Harris Burdick

Mr. Lindens Library




It was cold chilly night and the library was silent,but the music playing. Mr Linden was the owner, he was a old man, he never rose his voice or got angry, people said he was the nicest person in town. "This library is all I have"he would say in a soft voice to the customers. The library was a both scary and happy place. He had always decorated his library with life-size creatures. He would buy gargoyles and bats to hang. Although they were scary, the people liked coming to the library.



But people said Mr. Linden changed every Halloween night. He would always set up a table with horror books in the corner. But he always told the customers in a frightened voice

"Don't go downstairs"



But one Halloween night a old little lady with three missing fingers, an eye patch and a gargantuan scar on her cheek entered the library and said " I want the most scariest book in this library!"

"You don't want that book lady" Replied Mr. Linden

"I know what I want old man"

"If you want it so badly then I'll give you the most horrible book in stock!"

"You can try"

Mr.Linden went downstairs and he didn't return for ten whole minutes.

"Here" he said handing her a medium sized book. It was a gray book, and it was very heavy.

PAM! Mr. Linden threw the book on the table. The women took the book and left, without a trace.

That night Mr. Linden went home and watched the TV. He skimmed threw the channels and decided to watch the news. He was startled when he saw the picture of the old lady. She was declared dead! "Not Again" he softly said.



The police declared her death as unknown. They said that she was strangled to death. But the police said that there was no way it could have been a person. She only had a book with some green glowing vines sticking out.



The next day Mr. Linden didn't open the library, he just stayed home "It's My Fault, It's My Fault" He would keep repeating over and over again. He went to the lady's house and took the book. He went to the library and burned the book "No more tragedies"

One week later the book appeared in the shelves again. Mr. Linden wasn't sure what to do with it, so he put a warning in the first page not to read the book. But a boy ignored the note and decided to steal the book. The next day the boy was found dead.

"When will this stop" Mr. Linden yelled. Thinking how many lives were taken away because of his fault. Thinking back of the day he found it in the street and bringing it to the library. When would this insanity end, he kept on asking himself.

He Had Warned Them. Now It Was To Late.



By

Bryan Castro