Part 36 (2/2)
Yes!
Cameron's knees went weak as his lips curled up.
They'd found it.
Cameron stared at the book almost afraid to approach it for fear it would vanish off the rough-hewn table it sat on. The dark brown leather cover looked ancient. Cracks ran throughout the surface and the leather strap that bound the book shut was graying. At the far left end of the book, cords the color of damp straw wound through the cover and the pages.
Cameron blew out a long, slow breath. Unbelievable. A tingling sensation ran up and down his arms. His dad's and Jessie's words were true. Answers. Finally.
”We did it, Ann.”
She s.h.i.+fted from one leg to the other. ”I want to know, even at this size, how every event, past, present and future, of every life is supposed to be contained in this book.”
”Maybe the words are really small.” He smiled and circled the ma.s.sive tome slowly. ”Maybe the words appear and disappear depending on who looks at the book. I'm serious. This is G.o.d we're talking about. Have some faith.” He winked at her.
A t.i.tle six inches high ran across the top of the page in a language Cameron didn't know. He stared at the book wondering what to do next. Open it of course. But to where? How would he search for his memories of Jessie in a book this size? How would he read the words if they weren't in English? It didn't matter how. He would figure it out even if it took years.
”Come on,” Ann said. ”Let's open it.”
”My thought exactly.” Cameron moved to the end of the book. He reached out and touched the corner of the cover. Like his father and Jessie had done?
He closed his eyes as they lifted the cover and set it on the table. ”For you, Dad; for you, Jessie.”
After a moment of silence he opened his eyes and looked at the first page. What? It couldn't be. A sensation of fire started in his feet and moved up his body in surges. By the time it reached his head, he felt ready to throw up.
He swallowed, looked up at the ceiling, then back down at the paper in front of him.
It hadn't changed.
The parchment was still blank.
He turned to the next page.
Nothing.
And the next.
More pages.
More nothing.
There was no writing on any of them.
CHAPTER 38.
A dry heave pushed up from Cameron's stomach and he doubled over, then lurched forward and caught himself on the table.
”No.” His knees buckled and he slumped to the floor and bit his lip. ”This can't be happening.”
”I'm sorry.” Ann put her hand on his back.
”Where are the words? Where are they!”
”I don't know.”
”I believed, I did. I believed the book was real.”
”Shh, I hear something.”
”I needed that book to be real. There has to be something we did wrong. There has to be some way to unlock it, some prayer we need to say, some code, maybe it's like invisible ink...”
But he knew none of those things would make words appear on the faded pages.
”Let's close it and get out of here.”
She was right. It was over, time to go. He was too numb to argue.
They closed the book and packed up their gear.
As Cameron slung his pack over his shoulder he said, ”It makes no sense. Why would-?”
Ann snapped her hand up to cover his mouth. ”Our blender has grown feet,” she mouthed. ”Listen.”
The faint scuffle of shoes or boots echoed off the concrete walls of the outer room.
”Cameron!”
The voice rang out like a gong and he knew instantly who it belonged to: Jason Judah.
A moment later Jason stood in the opening, bowing, grinning, and bouncing lightly on the toes of his dark green military boots. ”Wowee!” Jason took a slow look around the room and then settled back on Cameron, a mocking smile on his face. ”I must express my great grat.i.tude for leading me here. It is highly appreciated.”
Jason stepped through the opening and continued grinning as he stared at the book. ”The Book of Days, in all her glory, resting peacefully in Taylor Stone's bas.e.m.e.nt. Why doesn't that surprise me even minutely?”
Jason kept his flashlight s.h.i.+ning on the book as he strolled around it. ”As you know, Cameron, I had little belief there was an actual physical book till you came along. But your dad saw it when he was a child. And children often tell more truth than most adults. Taylor Stone for example.” Jason leaned back and laughed. ”I love to be proven wrong and to be proven right.”
”How did you know we were here?”
”I've been following you, of course.” Jason studied his fingers before looking up at Cameron and Ann. ”Now please, how did you figure it out? I'm curious is all.”
Cameron glanced at Ann. She was pale but stood as solid as the concrete at their feet. It looked like she was holding her breath.
”You are not going to tell me. I understand. Keeping all your secrets secret, right?” Jason motioned toward the book. ”Do you mind if I... ?”
Cameron stepped away from the book. ”Not at all, I'll be interested to see what you think.”
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