There are three things I learned about that book in the Eboni box.
One is that I cannot touch the Eboni box or I'll be given a shock as a warning.
Two, I can move to any part of the room so long as the doors are not closed. If a door closes between me and the book, I'm instantly teleported back to the book's location. It seems to only recognize an open door as part of the room and a closed door as a wall.
Which finally leads me to believe that the book inside the box is truly attached to me.
"How is any of what's happening possible?" I wondered as I gazed at the box. Then I shot up quickly, "don't tell me-!"
"DING-DONG!"
"Coming!" Yelled Andy's Mom as she ran past the study room. Curious, I peaked out the study, but could barely see the small, blonde hair person with a pink bow.
"Oh! Anne, I didn't expect you to show up, are your parents okay with this?"
"Yes mrs. Claire, although I'm only here to give my gift today."
"It's alright, I'll let Andy know you stopped by. I know you are moving today so I won't keep you."
"Thank you!" Said the girl named Anne. Just as she was about to go, an old man walked up, almost running into him. "oh! Excuse me!"
"Oh my, youngsters these days are always on the move!" He giggled to himself as he watched the girl run past him just before turning his eyes to Claire, "Wouldn't you say so my dear?"
"Oh dad, why don't you come in and celebrate Andy's birthday, hmm?" Replied Claire as she gently placed her hands on the old man's shoulders to escort him inside.
"Ah! Yes of course, where's the birthday boy?!" He exclaimed excitedly looking around. Then he looked over in my direction and smiled."hmmm?"
I jumped, and quickly hid back into the study room."There's no way he could see me right?" I thought panicky as footsteps slowly approached the room.
"Ho? I see you still keep this old room tidy Claire," compliment the old man as he steps into the room, seemingly appearing right next to me. Not sure if the old man could see me or if it was my imagination, I slowly stepped away from him as quietly as possible.
"Oh come on dad, if i don't keep it up, I'll lose all the good memories that come with this room." replied Claire.
"Ahaha a true keeper of the books i see! And I see you're here as well?" I froze at the old man's comment thinking he was talking about me. Instead he walked over to the ebony box and picked it up. "You know legend says if you stamp a page in your blood a mystical being will appear…."
"Dad , we talked about this… I don't want that book near Andy. Plus he says it keeps leaving that box on its own."
"Well that is expected… but you not telling Andy more about it is even more dangerous don't you think?"
".... well I certainly can vouch for that… i mean look at me im invisible and stuck to that stupid book!" I grumbled. Suddenly, I felt a pair of eyes on me and quickly looked up. As soon as my eyes met with the old man, he smiled. " okay… weird…." I thought.
" Give me some time to think about it first… I-" Claire was cut off by the sound of Andy's impatient voice.
"Mom, what's taking so long?! The food is going to get cold!"
"We'll be right there!" shouted Claire, then she turned back to her father and quickly spoke. "Dad, let's talk about this another time, it's Andy's birthday today."
"alright , alright… let's go chow down on some cake!" The old man spoke as he sat the box down on the desk. He then secretly took out the book and hid it in his jacket.
"Hey what are you doing?! That book is dangerous!" I shouted at him as I quickly ran out towards him. But then it happened again this time without being secretive about it. The old man quickly looked in my direction, making me jump back. He lifted up his finger in a "shush" motion. Confirming me now, that he can see me.
"Dad, what are you doing?" Ask Claire.
"Oh, I must've dozed off again…" he walked towards the entrance, "sorry to worry you…let's just enjoy the evening hmmm?"
"Dad I swear…"
Because the man carried the book, I ended up following them out into the hallway.
"So you can see me huh?" my thoughts slipped out of me as if i asked the old man on purpose.
" Of course I can child… but as far as seeing you, I would be lying if I said I could." whisper the old man.
"Huh? Then how come you keep looking in my direction?" I asked confusedly.
"Hmmm… because you sorta distort the places you stand… like heat waves."
"Grandpa!" yelled Andy at the sight of the old man.he quickly ran towards him while the old man simply held his arms wide open to accept the boy's welcoming hug.
"Hoho! Aren't you getting big my boy, how old are you, twelve now?"
"Grandpa, im fifthteen now!" replied Andy with a little seriousness in his voice.
"Well isn't that news to me! Then perhaps you are too old for a gift now?"
"What?! Of course I want a gift who wouldn't gramps?!"
"Hoho then let's quickly wish you a happy birthday if you want your gift!"
