My hands shook uncontrollably. The book slipped from my fingers, hitting the floor with an audible SLAM. When I finally brought myself to open my eyes, I stared down at the dusty, brownish cover, which glared back up at me coldly as if I was the one who invaded its home.I snatched it back up from the floor and shoved it on a shelf, hoping I could bring myself to forget it, but it was burning a hole in my mind- the fact alone that an Alchemy book would appear (as if magically) in my house was preposterous… But this wasn't just any alchemy book. It was the cursed alchemy book from my dream.

The dream I had just the night before.

The dream where I died.

Everywhere I looked, things became blurred. Rufus began to whimper, distressed, as I crumpled to the floor. I didn't feel the impact.

Soft rays of sunlight streamed through the window on my face, and I felt something warm and damp hit my cheek. I opened my eyes to see a concerned Rufus licking my face.

"Vigil," I heard someone say. "Rufus got me when you passed out. It's been boring as heck waiting." I smiled weakly when my eyes focused and I realized the voice was coming from Punchy, who was sitting on the storage chest adjacent to the door.

"I can imagine."

"This guy's been diligent, though." Punchy nodded in Rufus's direction, who wagged his tail at the attention. "It's like a Creeper watching its prey. Almost scary how focused the guy was."

"Good to hear," I chuckled, scratching Rufus behind his ears. Before I knew it, the dog was on my chest and lapping contently at my face. Though I usually would have groaned and pushed him away, I laughed and let him be.

"So what's up with that book?" Punchy slyly gazed at the bookshelf out of the corner of his eye. I followed his gaze and saw the book again- and things began to blur again.

"For the love of Notch, would you quit doing that?" Punchy exclaimed, shaking me awake before I was even fully unconscious. "Just tell me what's with that book!"

"Just… I don't know, alchemy stuff," I mumbled. My good spirit from before had completely vanished.

"Can I read it?" Punchy began to reach for the book.

"NO!" I jolted up from the floor and snatched his hand away. "I mean… Uh… You probably shouldn't." I let go of his wrist and he gave me this quizzical look. Then, out of nowhere, a smile spread on his face.

"Oh… So it's THAT kind of book, is it?"

"…What kind of book?"

"Witchcraft!" He looked proud, as if he had uncovered some insane secret. "You almost had me convinced that it was just basic alchemy! Aha, well, if it's witchcraft, then you have nothing to worry a-"

"I swear it's just alchemy." I knocked his hand away from the book again, which scored me another confused look. "Now, please don't touch it. Or read it. Or look at it. Or think about it. In fact, pretend the book never existed. That's just another book, it doesn't matter and never will. End. Of. Story."

Punchy looked at me suspiciously. "What's your deal? I'm not going to steal it or anything."

"It's a safety issue. Alchemy can be extremely dangerous," I replied quickly. It wasn't entirely a lie; Alchemy is dangerous. And the book was not safe. I saw no reason to mess around with it and get everyone killed.

"Good point," he sighed, throwing himself on the bed. "It's just easy to get bored out here. Whatever. Want to go hunt?"

"Not really," I answered. "I have some boats tied up out in the river. Shall we fish?"

Plop. Punchy threw a line out in the water, almost immediately summoning in another fish to have for lunch. I stared at my line, which had not moved once since I cast it an hour ago. I gazed back at his fishing rod, and when he noticed, he turned to me and smirked.

"How can I help you?" he laughed.

"Punchy," I sighed, "how the heck do you do that?"

"Easy," he replied calmly, dragging another unwilling fish out of the water and showing me the bobber. A little pink lump sat on the end of the hook. "Fish. Love. Fish."

"Wait, is that it? You just put a little fish on the hook and they come?"

"Pretty much… But it helps that I'm shockingly handsome."

"You wish, bozo. Shave the feet sometime, they're scaring away the zombies."

"Nice comeback. Tell it to the fish sometime."

I rolled my eyes, reeled in my line, put some meat on the end, and cast it again, pulling in a fish within seconds.

I sure hope Rufus wants tuna for dinner.