The Bible: Full Circle
by William Raymer
It was the fall of 2024, and things were beginning to get interesting at East Great Falls High School. The seniors were all wondering about who would be the one to inherit the "Bible" that year. Little did everyone know that it would go to someone whose very existance is related to the document. My name is William Charles Flaherty-Levenstein, and this is my story-the story of the 30th Inheritor of the Bible.
I was ready to face another school day when it happened. I recieved a mysterious phone call as I was getting ready to drive to school. "Hello?" I asked after I picked up the phone. "William Levenstein?" a voice said. "Who is this?" I asked.
"You're Janine Stifler's girlfriend, right?" the voice asked. I was upset. Someone somehow knew that I was dating Janine Stifler, the daughter of Matthew Stifler, East High's football coach. "Who the fuck is this!" I said.
"Hey, chill, man," the voice said. "I'm Andrew Mendez, from the class of '23." "Hey, now I remember you, Drew! What's going on with you, man?" I asked. "I'm cool, man," Mendez said. "Listen, rumor has it that you want to take the next step with ol' Janine." "Yeah," I said.
"Well, I might be able to help you. It is my right to name my successor," Mendez said. "Your successor to what?" I said. "My successor as Keeper of the Bible," Mendez said. My jaw dropped. "You mean..." I started to say. "Exactly," Mendez said.
"I'm sure you know the rules: You have to write a story that goes into the Bible for future Inheritors, you must keep it a secret, and you have to return it at the end of the year," Mendez said. "I understand," I said. "So, where can I find it?"
"The East High library, in a secret compartment under the shelf marked '982.1 Fluid Dynamics,'" Mendez said. "And this year, keep an eye on the juniors. It is now up to you to determine who will follow you. Good luck, kid," Mendez added before he hung up.
I put the handset back down on the cradle, finished packing my backpack, said goodbye to my parents, then got in my '03 Cutlass (those '03s sure run well after all these years) and drove to school.
As soon as I parked, I made a beeline for the library. East High was a rarity in this day and age: they had a library with real hard-bound books, not the e-book bullshit you'd see at most high schools these days. Luckily, my mother taught me how to use the old-fashioned Dewey Decimal System and soon, I found my way to the physical sciences section.
I looked for the "982.1 Fluid Dynamics" label Drew Mendez told me about. Finally, I found it. I saw that the base of the shelf was uneven with the rest of the shelf. I quickly looked around, to see if anyone was watching, then lifted the cover off of the secret compartment.
I couldn't believe it: I was about to hold the most sacred document us East High seniors could ever hope to read. I picked up the Bible. Then, I stuffed it into my backpack with room to spare. Then, knowing that others would seek the Bible while I held it, I pulled a piece of paper from my notebook.
Then, with a pen and paper, I wrote the words all seniors at East High (save myself now) dreaded:
TO THOSE WHO SEEK "THE BIBLE,"
I WILL RETURN IT IN THE SPRING.
SIGNED,
And then, with a flourish, I signed the paper,
WILLIAM FLAHERTY-LEVENSTEIN.
I knew I would have to wait until I got home to read what secrets I now had in my possession. But, little did I know that I was about to reveal a secret as to why I was truly destined to inherit the Bible.
:TBC: