Chapter 11: Books
Tao pulled into a parking lot and staring straight at us was a book store.
"Tao, this is a book store." I reminded him. He looked at the sign that hung loosely above the door. It looked as if it were going to fall off.
"I thought you would like a book that I saved for you. The owner said it was great for people who scare and are very dark." He said looking at me with a smile.
"So, when you herd that description, you thought of me?" I asked as if I was just insulted.
He looked me over, "Your wearing all black." He reminded me. I looked down at my dark clothes. I sighed. He smiled quickly and got out. A split second later he opened my door for me. I stepped out and entered the dark store. The place looked deserted. I was about to high tail it out of there when a hushed musky voice came from behind the counter. "Can I help you?" The slightly old man asked politely. I turned to face my attention to the man. His hair was just turning a gray, and wrinkles were forming on his face as he smiled at me. "You look very dark and dangerous." He commented me on my appearance.
"Yes! She's a very good ninja too, very dangerous." Tao yelled as he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to the counter. The man pulled out a very ancient looking book and set it on the counter in front of me. I felt like I just got involved in the wrong group and was doing drugs.
"Only the darkest of people can read this book." the man said, "If your heart is not totally black and you read this there will be horrifying consequences." He warned. He took my right palm and examined it inside his clammy palms. "This young man has soften you up a bit and you try to be nice when you can but your true heart has a thirst for blood. Have you ever tasted blood?" He asked.
"Yes." I responded. He continued to examine my palm. I was getting to the point were I could relax inside Tao's arm. The man set my palm down against the counter and disappeared behind a door.
When he came out he had two more books with him. He set them next to the first one he set down. "This will strengthen your ties with the dark and dead." he said as he pointed to a book that was a black hardback with no title. "You must read this book before you decide to read these other two. You have a secret inscribed in your pulse, my dear. These books will allow you to find what that secret is." He neatly put the books in a black leather school bag. He rang up the total which he silently told Tao so he could pay. We left the store and when we were a few steps away from the door the loose sign hurdled to the ground and almost crushed us. I barely noticed. I turned around way late. It didn't scare me at all. I stayed perfectly calm. Tao looked at me with a stare again.
"What?" I asked him. He shut his mouth and controlled his stare. He set me in the passenger seat. As we backed up, I saw the old man at the window smiling. He seamed happy that I stayed completely calm.