Karma's a Book

Mathew Farris is a 13-year-old sweet, quiet boy who keeps to himself. The boys at school would laugh and call him names. He wore blue jeans, and the same type of basic collared shirts every day. He never bothered anyone, and would always mind his own business. All the teachers liked him. All the parents liked him, yet the other kids at the school hated him, and worst part of all they hated him for no reason. They were jealous. He was rich. He had two loving parents. He had a big house. He had everything. There were a group of boys who had it out for him the most. Thomas, Cooper, Sam, and Daryl. Daryl was the leader of the group and he couldn't stand Mathew. He was determined to make Mathew's life a living hell. Every day he would come up with ideas to antagonize him, whether it was throwing eggs at his locker, pushing him down, even farting in his milk bottle. He wanted Mathew to suffer. One thing you should know about Mathew is that he despised violence. He was the kindest boy you would ever meet. He was always content even with the bullying going on. Mathew took his frustrations out by writing. He had a small black Moleskine notebook that he always carried with him wherever he went. When he was done doing whatever it is he needed to do, he would bury his nose in that Moleskine book, and jot things down. People were often curious about what he wrote in that book, but he was so secretive about it, and never showed anyone anything. No one knew what exactly was in that book. Every day, Daryl would try to find ways to pick on Mathew, but no matter what he did he never got a reaction he wanted from Mathew. Mathew wouldn't cry. He wouldn't yell or get angry. Daryl couldn't understand why nothing affected Mathew. One day Daryl came up with a terrible plan. He was sure this would break Mathew. Daryl knew how much that book meant to Mathew, and for some reason, it was important to him. He wanted to destroy it. Daryl explained the plan to his other friends, and told them what to do so they could get the book. They had everything planned. Daryl's friend, Thomas would pretend to befriend Mathew so he could get close to him. Then when Mathew was distracted, Thomas would take it and give it to Daryl since Daryl wanted to be the one to have the satisfaction of destroying it. They went through with the plan. Thomas started being nice to Mathew. Mathew was confused at first but went along with it. Mathew would eat with Thomas, they would play video games together and even go to each other's houses. Everything was going great for Mathew, or so it would seem. After two weeks of pretending to be Mathew's friend, Mathew finally started to trust Thomas. So when Thomas went to Mathew's house, he waited for him to go to the bathroom. As soon as Mathew left the room, Thomas immediately began searching for the small black Moleskine notebook. He looked under his dirty clothes. He looked under his bed and nothing. Then he heard the toilet flush. Mathew was coming back. Panicking, Thomas threw things around trying to find the book. He was just about to give up looking when he saw it in plain sight on the bed. Thomas sighed in annoyance and quickly grabbed it. Mathew had just walked into the room. "Hey, Thomas. I was thinking we could head over to the diner and get a quick bite to eat. Are you feeling hungry? My treat."

Thomas rolled his eyes, no longer interested in keeping up his facade. "No, I got what I need now."

Mathew furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Thomas revealed the black notebook, taunting it over Mathew’s head. "I got your precious notebook." He said mockingly.

Mathew's eyes widened in shock. "How did you get that!?"

Thomas laughed "You know it sure was a stupid idea to put your precious notebook in plain sight, right on the bed for me to take."

"Don't do this. I thought we were friends" Begged Mathew.

Thomas rolled his eyes. "It was all a lie. I only faked being your friend so I could help destroy your stupid notebook."

"Give that back!" Mathew yelled.

Thomas crossed his arms "Yeah, no. I didn't fake being your friend all this time just to back down now."

Then Mathew exclaimed "You don't understand. Everything I write in that book comes true."

Thomas laughed "No wonder why you have no friends. You're crazy."

Mathew shook his head. "You don't believe me. Fine. Write something and it will come true tomorrow."

Thomas rolled his eyes "I'm not 5. I'm not playing these childish games with you".

Thomas then storms out of the room, pushing past Mathew's shoulder on the way out. Later that night Thomas gave Daryl the book. Daryl was thrilled. He was finally going to get Mathew. Daryl flipped open the book to see if there were any secrets Mathew wrote about to expose him before destroying the book. Right when Daryl was going to start reading, Thomas interrupted him. "You wouldn't believe what Mathew said when I took this".

Daryl snickered "What? Did he pray you not to take it or something?"

"No. He told me whatever he writes in there comes true."

Daryl immediately looked up at Thomas. "Seriously?"

Thomas nodded. "I know right, he's such a weirdo."

Daryl looked to the side in thought. "Let's test that theory out. Shall we?"

Thomas chuckled "You're joking right?"

Daryl shrugged. "No. I'm sure he was lying, but it wouldn't hurt to try."

Thomas laughed "I guess. What are you going to wish for?"

Daryl chuckled. "How about...A Mercedes Benz. A huge house. A hot girlfriend. A million dollars, and just for kicks I'll wish Mathew's mother dead and wish he loses $20,000." Daryl put the pencil down and waited a second. "Would you look at that, nothing happened. What a freak."

