Instinct

Chapter 12 -- Thrree

I opened the drawer hastily.

Inside the compartment was singular slab of sleek metal tendered to be as untampered with as possible. My warped reflection shadowed the metal slab's surface. I ran my hand across the surface to feel the cool metal greet the warmth of my flesh. On the side of it were three colored locks that were embedded within the surface so that it would prove impossible to open without the keys to aide. I picked up the slab to feel that it had more depth to it, and on further inspection I could see that there were actually a mound of pages woven into the structure of the steelbook. The pages were still straight with no abrasions or marks to destroy the seemingly delicate pages hinted by their aged, yellow hue. There must've been a good three to five hundred pages within the secret book.

My hands unconsciously gripped onto the book tightly, my fingertips going white with the amount of force I pressed into it. For being a steelbook it was somehow surprisingly light in weight. A subtle energy connected between me and the book in an instantaneous moment that almost made me drop it and walk away, as it electrified through my entire arm.

The energy binded with my soul for that moment that I held it. I could feel all of the pain it carried with it. Emotions of a comprehending nature, but still overwhelming to the touch that I wanted to hurl it across the room and never see it again.

But no matter how much I wanted to leave it behind I couldn't make my fingers let go of it. They clamped down harder the more I thought of leaving it to the point of unbearable pain. I opened my mouth to gasp for air as I had been holding my breath for what felt like ages. I looked from Zoe's dead father to the book again in confusion as to what in the hell it actually was. Why it held so much pain and importance that could be transmitted to me from an inanimate object. How I could feel what it felt for the many years it existed.

The book began to whisper to me subtly.

Or maybe it was my own imagination conjuring up the sudden voice. But either way I could hear it as clear as someone who would be standing in front of me, speaking.

Keep it.

The two words sent violent jolts of eeriness down my neck and into my spine. My fingers finally and reluctantly let go of the book and dropped it to the floor with the metal hitting the floor in a earsplitting 'thud' that broke the silence of the room. I looked down at the book in horror in the realization that it might've been the harbinger of that voice. My fingers twitched on their own, not knowing what to make of the encounter.

Do I dare take this book? Would it even matter to me that I'd take it or not considering that I was basically going on a suicide mission to kill Zoe and the future blinded me from seeing if there was any destiny with the steelbook.

Let alone if there would be any life for me in the future...

I shook my head and continued to stare down at the ominous book, deciding whether or not there was any point in taking it in the first place. Maybe it would serve as some kind of leverage for towards Zoe; should things go awry with the plan of killing her. Perhaps I could find the three keys to these embedded locks and reveal any secrets Zoe or her father could be keeping from the rest of Zykard. I could even take her down with this and reign the people as the one true leaders of our city. It seemed like a daunting task but for a worthy cause if it meant if I succeed I could lead in a new era of our people, I don't think I could take on the position of that leadership to direct ten thousand plus people into a better life but... maybe there was someone else fit for that. Someone who's been craving change all of their life.

The more I thought about it the more I could feel a smile stretch across my face. It wasn't that insane of an idea, certainly it was a weighted choice either way I went and would take some careful and time consuming consideration to come up with an incentive.