"Hey you two, how about we hurry up and cut up this cake? Even I can't wait to eat it." Commented Claire as she set up a camera in front of a candle lit cake.
"Let's go grandpa!" Beckon Andy to the old man.
"Alright, alright, I'm comin'."
I watched from a distance as they sang happy birthday and took a happy photo together. However, I felt something ripping out of me for some reason.
The old man gave Andy a "rainbow dragon scale" necklace as he called it. When Andy went to touch it, he cut his thumb, and dropped it. so the old man quickly picked it up.
"Seems to be too sharp… I'll go and put something to help with that later." I then saw as he placed the scale in the book. However, I said nothing about it.
Andy's mom picked up the pink and blue gift that the girl named Anne had given her. She then handed it to Andy.
"What's this?" Asked Andy.
"I honestly don't know… Anne gave it to you." Replied Claire.
Andy opened up the box's lid, letting all four sides of it fall down. In the center of it was a golden brown, leather satchel with a large "AAA" on it.
"This is Anne's satchel…" muttered Andy.
"Oh, there's a note here…" commented the grandfather.
Andy picked up the note and on it, It read;
Happy birthday Andy!
I'm sorry I couldn't come this time because I'm moving far away…. But I still wanted you to have something to remember me by. Since we were kids this bag was always a means for exploring the unknown and you always wanted to be the leader. You like this bag so much that I believe that with this, you'll still have fun even without me.
Your best friend,
Anne kallisti
There was a moment of silence before Claire spoke, breaking the silence.
"Andy it's Okay, let's open my gift next hmm?!"
She then jumped up and hurried over to the kitchen. She then opened a cabinet to reveal a large red gift box wrapped with a green ribbon.
"No way…" exclaimed Andy with a face expressed with anticipation.
"Hey don't get excited just yet, we don't even know what it is!" Claire said as she placed the gift in front of Andy.
Andy quickly opened the box, his eyes widened and he paused for a moment as if time had stopped for him. He slowly reached in and pulled out the surprise. revealing a longboard with red wheels and a small design on the bottom.
"You got me a longboard!!! Thank you so much!!!" Exclaimed Andy as he jumped up to hug his mom. Claire simply smiled.
The old man then got up, " alright, I should help clean up before I go…"
"No no no dad. Just go ahead and head home." She then turned towards Andy. "Andy since you're probably ready to test your board out, why don't you escort your granddad too?"
"Sure! Let's go grandpa!" He agreed with excitement.
I, of course, naturally followed behind.
"Hey old man, why did you put that scale in there?" I ask in a low voice.
"There is a blood seal on the book." He whispered as he calmly watched Andy put on his shoes. "I had hoped that it would release you but it seems that he still needs to call the book a name to do that"
"A name?" I ask in confusion.
"Grandpa, let's go!"
As soon as they stepped out the door, Andy's grandpa grabbed his shoulders and stopped him.
"Andy… every person is like a book, with a story and a cover. Some will pass it, some will interpret its cover, others will read a few pages but the ones that matter, are the ones who'll find the true story in the adventure together." Grandpa then pulled out the book I was attached to. Instinctively Andy jumped back.
"Get that away from me!"
"Hush boy and listen!"
"But grandpa!" He looked fearfully at the book. "T-that book took someone! They-"
"I saw them." Said the grandfather looking at Andy sternly. "But if you want to bring them back, give the book a name that's fitting for it."
The grandpa placed the book in Andy's hand as he stood there speechless. He then turned to leave without saying another word.
Andy stood there staring at the book, then looked up towards his grandpa.
"Are you sure it'll work?!" Asked Andy. His grandpa stopped for a moment, looking back, he spoke with a sense of seriousness.
"I thought only a little would do, but this one's persistent…." He looked away as if lost in thought for only a second. "Let's hope that it'll work this time."
"But Grandpa I'm not do-"
"Andy… just think about it." With that, the grandpa left.
Andy ran back into the house with the book hidden between his board and body. He quickly tossed off his shoes and ran for the stairs. Claire, Andy's mom, peaked around the corner and called out to Andy making him stop just before he went up.
"Oh? That was fast… was something wrong with the skateboard?"
"Huh? Oh…. N-no…. Just thought I should finish my homework first… you know..?" Replied Andy hesitantly.
"Your homework?" Claire's face frowned suspiciously.
"Yup… my homework…" Andy laughs nervously while backing up the stairs.
"Andy what are you really-?"
