Leather Bound

by Kyle Robinson

  Tom stared at the wall. Inside him a swell of emotions were churning round and round. All he could think to call it was a void. But that wasn’t all he felt, there was more. He felt different, almost lost within himself. It was more than that, but he couldn’t put a finger on it.

  You killed your wife. William told him.

  Tom shook his head. That might have been true, but that wasn’t the problem here. He laid his head back against the chair and it hit him. He’d reached the end of his own journey, along the same lines as William. It was parallels that would never intersect, each living their own stories the best way they knew how. Tom got up and took the book with him. He walked to the bookshelf and slid the copy in between two other books and stepped back admiring the shelf on the wall and couldn’t help but smile. He’d just finished a novel, but like an addiction his mind kicked it over and he had the urge to write something.

  Chapter 42

  Without a project to focus on, Tom thought over his actions. He’d killed his wife, and the only reason he’d got away with it was because none of her family cared to come looking anymore.

  He sat there after sending back a revised edition of his book to Jason for the second time. As he did, he heard something next to him. He looked down and saw Jennifer sitting in the floor.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I can’t move on, you won’t let me.”

  He stared at her. He had little words to explain what he felt, so he sat there. Her voice cut through the silence.

  “You know if you ignore it, it won’t just go away. That’s not how it works.”

  He shook trying to understand what was happening to him.

  “Guilt.” She continued from the floor. “That’s what’s going on. You have guilt for your actions that’s the normal response for the situation you’ve found yourself in. Most people realize before they kill-"

  “Shut up, just shut the fuck up. I get it, things went south. I didn’t aim for that and didn’t want it. But I’m not holding you here.”

  “But you are.”

  He looked at her a little sideway. “How?”

  “Because you’ve stashed my body in the basement. How in the hell am I supposed to move on with my personal heaven, or hell, whatever comes next, when I’m camped up in the corner of a basement?”

  “Jesus Jennifer, just shut the-" But he stopped. As he turned around, he realized that the woman in the floor wasn't there. Once again, he had nothing more than his own thoughts.

  ****

  It had been almost a week since Tom had heard from Jason. He’d sent him back the edits only the next morning after working through the night. Jason liked them and sent the book off to Doubleday. At this point it was waiting, the part of the game that Tom hated the most. He was laying in bed one morning half awake when his phone rang. He reached up and answered.

  “Hello.” His voice was groggy.

  “Hey, did I wake you?” Jason said on the other end.

  “Yeah, but I’ll be all right what’s going on?”

  “Look, I got news from Doubleday. You'll need to come down to the office. Is that possible?”

  “What time is it?”

  “Almost 11.”

  Tom wiped his eyes. “Let me get up and get dressed and I’ll be down there. Expect me around noon.”

  “All right, I’ll see you then.”

  Tom rolled out of bed, took a shower, and got dressed. He drove through the light traffic and pulled into the parking lot at 10 minutes until noon. He walked in and waved at the receptionist.

  “How are we doing Mr. Mason?”

  “I’m okay, Jason said he wanted me to come down here to talk. Is he available?”

  The doors from behind her desk opened. Jason walked through them smiling. “Right on time. You sure you’re not sick or something?”

  Tom laughed and walked around the desk. Jason embraced him. “It’s good to see you. Come inside and take a seat we’ve got things to talk about.”

  Tom walked in and Jason closed the door behind him. He took a seat on the opposite side of the desk, his mind racing as he tried to figure out the news.

  “All right man, so here’s the deal. So far the editor has made it about half, maybe three quarters of the way through the book. She’s sent me a list of possible edits, but nothing is set in stone yet until she’s done.”

  “Okay, I’m venturing that you didn’t call me down here to just tell me that the book is about 3 quarters of the way edited.”

  Jason looked at the desk and the back at him. “You’re right.”

  “Okay, so then what’s going on?”

  “Doubleday has an issue. They’re hoping that you can help them out.”

  “That problem would be?”

  Jason took a breath. He appeared to be struggling when he couldn't hold it anymore it burst out. “They need another book.”

  Tom sat there almost confused. “They what?”

  “They need another book.”

  Tom leaned forward in the chair. “How is that possible? I just gave them one.”

  Jason took a breath, knowing this would go this way. “Yeah, I know. They love it so far. The problem is, they dropped one of their contracts. Now they need to fill that gap and they want you to be the one to write it.”

  Tom looked at him almost sideways. “I’d bet you had a little something to do with that didn’t you.”

  Jason laced his hands together. “Yeah, but you have to realize they’re offering you an additional million dollars for this book alone. A million dollars, please tell me you understand that.”

  Jason still sat there and stared at him. Tom couldn't speak. He leaned back and just relaxed in the chair for a few minutes while he thought it all over. Before he could let everything digest, Jason spoke up again.

  “Look man, I get it it’s hard. But, a million dollars more on this contract was huge for both you and me.”

