runs all the way down my spine as he starts to wave. I wave back and drive away without looking back.

I put the address for the cemetery in my gps. It’s only a fifteen minute drive. It is this close but I’ve never heard of it before? I continue driving, listening to each instruction from my gps. It takes me through a winding, forested road that eventually turns into nothing but gravel. The road is barely big enough for one car.

It is 4 in the afternoon, but it is getting dark. All light is being cut off by the trees surrounding the road. My anxiety levels are rising and I am just driving down this road questioning my sanity. “This is a terrible idea, this is how people die. This is how people die in horror movies.” But something is pulling me forward. I can’t turn back now, not when I’m so close to the answer.

There are no signs for the cemetery and I feel as if I am just endlessly being led down this gravel road. Finally, the trees open up and allows some light in. The light shines on a lone tombstone. In this whole big, open field, this is the only tombstone here. There are also no signs of a funeral having taken, or even about to take, place.

With a mix of fear and inquisition, I walk up to the tombstone. There is no name, only a year of death. “Died 1924.” How is this the only grave here and why is it unmarked? Who is buried here and why?

I star for a few minutes before I remember my mission. I retrieve the black book and open it to page two. The only word written on the page, and in the rest of the book, “Dig.”

Am I supposed to dig up this grave? For a prize that I don’t even know what it is or if it is real? Desecrating a grave could land me in jail. Despite knowing this, I must continue. I cannot just stop after coming this far. I must know what secret this book holds.

My attention is drawn to a shovel laying next to the grave. As if controlled by an unseen force, I start digging. I dig for hours on end with no break, until finally I hit something solid. I pull the object from the earth and shine a flashlight on it. It’s a suitcase. Looks to be at least a hundred years old.

I climb out of the hole to find myself face to face with someone. There are no facial features that can be seen. No eyes, nothing. Just a black, distorted figure. I stand completely frozen, experiencing pure terror, unable to move, unable to talk.

The man reaches out and takes the suitcase from me. He reaches into his jacket and hands me an envelope full of cash. I’m still frozen solid as he walks away and vanishes into the darkness of the forest.

I stand there for another minute or two before finally being able to run back to my car. I slam the door shut, locking the door behind me. All I can do it sit there and stare at the money. Questions racing through my head. Why did I dig up this grave? What was in the suitcase? Who is that man that took it? Why did he give me $20,000 in cash? Why was I chosen for this? What have I gotten myself into, and... is this the end of it?

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About the Creator

Josh Lemons

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