I still don't know whether I like this book or not. It's just... strange.

I put the book back in my back pocket again. I lay my satchel down on the hood of the chest next to the crafting bench, and start trying to craft the helmet. I split the leather into layers, like I did with the chest plate, and try laying the bones between them, where the forehead and temples might be. I try moving around the bones underneath the layers, feeling carefully for the magnetic pull that the crafting bench exerts when it pulls the objects for a proper crafting recipe into place. Nothing happens. I continue trying to rearrange the bones, without success. My forehead begins to sweat, so I take off my leather cap, and continue working.

After adding in a few more bones, and adjusting and arranging the pieces a little more, I finally feel the pieces of bone and leather getting pulled out of my hands towards the center of the crafting bench. The leather shifts and coalesces, knitting seamlessly together with the bone. The mass of leather shifts and molds itself, until it takes the form of a well-fitted cap. I hold it in my hands and turn it around.

To my shock and disgust, the front of the helmet takes the form of a skull, complete with eye sockets and a jawbone for a strap. The crafting bench must have compressed and stretched the bone to create this monstrous design. It's a spitting image, besides the leather color. Only the teeth are missing.

But even though the helmet looks strange, I still feel eager and apprehensive to try it on, just to see what it feels like. I stretch the skull cap open over my head, when I hear a knock on the door. I place the cap back on the crafting bench to open it. It's Jonas. His purple eyes look into mine. He is genuinely concerned.

"I've been waiting for you at the corral all morning long, but you never came. Is there something wrong?"

Somehow, his presence annoys me. This business with crafting the skeleton armor is somewhat important, and yet he comes to interrupt me while I'm trying to test the cap I've just crafted. Anger wells up inside of my stomach. How dare he intrude! How dare he poke his disgusting half-blood face into my house, my sanctuary! I'm crafting armor that will change the world, and yet here he comes, to meddle with it, to taint it, to destroy it!

But how could I think that? I have always been so patient with Jonas. He's my friend. What is wrong with me?

Why would I suddenly feel so eager to finish crafting the skeleton armor? It must be so! There's no other explanation.

I try to contain myself, and explain things to Jonas as calmly as possible. "It's the book. It keeps asking me to make that special armor."

"The new armor? Is that all this is about? You could just craft it some other time. I could still use your help feeding the animals. It's not easy doing it all by myself."

Poor Jonas. He's been caring for the animals by himself all this time? I should have known.

"I know it isn't. For some reason I lost track of time. I think it may be because of the book. I think it might be able to control my thoughts."

"That's just... strange." Jonas looks deflated and dazed for a moment, leans a little heavier against the doorframe, and then collects himself again. "Are you really sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"That's dark stuff." Jonas sighs. "Really dark. I will have to see if I can get someone else to look after the animals tomorrow. We need to visit my cousin as soon as possible to make sure that the book doesn't make you do something dangerous. Promise me you'll lie low today, okay?"

"I promise."

Jonas closes the door, leaving me in the house alone. I stand still for a few minutes, realizing just how much time has actually passed. Then I remember I forgot to tell Jonas that I went Skeleton hunting this morning. It probably would make him more worried about me. He knows enough about what's going on for now.

I remember the book, and decide to open it again, to try and see what it wants, and why it wants to control me.