Thomas muttered, "According to Mathew they won't come true until tomorrow morning."

Daryl smirked. "Well if that's the case. I'll have one hell of a day tomorrow."

Thomas laughed. "Yeah, and if those things come true, don't mind passing it to me will ya?" Daryl smiles and throws a match in the fireplace.

"What are you doing?" Thomas asks.

"Burning it"

"He's gonna freak tomorrow when we tell him what we did with it."

Daryl smiles "Good."

The next morning Daryl wakes up feeling a little bit strange. When he gets out of bed he wakes up in someone else's house. It's small and has broken windows. Confused, Daryl wanders around the unknown house. Where is everyone? He wonders. No one is there. Daryl then leaves and realizes the mysterious shack is in the exact spot his house normally is. "What’s going on?" He thought. He decided to clear his mind by going to school, hoping his confusion would end, but that didn’t help. If anything going to school just confused him more. When he got there his friends started calling him names and making fun of him. Daryl was baffled. His friends never treated him like this before. He figured they must have been playing some sick joke on him. Then when he was walking down the hallway to go to his next class, Sara, the school's nerd, walks over to Daryl and gives him a big, wet kiss on the cheek. Repulsed, Daryl immediately steps back, wiping his cheek.

"What was that for?"

The girl looks at him funny. "That's no way to treat your girlfriend."

Daryl's heart drops. Is he going crazy? Is this a nightmare? Then Daryl remembers... The notebook! Surely this wasn't a coincidence. Daryl sprints to find Mathew. He could explain what's happening. When he sees Mathew he spots him standing in the hallway leaning against a locker with his friends. They're laughing together. Daryl approaches them.

"What's going on here?" Daryl yells.

His friends, Thomas, Cooper, and Sam scowl at him. "What are you doing here weirdo?" Sam spats.

Daryl's eyes widened. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Get lost!" They yell.

Daryl stumbles back in shock nearly falling over. They burst out laughing. "Look at him, he can't even walk right."

Daryl looks at Mathew who looks at him back with a mischievous grin. "Mathew I need to talk to you, NOW."

Thomas snorts "Why would he want to talk to you?"

"NOW!" Daryl exclaims.

Mathew rolls his eyes "Ok... Ok..."

"Are you really going to go with him?" Cooper laughs.

Mathew falters. "Come on Daryl".

Daryl follows Mathew to an empty room. "What is happening!?”

"Mathew replies smugly, "You shouldn't have taken the book."

"What are you talking about!?"

"I lied to Thomas. I knew what you two were planning all along."

Daryl furrows his eyebrows. "H-how?"

Mathew sighs "Well first of all the book is a curse. Whatever you write you want to happen in the book has the opposite effect. I knew Thomas was just pretending because it’s impossible for anyone to want to be my friend with the book still being my possession, so I lied to Thomas, hoping you would do exactly what I predicted you did."

"How do I reverse it?!"

“Well, where’s the book?" Thomas asks.

Daryl's heart immediately drops. "I-I... burned it." Daryl stutters.

"You’re screwed"

"How do I fix this? I can't live on like this! How can you do this to me, Matthew!”

Mathew puts his hands up in the air in a defensive manner. "Hey, I didn't tell you to take the book, and I especially didn't tell you to burn it. That was all you."

"That doesn't explain why my friends are treating me like… like."

“Like crap?”

Daryl awkwardly looks down at the floor. The realization has kicked in.

“All these years you and your friends bullied me, made me feel worthless. Like crap. I kept telling myself it was the book. The book has that effect, but curse or not… No one deserves to be treated that way, and though the book made my friends dislike me, hating me wasn’t the book’s fault. That was all you.”

“I-I don’t get it. If you hated the way we treated you, and you know the book was partly the reason, why not throw it out or give it to someone else?”

“Don’t you see? I’m not like you. No one deserves to have that burden on them. No one.”

“Since the book has the opposite effect than what you wish for, couldn’t you have just wished your friends to dislike you and we wouldn’t have treated you that way.”

“Don’t you think I tried? It doesn’t work. That's one consequence of the book. Whoever last writes their wish in it, won't have any friends. Don't ask me why. I don't know. All I know is ever since I wrote my first wish in that damn book all my friends hated me. Even you.”

Daryl's mouth drops. "What are you talking about? We were never friends."

Mathew nods. "Yes we were, but ever since I got that book you guys forgot about me. The only thing that can help you is if you get someone else to write a wish in it, then the curse will be lifted from you to them, but you burned it, so there’s nothing you can do now."

Daryl looks at Mathew in horror. "What am I going to do!?"

Mathew shrugs "Karmas a book." He says before walking off.

Daryl brushes his fingers through his hair in dismay. Mathew's phone suddenly rings. "Congratulations, you won $20,000!" Mathew jumps for joy, leaving Daryl speechless and horrified.

The moral of the story, don't judge a book by its cover, and most importantly karma's a b---ook.