"No time, gotta go now!" Yelled Andy as he ran up the stairs.
"Andy!" Yelled Claire. A smile snuck around her face while she continued to clean.
Andy and I quickly went up the stairs. He quickly ran past another pair of steps, but I stared up at the door at the top of them. As if, something was calling me up there. There was the sound of Andy slamming the door and I was teleported into his room.
"I'm never going to get used to that…." I said as I regained my balance.
Andy placed his skateboard against his desk and as he placed the book down in front of him, the necklace that his grandpa gave him fell out. He carefully picked it up and stared at it for a minute then placed it down next to the book. I hovered around him as he sat down while carefully opening the book with his right sleeve. Very slowly at that.
"Oh common, just open the book already!" I shouted as if he could hear me. He jumped up, letting go of the book.
"Scraps?!" He questioned while looking around him frantically.
"He heard me?" I thought in surprise.
Andy swerved back at the book and flung it open with his eyes closed, expecting for something to happen. When nothing happened afterwards, he peeked at the book.
"Huh? It's empty?" I spoke with surprise. Andy jumped out the chair suddenly, knocking things down as he backed away with eyes wide open.
"…Scraps?" He whispered suspiciously.
"Wait, you can hear me, can't you?!" I spoke happily, " hey can you see me too?!" I asked as I walked towards him.
" ah… No… I mean I can hear you but I can't actually see you…" he spoke as he scan around the room. " Are you in the book or….?"
" I'm actually standing in front of you.." I said as I crossed my arms.
"Andy, is everything okay up there? I heard a noise?!" Shouted Claire.
"Oh shoot, mom!" Andy whispered. He quickly closed the book then leaped onto his bed to stuff the book under his pillow.
"Andy! The stuff on the floor!" I tried to warn him, but suddenly he was unresponsive to me. "Tsk! Andy!"
"Andy?" Claire opens the door, " what are you doing up here?" She asked.
"N-nothing." Replied Andy as he laid on his bed with his head resting on his left hand.
Clair looked down and pointed out the mess on the floor. "Nothing, huh?"
"Oh that… m-my skateboard knocked some stuff over…"
Me and Claire just stared at him. I then facepalm my face from his comment. Mainly because his skateboard was on the other side of the room. Claire looks at the skateboard and the mess with concern.
"Sure it did…" she replied suspiciously. "Anyway, it's getting late so get ready for bed."
"Alright." Answered Andy as he sat up in bed."Let me just take a bath first."
"Okay, night sweetie." Said Claire.
"Night, mom" replied Andy and for some reason my chest hurt.
As soon as the door shuts, Andy grabs the book from under his pillow and jumps off the bed. Then he carefully opened the book.
"Scraps, are you still there?" He asked in a whisper.
"Yeah, I'm still here. Is there anything in the book that could help me out?" I questioned him as I
peeked at the book again.
"Hmmm…" Andy flipped through the pages of the book but it was only filled with scraps of paper. "…. There's only one page that says 'title' on it."
"Oh that red spot must be from when you cut yourself with your grandpa's gift." I pointed out.
"How do you know about that?"
"Well, I'm not the book if that's what you're thinking…. It's more like a ghost attached to something." I explained. "Plus didn't the gift fall out of it?"
" yeah it did, I thought grandpa was going to take it back to fix it…"
"…. Let's try giving the book a title?" I suggested.
"I don't know…"
"Oh common, it's not like you're the one trapped in a book! Plus didn't your grandpa say to give it a title anyway?"
"Right." Replied Andy nervously. "Wait, how do you know about that?"
"Uh like I said I'm attached to the book, I go wherever it goes."
"I see…" He stared at me before picking up a pen on his desk. There was nothing but silence as he thought for a second about a title then he scribbled a few words in the book.
"Huh… how ironic…. I like it." I smiled. In the book there were only simple words but I personally like the title.
"Really? I didn't put much thought into it though…. And it seems the book doesn't like it."
"True. Let's try again tomorrow."
"Yeah calling it 'the book of scraps' was probably lame anyway…." Andy got up and headed out the room. "Anyway I gotta get ready for bed, I'll be back."
"Sure, I'm not going anywhere anyway, so don't worry." I replied sarcastically.
That night, I slept at the foot of Andy's bed. He slept soundly without a care in the world but it was harder for me to sleep.
"Besides the fact that I'm stuck in a book…" I muttered as I flopped down on the bed. At some point my eyes closed, sending me into a slumber. . " I have no clue who I am."