Superstition (Original Fiction - Part 2 of 2)
Did you miss Part 1 of Superstition? If so, click here to read it.
Sam was attractive in a waspy conservative sort of way. Her hazel eyes were inquisitive, studious, and she wore her brown hair in a fashionable bob cut. She was almost always stealing glances across the shop at Darren on Saturdays and he knew it. He would occasionally find himself sneaking a look at her in return.
Darren had the distinct impression that there was something meant for him in this manuscript and that it would somehow help him to feel whole again. He was hardly a wealthy man but he was so sure of the importance of this purchase he took out a loan against his 401k to buy it. All the incredible details of the book that Fletch had shared with him over a string of successive Saturdays only fueled his desire further.
Fletch lightly placed her hand on Darren’s shoulder and glanced from side-to-side to make sure no one else was within earshot.
“The auctioneer we bought this from said the previous owner acquired it a decade ago a flea market in Paris and found an old letter written on vellum tucked between its pages. The letter told of how the book had a way of finding the person who needed it most and shared stories of how past owners’ lives were magically transformed for the better after acquiring the book...”
Fletch stopped speaking as a few new customers noisily filed through the door. There was a look in her eyes that told him she had more to say.
“Well, we could all use more magic in our lives,” Darren chuckled.
Mr. Wimbley wrapped the book in brown paper and expertly tied it off with twine. Darren eagerly handed him a cashier’s check for ten thousand dollars. Mr. Wimbley removed his white gloves and held the check up and studied it watermark in the light. He then paused, slowly twisting the end of this handlebar mustache.
The pause lasted a bit too long for Darren’s liking and he feared Wimbley was having second thoughts. Wimbley then shot Darren a look of concern, flicked the check with his finger.
“Darren, you’re now among the ranks of a precious few. You have the privilege of being the caretaker of something very special.”
“Sir, I’m very grateful,“ Darren said, exhaling deeply.
As soon as the shop door closed behind him Darren cradled the book against chest. He decided he wouldn’t risk unwrapping it until he was home but could swear that he felt the power radiating from it.
The train ride home was a blur all he could think about was being alone with his treasure. He unlocked the door of his apartment, carefully cut the twine with his Swiss army knife, and slowly peeled back the brown paper. The cover was an emerald green leather and was in remarkably good condition for its age, only slightly faded.
As Darren opened it to the first page he was in awe at the vibrancy of colors and elegant flourishes of the calligraphy. He started to read and from the first word Darren felt wisdom and vitality pour over him. Immediately he got the distinct impression that, piece by piece, the puzzle of his life was being completed and this book contained all there was for him to learn.
Each morning Darren arose an extra fifteen minutes earlier to allow time to devour another of the book’s passages. He read them repeatedly until they were committed to memory. As the days wore on he began to notice that men treated him with more respect, women began to notice him, and the day’s events seemed to suddenly flow in his favor.
“As the days wore on he began to notice that men treated him with more respect, women began to notice him, and the day’s events seemed to suddenly flow in his favor.”
On Wednesday of the following week Darren’s phone buzzed as he was grocery shopping, he glanced at it and noticed, Wimbley’s Books scrolled across the screen.
“Hello,” Darren said as his heart raced.
“It’s Fletch,” she paused, “I don’t know how to tell you this but I just couldn’t go through with it.”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Darren said as he continued bagging his apples.
“There’s something I need to tell you.” Darren could hear the nervousness in her voice.
“Sure, what is it?”
“I made it all up about the book,” she said, starting to cry.
Darren dropped two granny smith’s and they rolled across the produce aisle, “Made what up? I’m not sure what you mean.”
Fletch continued nervously, “I mean the book is very old and it was likely written by an Irish monk but I made up the part about the magic and the letter, there was definitely no letter."
"I don't understand." Darren responded, feeling short of breath.
"I had good intentions, I really like you. All I wanted was to see you happy and get a chance to get to know you a little better...maybe go out with you or something. Please forgive me.”
Darren looked bewildered as he walked away from his grocery cart and began to pace furiously from side to side.
“You liar! There is magic in it, I feel it already!"
"Darren, listen to me....you still have a two days to get your money back." Fletch whispered, “I suggest you do it.”
"Ha. I get it. You just want it for yourself, don’t you? Well, you'll never see that book, or me, ever again.” he said, calming himself, as he tapped the end call button.
