In the Beginning...: A Book & a Boy

When this world was born, the Creator died. The Earth herself wept for the passing of her beloved father and all things joined her. So many tears were shed that they ran together, formed a river that became a flood that became a shallow lake there at the World Navel. The lake covered the body of the All Father, seeped into His wound and closed it up. The lake kissed Him upon the lips and His eyes fluttered open...

Was it truth or a dream? Both, somehow? And does it even matter? I can't answer those questions. Or, rather, the answer changes. At the moment, I am inclined to say both and I shall write it as such, record things as I recall them.

It began one sweltering night in July, shortly after the very last left-over fireworks died in the sky. That was important; I don't know why. I was working at a bookstore back then, which was also important for reasons that will become clear. He looked like anyone else, really. Just a guy in jean shorts and a t-shirt made clingy by sweat and kinda cute, but not my type. Even so, there was something about him that caught my attention. My gamer friends would later joke that I saw the flashing PC sign above his head and that's as good an answer as any. He ordered three books, which I presumed to be fiction from the titles, and his name caught my attention, Michael Tocsin. Imagine my surprise when I watched the news that night and heard that he'd been shot and killed days before he came into my store. I went out drinking with friends to get it off my mind and it worked, for a while.

I was hung-over at work the next morning. I forgot all about my headache when the three books arrived. That, more than having a potential ghost ordering from me, scared me. That just did not happen. It was actually impossible if the books weren't already on their way when the order was placed. I couldn't help myself; I bought them to see what it was all about. Each of them, after tax, came to exactly $7.77. Leather bound books are never that cheap. I read part of one on my smoke break and came to the conclusion that it wasn't fiction, exactly. It was a bunch of prophecies, or something meant to look like them. When I returned from break, there was a kid in the store. He was about fifteen and absolutely adorable. He looked like the kids I'd seen on Harajuku Street, all decked out in leather and make-up. If he'd been five years older, he'd have been perfect.

We talked a little while about manga and anime. He seemed shocked I even knew what they were. I laughed, "I'm thirty, not dead."

He blushed and changed the subject, "Hey, I found this book at my grandpa's and I'm lookin' for the next in the series. I think it's called The Tree at the End of the World. Hey, are you ok?"

I must have gone pale. It was one of the books I'd just purchased. "Um, no. None in stock, but I ought to be able to order it for you." I led him over to the computer and spent twenty minutes looking for it. No dice. I could find no trace that any of the three even existed, much less order them. "Look, I've got the second one, but I haven't read it yet. Tell you what, give me an email addie or something where I can contact you and I'll let you borrow it when I'm done with it."

"I'm Seksi_Kewl at--" I almost missed the rest of the address because I was trying so hard not to laugh. See! I do have social skills. I gave him one of my addresses just to be polite about it. I doubted he'd remember it anyway. He fiddled with the thin silver ring set in his bottom lip and then proceeded to shock the hell out of me by whispering, "Want to go out for some coffee after work?"

I swore I could suddenly see 'jail bait' tattooed across his forehead. "Um, I'm going to have to pass on that one. Maybe some other time, huh? I'm supposed to meet some friends and I can't bail on them tonight." He'd frowned, but thankfully let it go. He headed out a few minutes later, a bag full of manga in hand. I lied to the kid, though. I did bail on my friends and stayed home to read the first book. I couldn't make sense of it, not till I was lying in bed that night, almost asleep. It was then that it began to fall into place.

The warning shall appear as one of the dead when the last fire flower dies in the sky. The lake appears before you and with the dawn comes the petal rain and ruin walks the streets.

The first line was easy. Tocsin meant warning or something like that and he was dead. The fire flower must be fireworks. The rest, though, I hoped I would not find out. Somehow, I knew even then, I would and I would regret it.