A Middle Aged Widow

Mary Nesbit found the book in the spirituality and religion section of all places. It was a horrid, ugly thing, laced with strange designs and patterns that screamed satanism. Had Mary been a more devout woman, she might have dropped the thing and run off without a second thought.

However, this was not a time where she felt particularly close to the Lord. This was a time of mourning.

On a second glance, Mary found the book to be so goofy and over the top that she found herself relaxing. She opened the front cover and scanned the strange markings within, feeling a slight tingle of energy run through her body as she did so.

“Ugh, I don’t know why they have such satanic garbage in a place like this,” Helen Francis said, coming up next to Mary.

“It’s definitely an eyesore,” Mary said. “But Halloween is coming up. This would be the perfect prop for the haunted house.”

Helen gave Mary a hard stare.

The annual Nesbit haunted house was a tradition that stretched back nearly fifteen years, to when Mary’s daughter Riley had been very young. The brainchild of the recently deceased Bill Nesbit, the haunted house was his excuse to plaster on decorations and install all sorts of lights and smoke machines within their medium sized suburban home, opening the place up for the public every October 31st.

“You don’t have to do that silly stuff anymore, Mary.”

Mary looked up at her friend and sighed. Helen never approved of the haunted house or its creator. Hell, Mary had always just tolerated letting Bill decorate up a storm, but now that he was gone, it was hard to let go of the past.

“Just one more year,” Mary said, closing the book and shaking out her long, light brown hair.

Helen scoffed and crossed her arms over her small chest. She had a narrow, cold face and when she was angry she turned into a total ice queen.

Mary brought the book up to the counter and the clerk began to laugh.

“What’s wrong?” Mary asked.

“Oh nothing, I just never thought that hunk of junk would sell. It got dropped off like a year ago by a couple of high school kids.”

“I guess it is creepy looking,” Mary said. “I’m not planning on reading it. It’s a prop.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” the clerk said.

“It’s for a Halloween thing.”

“Of course. Now I’m afraid the cost will be your soul.”

“You’re kidding right?” Mary said.

“Of course!” The clerk responded. “But it will cost you six bucks and sixty six cents.”

“Even more evidence you should not buy this, Mary,” Helen said.

“Also kidding! It’s four ninety nine.”

Mary payed with cash, flashing her best friend a mischievous grin.

It was an amusing bit of irony that the wild child Helen of college had become such a damn prude.

“You shouldn’t have bought that,” Helen said as they walked out the door. “It reeks of wickedness.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Mary said.

Still, she felt a strange tingle just holding the mysterious book...