Darren forced a smile, slid his phone into the pocket of his trench coat, and continued shopping as though it was just another day.
The End
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This wasn't what I expected to happen but I like that Darren didn't doubt the magic, after all believing in magic makes it so!
I was hoping it wouldn't be too much of a let down for the reader but I felt like his true love was his routine and he had made that choice long ago. I knew someone like this back in my hometown. He always said his number one goal was to meet a woman and settle down but he did everything in his power to make sure it never happened. As far as I know he's still alone.
Actually I really like the ending because I too know people for whom - "his true love was his routine". We are creatures of habit and comfort is very seductive. Lately I've been thinking that this kind of choice is a consequence of the isolation inherent in our contemporary lifestyles and have wondered if village life/community would offer more accessible alternatives. Life can be daunting when a person feels alone, so routines are a natural safety. I don't know though, and these are just thoughts. There aren't so many stories and movies about this but we all know many people who simply can't find the path nor courage to step out and I appreciate you alternate exploration here.
You bring up a great point about our modern age of tech-imposed isolationism. The group that I'm most concerned with are children. So many of them aren't experiencing nature or developing deep friendships like previous generations.
Yogananda always said the future of society will be a network of smaller self-sustaining communities. I can envision a huge luddite backlash in the not-so-distant future as humanity realizes it needs to go back to its roots.
When I first enrolled in college I thought I wanted to be an architect. For one of our projects I designed an off the grid home with a greenhouse that provided an additional heat source for the living quarters. One day I'd like to try to build it on a plot of land. Maybe after Raymi and I get all of the traveling out of our systems. : )
I hope that you two do indeed build your off the grid home + greenhouse! I too have a greenhouse dream actually.
Yogananda was wise in many things and I agree that these smaller sorts of models work best. However, I think there may be ways we can use the large ecosystem of the internet simultaneously to further empower the villages.
This luddite movement is definitely happening and every so often I get glimpses of it. Recently I learned of Essex Farm outside of Burlington, VT which is a truly incredible farm with such integrity! It feeds so many, has exemplary practices and get this - they use no farm machines....only horses!!
Story is showing that you are such a very good writer.
Thank you!
Fun again .. haha! I am still in the game.. what is next?
I imagine you are Darren, no matter what you say.
@ericvancwalton :)
Thanks! Small things like how he likes his oatmeal are all me but personality traits like his fear of connecting with the world would drive me insane. : )
Amazing story dear . Both parts are written in beautiful method . Great fiction skills .
I really appreciate it!
In my opinion I do not think it's the end of the story and although it does not seem like it Fletch will believe in magic, which does not lie in the book but in the destructive or constructive capacity of words, @ericvancewalton I do not lie I would like to read more about this story please
Thanks for reading and for your feedback @adrianjo! I purposely left the ending open and to the imagination. I had been reading some of Sam Shephard's short stories and he tends to end his in this way quite a bit. I thought I'd experiment with that style. It can be a little polarizing though, some readers don't feel satisfied by it.
Your writing skills so impressive. Nicely build up conversation here. Have a great weekend.
Thank you!
I wish I had a quarter of your writing skills...
Thank you @mindtrap but writing is a craft best learned by doing so all it's taken is practice. I've written volumes of crappy stories. Lol. I have a lot left to learn, I'm concentrating on screenwriting at the moment.
Glad he didn't get the girl. Didn't seem like he deserved her... or being happy!
I don't know if I would agree that Darren doesn't deserve happiness. His character is the kind of person who uses "every excuse in the book" to not allow people to get close to him. I knew someone like this once and had that person in mind when writing Darren's character. To my knowledge he's been in a state of self imposed semi-exile for decades.
I think I know that sort of people.
Not that he doesn't deserve happiness at all, to my mind he doesn't deserve it as he doesn't do anything for it. One cannot rely on a magic book to find happiness. He is not transformed by the book, he seems to just read a page while his life is unchanged.
Anyway, I guess it's in my nature to dislike people leading that sort of life😃
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Oh, I see. Yes, it's almost as if these kinds of people sometimes feel they don't deserve happiness themselves. Others, are always seeking the shortcut to happiness. I think in Darren's case it was a bit of both.
Thanks for reading!
Wow.... Soo cute and very very lovely post... I love it..my dear friend
Excellent completion of the story, my friend and it seems to me that the book had a definite impact on the Darren, which changed his life, I would even assume that he understood some sense of life with the help of this book! Thanks Eric