The Book

The world is filled with mystery.

An organization was created long, long ago that documented every odd occurrence that happened. Every bump in the night, every shadow on the wall and every strange sight that you just couldn't describe.

It took many attempts to wade through all the fake reports that came through. With every true story they had, there was at least 10 which were complete and utter lies.

The well-dressed man looked at their oldest mystery. A book. It was a leather bound book. No more than 200 pages from beginning to end. Yet, it was greatest mystery in the organization.

The observation is about to come to an end.

It was propped open behind a thick glass window. A robotic hand lowered slowly. The monumental turning of pages. And they were just at the beginning. No matter how much they read, no matter how much time they spent on one page, there seemed it was no end.

The pages were dusty, but in good condition. With every page the man in a lab coat turned, they discovered something monumental. For every page it took them years to read. Some of the information was fabricated, writings of a crazed mind, some stories of untold universe, and others seemed to speak about the past and present of their own world. With every passing day they discovered the book was 100% right.

So the question was asked, "What if the 'fiction' was our future?"

However, some of the stories or events were cut abruptly, "Whoever was writing it possibly got bored." The note in one of their files stated, under wall of text that just abruptly ended without explanation.

Yet, other past events were written in detail, the well-dressed man read through the newly forming mass of words and noted, "Strange, this new event is going to be a big one. It's describing a large terrorist attack."

The information kept coming. From the way streets looked before the attack, to what the terrorists were wearing, their thoughts, their fears, to what it was after the explosion. The chaos. The thoughts of those affected. Every excruciating and gory detail was written in the pages of the black book. They soon discovered the event was going to happen in several weeks. It came true. Everything the black book stated happened. The people that died, everything came true.

Theories about the black book were never-ending, as it was its ability to create content out of thin air.

Tests on the black book were usually kept to a minimum. Only using a robotic hand to hold or maintain the black book. They were observing it for many, many decades. But soon that was about to change.

The organization got the green light to take the testing from reading and writing, to living test subjects.

First test subject was named SUB01.

A chimp from the local zoo. The scientist had a slight fear of the chimpanzee taking the book and ripping its pages. Destroying it in process.

Regardless of their fears, the test subject was led into the room. Almost immediately it tried to gnaw on the book's covers, yet, no matter what the chimp tried to destroy it, the book remained unharmed. Its pages' were not affected by the great ape's primitive behavior.

Soon, their view on the book would change. They collectively decided to leave the chimp alone with the book. Overnight the chimp's behavior changed entirely.

It suddenly was sitting upright, scanning pages upon pages of the black book, speed reading. Hundreds of years of history being consumed in hours by the former primitive being. They could soon talk to the chimp like it was one of them. They tried to escort the great ape, now calling itself, Michael, but no matter what they tried the chimp seemed reluctant to leave. To the point of lashing out violently at the scientists.

One of them was unlucky enough to get swiped by the chimp's true strength. The person was dead after hitting the wall. After the incident the chimp was soon sitting quietly, scanning the book, not concerned about what had happened.

After the corpse retrieval and disposal, the Organization spent several other attempts at book retrieval, with similar results.

Soon, they noticed something truly odd.

One of the lab scientist's noticed the book was merging with the great ape. It looked like it was consuming the chimp's hands. Now, its hands were no more than stumps disappearing into the hard black cover of the book. As if the book was eating the ape, one inch at a time.

The great ape remained unaffected. The veiny protrusions pulsating, going deeper into its arms, shoulders and one even deep inside its bony head. Its skin was slowly getting consumed. Carefully, the chimp's skin was getting removed from its skeleton along with its muscles, veins and internal organs.

In fascination, they started recording everything that happened. The camera noticed new words were being written as more and more of the great ape disappeared before their eyes.

Sadly, nothing could prevent the inevitable. The chimp completely disappeared. Its final thoughts written upon pages and pages of newly created work.

The testing had to continue.

Next, the Organization approved of a 20-year-old gorilla to be moved in with the book.

