Once Upon A Time

Once Upon A Time - Chp 4

John felt haunted. No, that wasn't quite the word to explain how things were. He was worried senseless was a more apt description. Yes, worried of what the book would tell him next should read further.

The past four days he had been successful in ignoring it, not reading another word. Having locked it away in his desk drawer had been the easy part. The key was put in a box and the box placed high on his closet shelf. The extra effort to retrieve it should have deterred him. He achieved full success the first day, yet the hours before sleep would come and tax his resolve.

To the closet he would walk, taking down the box, lifting out the key, and then unlocking the desk drawer. The first time, his excuse was he just needed to check it was still there. Pulling the drawer open all the way, it was just as he left it, placed on top of stationary he rarely used with several pens on one side and a stapler on the other.

The next morning, he already had the box down, when he stopped, turned, and tucked it away. Performing the deed absentmindedly was not a good sign. John forced himself to be more vigilant. The second night was a repeat of the first. This time, his excuse was to retrieve a pen. The third night, he needed stationary that was not used.

On the morning of the fourth day, he unlocked the drawer and quickly took the book out. Flipping it open to the flyleaf, he had to confirm it was the same book. Someone could have switched it, replaced the true book with an imitation copy. He just had to be sure.

Keeping it at home meant he couldn't sneak back for a quick peek during work hours. But when he was at work, the knowledge the book was so far away ate away at him. Most of his time was spent at his desk, unsuccessfully trying to concentrate his full attention to the spreadsheets. Nearly finished after several straight days of attention, he should have been relieved, but John was far from it.

The urge to read what would happen next was difficult enough to ignore. But the drawing, always in his thoughts, was the main culprit to his failure. He wanted to see it again; he had to. Already accepting that Margaret was to be his wife, he dreamed of her, whether asleep or awake. Often she would be with him at the factory, waiting patiently as he completed his work. He could just see her, out of the corner of his eye, her fair complexion boasting healthy glow.

Her eyes watched his every move. John could feel always feel the instant their gaze fell upon him. It had pleased him to dream of her. On the day he discovered her picture, John had stared at it for hours. His fingers traced the drawing over and over, that he needed to stop or the picture would be smudged. When he finally fell asleep, the book had been clasped to his chest. Coming awake in the middle of the night he discovered it was still in his grasp.

He couldn't go on in that manner, so it was locked away.

On this fourth night, he broke down and looked at her again. Margaret; she was so beautiful and alluring. The man was hooked and all John had was a small drawing. How much more affected would he be when they finally met in person. The wedding date given was just over three months away. They would need to meet soon, but how? Would he find her at work as a new employee perhaps? Would a friend introduce them? Or would they just bump into each other by accident.

The anticipation for their first meeting was tremendous. Each scenario he envisioned grew more vibrant, more intense until he was sure she would know the moment she laid eyes on him that he was the one. How he wished he could hurry it along. Would reading another chapter reveal more or leave him disappointed? John hadn't forgotten about going to the antique store in London. He planned it for Friday when he had to meet with Hamper in person.

The mystery of the book's origins was still uppermost in his thought. He was bound and determined to find out who wrote the book and why. Why him?

It was the sound of Hannah calling him for dinner that brought him back to solid ground. Not bothering to lock the book away, it was already decided he would read a little more tonight. John would allow himself that small treat for the days he had not succumbed.