  “I get that but man, I damn near snapped at the seams writing this last book. Now you want me to turn around and march back into the abyss and hope I’m still able to come out on the other side.”

  Jason stared at him in silence. He clapped his hands together and smiled. Tom snapped.

  “Jason, I don’t think you realize what the hell is going on here. You’re trying to bleed me dry with this much work. I haven’t slept in weeks. I haven’t had time to myself in I don’t know how long. This whole thing tore me apart, it everything I love apart.”

  Jason didn’t know where all of this was coming from. Then an idea hit him. “Do you not have a trunk novel?”

  “A what?”

  “Something you wrote a long time ago. That you put on the shelf and just left sitting there. There's nothing like that?”

  “No, did you forget I started my career as an indie author? Everything I ever wrote was set to be published. Nothing was set aside, I didn’t need to.”

  Jason rubbed the side of his temples. “You don’t have a sequel to the book you finished in mind? That would be perfect, something that would start a series you could build off for some time to come?”

  Tom looked at him with anger. “Do you realize what you’re asking me?”

  “I do, but are you telling me you’re out of ideas?”

  “I’m not out of ideas, I’m out of sanity. This book tore me apart and now I’m left holding nothing more than an empty bag.”

  Jason looked at him worried. “Are you sure you’re okay? I can turn this all down but I think it helps you in the long run.”

  “How so?”

  “Because it shows them you’re a team player. It’s more than that though, it shows that you’re willing to work with them. That will go a long way in them showing you some favor down the road.”

  Tom leaned back. He wanted to get angry but he couldn’t bring himself to do that. Instead he nodded. “Fine, I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks, you won’t regret this.”

  Tom stood up and look down at Jason. “For bot
h our sakes I hope not.”

  Chapter 43

  Tom was halfway home from the meeting when he heard Jennifer in the seat behind him. It almost caused him to jump.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Still trying to figure out how I move on.”

  “Is there something I can help you with?”

  “Yeah, as a matter of fact there is.”

  Tom flashed his eyes from the road, to the mirror and back. “I’m waiting.”

  “I still can’t understand your change in the last few months.”

  “How can you say that?”

  “I think the better question here is how in the hell can’t you see it. Everything you’ve ever been has changed. It’s changed so much it drove you to murder.”

  He drove on without saying a word. About half-way he spoke again, not sure if he’d even get an answer.

  “Why are you here?”

  It took a second, and he glanced over. She was now sitting in the front seat.

  “You brought all of it on yourself. You killed me, and I am forever attached to you, to this place. All because I never got the chance to save you from the demon’s that were left at our doorstep.”

  “You’re stuck here because you couldn’t save me?”

  “You didn’t realize all this time all I wanted to do was save you. It wasn’t from that book either though that didn’t help.”

  Tom sat there confused. “Then what was it you wanted to save me from.”

  “You made it so far so fast, you weren’t ready for it. No one would be. I remember talking to you about how you wanted to make a few thousand dollars every year. If you could pull that off you’d be happy. Then you hit that moment where the book went boom. You were a household name. I saw the toll it took on you even if you won’t admit it. I knew it was all catching up to you. That’s why I wanted to take that vacation. It wasn’t just because of me, it was for you. You needed to unwind so that it hurt me. I wanted to help, but things got in the way.”

  Tom sat there in silence. She was right, he’d just never thought of it. He was at his end before the book, but he’d worked so hard to get there that he wasn’t letting it all get away from him. That’s why he took the contract.

  “I understand that.” She started, reading his thoughts. “But, then you got the book in the mail and it seemed to open a side to you you didn't have in the past. I didn’t know what to expect. I wish I would have done something but life is how it is now.”

  Tom had little to say. His mind wouldn’t allow him to think. He drove the rest of the way home in silence. As he unlocked the door and walked inside the house, he felt like something was off.

  It’s gone. William’s voice said in his head.

  “What’s gone?”

  Our book.

  Tom rounded the corner into the living room. The book was in fact gone from the bookshelf where he’d put it when he finished it.

  “Where the hell is it?”

  We need to find it.

  Tom got that feeling coming over him again. It was a mix of anger and shock. He turned his attention and flipped the chair on its’ side. There was nothing. Then he flipped the tables and couch, still no signs of the book. He walked to the bookshelf and scanned it, there was nothing there. He pulled the books off and throwing them on the ground. With each book that moved he got angrier. He turned trying to rack his brain.

  “Where the hell can this thing be?” He slapped himself on the head a few times. “Think damn you.”

  He went to their bedroom. He started with his own dresser emptying the contents of each drawer. As he emptied the last drawer he became irate. “Where the hell is my book!”

  He went to the other side of the room and tore apart Jennifer’s dressers. He took each drawer out and threw the clothes about the room. As he reached the last drawer, he’d still had yet to find it.

