The Little Secret

Rhea stared at her bank's balance on her phone for the fifth time in an hour. Thinking that maybe it was a glitch in the system. That the numbers on it weren't the actual numbers in her account. And that she'd just been pranked by a total stranger. The numbers would change back to their normal amount as soon as she refreshed the page. But, it didn't. There were twenty thousand dollars in her checking account as plain as day. Enough to pay her rent, her bills, and anything else that she needed. Whatever she desired. So long as she did as the man who had gifted her the money told her to. Such as writing everything that she had that day into the black book he'd mailed her two weeks prior to the deposit.

The book itself wasn't anything special. Just a tiny black book bound in very soft leather. It smelled strange and had her name written on the cover in soft gold writing. First and last name. There was even a tiny message that was written on the cover of it. Telling her that he'd know if she didn't do as he asked of her. If she skipped one day, she would immediately regret it. Rhea wasn't sure how that would be possible. But, she heeded the warning and did as demanded of her.

Even before the money showed up, she had been writing her thoughts in it. Using the little pen that the strange man had provided for her.

Rhea wondered what exactly he was getting out of this. Why he'd want her to do so. Especially if he wasn't really going to be reading it. Despite what the warning said. Putting that out of her mind, she started writing about her day again. Thinking of everything that she'd done. Even mentioning that how it felt like a strange curse rather than a blessing. How the person who gave it to her had only one condition for it. Which was writing about her day in the journal at the end of the day. Or he would somehow find out. Adding that she didn't even know the man's name. All she knew is that he was a white man in his forties. Skinny. And had the nicest brown eyes that she'd ever seen in her life. At first, Rhea thought he had been messing with her when he contacted her on Facebook.

Or trying to scam her into buying whatever strange crappy appliance he was selling. As it turned out, he didn't seem to be selling anything. The journal was free. Which really seemed strange to her. It worried her at first but he seemed so kind that she put those feelings to the side. Rhea chewed her bottom lip as she finished up the entry for that day. Putting the pen back in the journal then setting it back where she had it. And no sooner had she done that, did her phone's notification chime. Picking it up, she saw that she had a new text message from the man. His name was labeled as 'Mr. Generous' in her phone. At first, she was wondered why he was contacting her. Then it immediately hit her that he was probably going to ask if she had gotten the money or not. Feeling completely silly that she had been nervous in the first place. Unlocking her phone, rolling her eyes at her own paranoia. Telling herself,' He's probably just trying to confirm that you've gotten the money. Nothing more and nothing less.'

'Stop being so freaking paranoid.', Rhea added. Tapping her messages, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was exactly what she had thought it was. Mr. Generous was texting to see if she had gotten the money or not. See if she was writing in the journal as instructed. Smiling slightly, she texted him that she had been and that she just finished writing in the journal. But, she wondered why he was asking her. As he told Rhea previously that he would be able to know. Somehow. That made her feel a little foolish as she read his texts telling her that he was proud of her for this. Then Mr. Generous told her that he would be regularly checking in with her. Giving her prompts for writing that she would have to do. Otherwise, there would be dire consequences. That made a shiver go up her spine but she tried to ignore the sensation. Part of her reminding her that this was probably a lie. Mr. Generous lived in the UK. Where in the UK she wasn't entirely sure. But it definitely would be difficult for him to find out that she hadn't done the prompt or what he asked. Yet, there was this tiny part of her telling her that she shouldn't test this. That she should just do as Mr. Generous tells her and not try to argue.

Why she wasn't entirely sure. All she knew is that she had to do as she was instructed. Keep him happy and do as he said. As something about the way he spoke made Rhea feel genuinely threatened. Pushing the feelings to the side, Rhea just agreed. Knowing there was nothing else she could do. As she didn't want to test her luck. A second later, he said,' Now, I want you to write something for me. Just a little story for today and nothing more.'

'What should the story be, sir?', Rhea asked. Feeling a little uneasy about this request. But not entirely sure why. All Mr. Generous asked for was a short story. There was absolutely no reason to be tense. Yet, she somehow found herself on edge. Chewing her bottom lip, she waited for him to send her the prompt. When he did, she raised an eyebrow. Mr. Generous stated,' I want you to write a story about a man named Norman Dixon breaking his neck. Just a simple trip and fall. How is up to you.'

That was weird. But she didn't think much of it as she agreed to do so. Writing that Mr. Dixon was heading upstairs to his apartment. As the elevator in his building had broken. Rhea wrote that while he was going up the second story stairs, he tripped over a skate. Causing him to fall backward over a railing and onto the bottom floor. Neck breaking on impact. It sounded a little silly to her, but she felt it was good enough. She grabbed her phone to text Mr. Generous that she had done as asked. Soon as she unlocked her phone, she heard a loud scream from outside her apartment. Followed by a terrible cracking noise. Her eyes widened as she hurriedly got up out of her chair and headed to the noise. Finding it was coming from the stairwell.

Pulling the door open, she cautiously went inside. Trying to figure out where the scream had come from. When she looked down, her stomach dropped. There, on the ground floor was a man. One that looked like he'd broken his neck. Rhea wasted no time in calling emergency services and telling them what she had found. Unsure of what exactly had happened but having the faint feeling she caused it. That was silly. It couldn't possibly be true. There was no way that she could've caused someone's death by writing it. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that it was her fault. And that the man had died because she had written it that way. As it had happened only seconds after writing in the journal that Mr. Generous gifted her.

A text notification from her phone nearly made her scream and drop it. Rhea chewed her bottom lip as she unlocked her phone. Staring at the phone's screen, she checked the messages. Hands shaking as she read what Mr. Generous had sent her seconds ago. A wave of icy cold fear washing over her as she read it.

'Good girl, Rhea. Will send another prompt tomorrow.'