The Secret Manuscript (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Inside the secret room, Ben was about as safe as could be, but he still had a reason to rush. Perched atop the roof, Kyle lay in wait.  

Ben grabbed everything he needed and ran back down the narrow corridor that led to the secret entryway. He ducked through the opening and sealed off the door behind him. Now standing inside the fireplace at the base of the chimney, he affixed the rope around his waist, and made an owl sound, signalling for Kyle to pull him back up.  

Kyle began to heave on the rope as hard as he could. The veins in his arms bulged under the skin and sweat immediately began to bead down his red face. With a clenched jaw and a scrunched face, Kyle did his part to alleviate some of Ben's weight. It was enough to allow Ben to maneuver up the chimney. Ben used his arms and legs to scramble up the chimney until he was within Kyle's reach. Once Ben was near the top, Kyle reached down and clasped onto Ben's forearm and pulled him up the rest of the way. 

"Why are you so sweaty?" Ben asked. 

"Shut up," Kyle replied coldly. "Did you get what you came for?" 

"Yeah, now let's get out of here." 

Instead of jumping across the eight-foot roof gap between the houses again, Ben had the forethought to come up with a much safer plan. He and Kyle scooted down the slanted roof and jumped down onto the grass in their backyard. From there, they ran across to Gladys's house and entered through the door by the kitchen, which Ben had unlocked earlier. 

They quietly tiptoed upstairs, being careful not to wake Gladys. Once in their room, they celebrated with some hugs and high-fives. Ben inspected his bruises while Kyle went to the bathroom to tend to the scrapes on his arms. When Kyle returned, he collapsed on the bed. Ben took the manuscript out of his bag and laid it on the floor. 

"Now that we have the manuscript," Ben said, "I think we should read the rest of it and see how all this plays out." 

"How what plays out?" 

"You know, our lives. These thugs are trying to kill us and maybe the story will reveal a way we can avoid getting ourselves killed." 

"I don't want to know when or how I die. Besides, the book, or manuscript as you insist on calling it, is about your life, not mine. Who's to say my death would even be in there." 

"If we remain friends, and it seems like we would, then your death would be a significant moment in my life. If that's true, it'll be in here. Perhaps if we know when and how we die, we can prevent it from happening." 

"Look, I've seen more adventure in one day than I can handle. I need to get some sleep." 

"Alright, do you mind if I keep this lamp on? I just want to read a bit and see what happens." 

"Sure."  

"Kyle, I just want to say thanks for tonight. I know this manuscript doesn't mean much to you, but it means everything to me. You have a life and a lot going on, but me... I don't have any of that. Until these pages came into my life, I was broke and had no direction. Now look at how much I have benefited from it." 

"Ben, you can't be serious. First of all, we're lying in some old lady's spare bedroom because two men tried to kill us today. As for the money you made exploiting the future, it's tied up in some brokerage firm who will undoubtedly notify the cops the second you try to withdraw it. And let's not forget what happened with your little date with that girl. It seems like everything you touch either crumbles or slips through your fingers. Sorry, but I don't see how you have benefited from it." 

"It's cool, I get it," Ben said. "You're more of a 'glass-is-half-empty' guy. I'm going to focus on the positives." 

"Like what? What positives are you focusing on?" 

"Let's see, I've made a lot of money, I have a house, I have my best friend, I've been writing a lot lately..."  

"Ben, you remind me of this kid I used to live with. He loved Jello, and whenever his mom would make it for him, he got all excited. I'd sit across from him, eating my Jello and watching his frustration grow. You see, unlike me, this kid would eat with his hands. He would reach into the bowl and squeeze a fistful of Jello tightly so he wouldn't lose it. Then when he brought his fist to his mouth, there would be nothing. He would try over and over to capture the Jello, but the harder he squeezed, the Jello would squish through his fingers. You understand the moral of the story, don't you? His greed prevented him from getting what he wanted, and in the end, he was left with nothing but a big mess." 

"Is that a real story, or did you just make that up." 

"Honest to God, that's a real story." 

"Well, whatever. I'm going to read this manuscript and you can tell yourself another one of your stories until you fall asleep." 

Ben rested face down on the floor while reading page after page of the manuscript. With great intrigue, he was captivated by the events there were described. In the book version of Ben's life, the story deviated far from reality. It was supposed to be based on the future, but it did not resemble Ben's current predicament at all. It told nothing of the dangers he was currently facing. Instead, the story told a tale of Ben getting his life together and living an honest existence.