Chapter 5: A Subtle Shift
The days that followed felt different. The weight of the book on Don's desk had become a constant reminder, an anchor to a new reality he hadn't fully understood until now. It wasn't just a book—it was a guide, a tool, a connection to something far beyond what he had ever known.
At first, Don tested the book's power in small ways. He made subtle changes—nothing overt, nothing obvious—but enough to satisfy his curiosity. He found himself thinking about someone who owed him a favor. The next day, they approached him, apologizing profusely and offering what he wanted without question.
It was almost too easy.
The power the book offered was intoxicating, and Don soon found himself wondering just how far it could go. Could he make bigger changes? Could he shape his entire world with the same effortless ease?
The more Don explored, the more he realized something strange: his desires had shifted. Where once he had only wanted companionship and acceptance, now, he longed for more—control, power, dominance over those who had ignored him, dismissed him. The book was becoming a mirror of his darkest thoughts, and the whispers inside his mind encouraged him to take what he deserved.
One evening, as Don walked through the university campus, his eyes landed on a group of students talking in the distance. They were laughing—loudly, carelessly. One of them, a tall, confident man named Marcus, had been one of the ones who always acted as if Don didn't exist. He would laugh at Don's stutter, mock him when he tried to speak in class.
Don felt a pang of anger surge through him. How dare they? How dare they think they could treat him like that, ignore him as if he were invisible?
He reached into his bag and felt the familiar weight of the book. For a moment, he hesitated. It was just a small thing—a cruel joke, an example to show them their place. He could make Marcus feel the same humiliation he had suffered for years. Just a little push.
The book seemed to respond almost immediately, the ink on the page shifting as if it had been waiting for this moment. The words appeared quickly, almost too quickly for Don to keep up with:
"Make him pay."
The words rang in his ears, a whisper from the shadows that had taken root in his mind. Don's hand trembled, and for the first time, a dark smile crept across his lips. He knew exactly what he had to do.
Later that evening, as Marcus walked home alone, he felt a sudden shift in the air, a strange unease that he couldn't quite place. A chill ran down his spine as he passed a dimly lit alley. He quickened his pace, glancing over his shoulder.
But it was too late.
Don had already planted the seed, and Marcus would never know how it had happened.