Chapter Three
Henry was just trying to persuade his friend to go, and although he did not realize it, it was not so much as to evade handing in his report, but more for some excitement and a break from the monotony of everyday life. Little did he know he was getting more excitement that he could ever want. But I seem to be getting ahead of myself a little bit. "Well, I'm glad we've agreed to skip school, let's get going before the bus shows up."
"Who agreed! I didn't" Brain shouted. But it didn't really matter, he was going to skip no matter what he said. Henry had that kind of effect on people. Ever since he was little he had known exactly what to say to get two people to stop arguing or start one without them thinking he was involved. Brain thought that eventually Henry's psychological game would have no effect on him, but so far he was finding himself in situations he had never expected. So off they went, hurrying so that no one would see them. Brain really wanted to go to the park but he didn't really want to suggest anything. "Man Brain, the park would be a cool place to go, but someone might recognize us there." Suddenly Brain wanted to go somewhere where they wouldn't be seen. "How about the mall, Henry?" Henry knew this simple little mind trick of his would work, but he felt a little guilty using it on his best friend.
So they got on the 219 metro bus, got off a few minutes later at the mall and wandered around window-shopping. Pretty soon they came to a store that their parents told them they were never to enter, an occult bookstore called The Bloody Page. Henry entered the shop without hesitation, but Brain paused a second in hope that Henry would find it boring and leave. No such luck. "Henry, we are really not supposed to be in here." "I know Brain, Isn't it cool?" Henry and Brain slowly walked through the rows and rows of books admiring each one. They were looking through some books on the fourth aisle when henry noticed a book on the floor. It was a slim, thin, leather-bound book with faded gold-inlay lettering on it's cover. No one was looking, so he casually slipped it in his backpack between his biology textbook and a copy of Huckleberry Finn, zipped his bag up again and slung it over his right shoulder. Little did he know how much impact such a simple decision like that would have on his entire life.