The cell was improved to handle the new occupant and its immense strength.

Almost as if on cue. The gorilla moved towards the book. And as if in trance it took it from the book case. Sat on the cold, concrete ground and started deeply staring into the book. The new test subject acted like the previous occupant. Scanning the book with its dead eyes.

The men tried to take the book away. This time using one of the prisoners as their guinea pig. The results were horrifying. The gorilla ruthlessly attacked and mauled the prisoner. After several minutes of onslaught, the man passed out, the gorilla returned to its spot on the ground and resumed doing what it was doing.

The changes in its intellect took longer than previous test subject.

The gorilla soon was referring to itself in name. and quickly after that started conversing with the scientists. Using broken English language. Several hours after that they gave it some tests to solve. The gorilla did them as it tightly clutched the black book in its other hand.

The scientists concluded the animal's intellect was growing rapidly.

But no matter how much smarter the gorilla had become, the book started consuming it. Incorporating its thoughts and feelings into its white pages.

Several more hours after that the gorilla disappeared. The book lied on the floor its black cover closed.

The metal arm slowly lowered and took it to the frame where the scientists started looking what the gorilla's final thoughts were.

Organization didn't wait too long before approving another experiment. They had long argument over what will be used as an experiment. Some wanted to move on to humans, others thought it was too dangerous to move to one of the smartest animals so soon.

"You honestly want that thing in the hands of one of the prisoners we let in? Most of them have done some of the most heinous acts. Handing that book to one of them could prove dangerous."

The people leading the Organization spent weeks deliberating what to do next. More testing meant more information, but it also meant more danger to those involved in the tests. Perhaps even the public. Eventually, they moved to experiments on humans. It proved the chase for knowledge was far more important than any danger that could come with it.

They collectively decided to involve one of the more underwhelming prisoners they had. An idiot. His IQ was way below average. The man spent days staring at the wall, and any and all intellectual stimulation proved impossible.

So, December 21^st, the man was lead from his cell into another room. His handler carefully explained what he was going to do. Just hold the book. And the man listened.

He sat on the cold concrete ground and as if in trance he took the book in his fingers and started reading. The change was immediate and drastic. The man was flipping through pages. As if he was quickly looking at pictures. The words were being absorbed by the man. With every passing second he seemed to exceeded their previous expectations.

Hours passed. And eventually they wanted to do the same as with other test subjects.

Taking the book back.

Another prisoner was led in. This time the man was way tougher and taller than the test subject.

He walked over to the man absorbed in his reading and before he could utter a single word he exploded in shower of blood and guts.

The scientists behind the thick wall of glass watched flabbergasted as their view was obstructed by wall of red. The blood trickling down the walls and onto the ground.

The test subject's maw opened wider than any normal human jaw could and he started letting out horrific screams that stunned everyone in the vicinity. Thick glass broke in an instant.

All of the scientists were afraid, fear freezing them where they stood. Fearing the words some started to run away in fear. Others weren't so lucky.

The well-dressed man watched the video stream as the new being, something no longer human, started to butcher everyone with his newly found telekinetic powers.

The man mowed through many guards and scientists in the facility; eventually stopping, sitting on the ground and resuming what he was doing mere minutes before.

A path of death and destruction lied behind him. The man rocking back and forth, his arms slowly getting absorbed by the book cover. Hours later the book lied on the ground. Emotionless.

A robot guided by the scientists waded through sea of blood and guts. Its metallic claw lowering and taking the book from the ground and into its new container. A black led box. The box was carried to the safe somewhere inside the facility and locked. Testing was stopped.

They never read what the prisoner's last thoughts were. Everyone decided there was too much danger involved.

The well-dressed man donned his mirrored glasses and started writing his report. Last words he wrote in his report were, "If there was anyone, of sane and healthy mind, smart enough to hold its pages between their fingers, what would happen to the world? We let an idiot hold it and he almost ruined us. The day we find out about this must NEVER come. This book must stay forever hidden in the furthest depths of whatever facility we have. Research must never continue."