  “For the love of god Jennifer if you did this…”

  Then something hit him. He went toward the basement. At the top of the stairs he looked around but saw nothing, then the blankets in the corner caught his eye. He was sure it was there, but fear froze him in place.

  But we need to find our book. William told him.

  He took a deep breath and put both hands on top of the blankets and pulled. Before they were off the smell hit him in the face. He stumbled backwards, regained himself and went back to the barrel and looked down.He almost screamed when he saw Jennifer clutching the book to the small part of her chest he could see.

  “How in the hell did you do that?”

  There was no response. He reached down and pulled her arm. It was stiff with rigor mortis but he got it moved where he could free the book. He pulled it up and had a hold of it. He stared down at the body feeling disgusted and angry.

  “Where did it all go wrong?”

  There was still silence. He stared at the barrel which he’d put the lid back on. He had ahold of the book and put it to his chest. As he reached the top of the stairs, he felt something hit him. He couldn’t put words to it. He turned and stared back into the basement. After a few minutes he shook his head and turned the lights off closing the door behind him.

  Chapter 44

  Tom sat the book on the ground. He sat down next to it and crossed his legs. He stared around the room which was still a mess from what he did earlier that day.

  “So what’s next?” Jennifer’s voice hit his ears. She was sitting across the room staring at him.

  “That’s a good question.” He told her.

  “You’re all that’s left.” This voice came from his left. He turned and saw Robert staring at him. “Everyone else has had everything taken away from them. You’re the only one that’s left. You don’t even realize how lucky you are.”

  “I wouldn’t say I’m lucky. I mean look at the things I’m living with. Hell, I’m in the midst of talking with people who are dead. Not sure I’d call that a great place to be.”

  “But at least you’re living. Isn’t that something?”

  “Not when you’re dealing with the hell I’m dealing with now.”

  There was silence as he sat there staring at Jennifer and Robert who was looking back at him.

  “You know the demon’s aren’t just yours now.” William was sitting on his left side.

  Tom turned and looked at him. “What do you mean?”

  “All of these, all of us, they’re all hidden in the book. When it’s all said and done, you’ll be in the book.”

  “I don’t….”

  “Trust me when I tell you it’s all hidden within those pages. The people that read it, the people that see it. It’s all in there. For anyone that cares to read it.”

  “I thought it was only for family.”

  “It is, but when it lays about, you never know who will find it.”

  Tom just sat there unsure of what to think. He stared at the book on the ground ahead of him.

  “You know what’s coming.” Jennifer said.

  Tom stared at her. He didn’t know what she meant. As he sat there his phone rang. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out and answered it.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey Tom, it’s Jason, how are you doing?”

  “I’m okay.”

  “Well, I’m calling today with some good news. DoubleDay called me today. They have a release date for Colony X. They’re looking at about 6 months from now. How does that sound?”

  “Sounds good. Thank you Jason for everything.”

  “My pleasure.” He stopped. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing, I'm being honest with you?” He chuckled trying to cover up how he felt in his voice.

  “You don’t seem like yourself.”

  “Yeah, like I said, it’s all just worn on me.”

  “Take a couple days to get your head right. It’s not like they’ve even given me a tentative line for the next book. Take that vacation you and Jennifer wanted. It will do you good.”

  “If only it
were that easy.” Tom said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Thanks for everything Jason, you’ve been great, I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me. It means the world.”

  “You’re kind of scaring me Tom. Do I need to call someone?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. Again, thanks, for everything.” Tom hung up the phone before Jason could answer. Tom stared back at the three people sharing the floor with him.

  “Life isn’t a cakewalk. We don’t all get to end on a high note. You’ve done a lot. You know what’s next though right?”

  Tom looked around and down at the book. Jennifer spoke up. “I couldn’t save you before, I want to save you now. Life is better, more complete this way. The demons of the past won’t haunt you anymore.”

  “But that’s not a decision I want to make.”

  “But dad…” The voice was faint, and it came from the corner of the room. He turned and saw a little boy sitting there smiling at him. “We’ve always wanted to be a family.”

  It was then he realized what came next. Though words, and strength escaped him, he stared around the room and down at the book as he began to cry.

  Chapter 45

  Jason tried to call again as he pulled into the driveway. It was the fourth time he’d called today. He had news to share. He got out of the car and walked to the door and knocked. No one answered. He peeked through the windows and saw nothing before going back to the door and tried the handle; it turned.

  He walked into the front room frozen and taken back by what he saw he couldn’t even bring himself to scream. Ahead of him, he saw Tom laid forward with a single gunshot wound to the back of the head. He saw the gun laid away from Tom’s body about 3 feet.

  There’s no way someone murdered him. He thought. He walked up and saw that Tom had landed forward on his stomach. Next to his head was a leather-bound book. There was a piece of paper on top of it. Jason stepped over Tom and picked up the paper and read.