LightReader

I'll again be there soon

Kage19
7
chs / week
The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 7 chs / week.
--
NOT RATINGS
13
Views
Synopsis
In the rain-soaked town of Nimbrosia, a literature-loving university student, Kael, stumbles upon a mysterious old book wrapped in an untouched silicon cover. The book, titled I'll Again Be There Soon, eerily begins to mirror Kael’s life—predicting scenes, emotions, and even deaths with chilling precision. As Kael delves deeper into its pages, reality blurs and dread creeps in. When the book foresees the sudden death of his best friend Conan, and it tragically comes true, Kael realizes the horrifying truth: the book doesn’t just predict events—it creates them. Worse still, the cryptic "Ben" the book references… isn’t a person at all. Ben is the book itself. A sentient entity that latches onto Kael’s fate, twisting his life into its narrative. Even when Kael tries to destroy or discard it, the book returns—always watching, always writing. Haunted, injured, and hopeless, Kael must face a terrifying question: can you escape a future already written, or are you merely a character in someone else's story?
VIEW MORE

Chapter 1 - I'll again be there soon

The town of Nimbrosia was drowning in rain. Heavy sheets of water cascaded from the sky, turning the cobblestone streets into slick rivers. Kael sprinted through the downpour, his black raincoat flapping wildly around him. His boots splashed through puddles, sending water flying in all directions. Beneath his coat, he clutched two novels tightly, trying to shield them from the relentless storm.

Kael's breath came in ragged gasps as he pushed himself forward. His only goal was to reach home before the precious books were ruined. But as he darted down a narrow alley, his foot suddenly struck something hard. He stumbled, nearly falling to the ground, but managed to catch himself just in time. Annoyed, he glanced back to see what had tripped him.

There, half-submerged in a puddle, was a box-like object wrapped in a sleek, silicon cover. It was strange—completely dry despite the pouring rain. Intrigued, Kael bent down and picked it up, feeling the odd weight of it in his hands. But with the rain soaking through his clothes, he didn't dwell on it for long. Tucking the peculiar object under his arm, Kael resumed his dash home.

Kael burst through the door of his small, one-story house, slamming it shut behind him. He dropped the books and the mysterious object onto the side table, carefully separating them so the wet silicon wouldn't ruin the novels. He shrugged off his rain-soaked coat, letting it fall to the floor in a heap, and quickly peeled off his wet clothes, tossing them into the laundry basket.

After changing into dry clothes, he turned on the gas heater and wrapped a large towel around his shoulders, feeling the warmth slowly seep back into his chilled bones. But even as he tried to relax, his eyes kept drifting to the object on the side table. It was just sitting there, silent and unassuming, yet it tugged at his curiosity.

Unable to resist, Kael picked it up again and began to unwrap the silicon cover. His fingers moved carefully, peeling back the layers until an old, thick book was revealed. The cover was worn but sturdy, with golden edges that glinted faintly in the dim light. As Kael brushed away a layer of dust, the title came into view, engraved in elegant, gold letters: I'll Again Be There Soon.

A chill ran down Kael's spine. There was something unsettling about the book, something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He turned it over and saw a single name engraved in gold at the corner of the back cover: Ben. The simplicity of the name contrasted sharply with the ornate title, deepening the mystery.

He set the book down, trying to shake off the unease that had settled over him. Kael was an avid reader, and the idea of a mysterious, ancient book filled with unknown tales was usually exciting. But this one felt different—like it was watching him, waiting for him to open it.

That evening, Kael sat on his couch, his legs curled up beneath him, a cup of steaming tea in his hands. He kept glancing at the old book on the side table, its title seemingly glowing in the dim light. After a long moment of hesitation, he finally gave in to his curiosity and reached for the book.

He opened it slowly, the old pages crackling softly. But the first few pages were blank, their emptiness only adding to his growing sense of unease. Just as he was about to close the book, thinking it might be empty, he turned to a page with something on it.

A single Roman numeral "1" was engraved in gold at the top, and beneath it, in deep red letters, were the words: He was talking to Ben, sitting on a couch, where a side table lay beside them.

Kael's breath caught in his throat. The scene described in the book was eerily similar to his own situation. He was sitting on a couch, just as the book described, with a side table beside him. The coincidence was too strange to ignore, and Kael quickly closed the book, his heart pounding.

He tried to distract himself by picking up one of his other novels, The Echoes of Silver Hollow by Elara Wynthorne, hoping to lose himself in a familiar story. But no matter how hard he tried to focus, the words from the mysterious book kept replaying in his mind, refusing to let him find peace.

Eventually, fatigue won out, and Kael fell asleep on the couch, the novel still open in his lap.

The next morning, Kael awoke with a stiff neck and a lingering sense of unease. He went through his morning routine in a daze, trying to push the events of the previous night out of his mind. But as he prepared to leave for university, his eyes were drawn once again to the book on the side table.

Despite his better judgment, Kael found himself picking it up again. He flipped through the pages until he reached the next one with a Roman numeral. This time, it was a "2," engraved in gold at the top. The lines beneath it read: He smirked, looking towards Ben.

Kael frowned, the unease growing deeper. The book seemed to be recounting events, but who was Ben? And why did the words feel like they were meant for him? Shaking off the feeling, Kael put the book back on the table, deciding not to dwell on it.

During a break between classes, Kael found a quiet spot and pulled out the book again, unable to resist the pull it had on him.

He turned to the next page, marked with a golden "3." The text beneath it was chilling: He was with Ben when an ally died of his illness.

Kael's heart skipped a beat. The words felt ominous, as if they were a warning. But he didn't understand their meaning, and the more he thought about it, the more unsettled he became.

After his classes, Kael met up with his friend Conan at a nearby café. The two had been close for years, sharing a love for books and often discussing their latest reads over coffee. Today, though, Kael found it hard to focus on their usual banter. The book's eerie predictions were still fresh in his mind, casting a shadow over their conversation.

Conan noticed Kael's distraction. "You seem out of it today," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Something on your mind?"

Kael hesitated, unsure whether to share his fears about the book. It sounded ridiculous, even to him, but the weight of the unease was too heavy to ignore. "It's just… I found this weird book," he began slowly. "It's been giving me strange vibes, like it knows things it shouldn't."

Conan raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Kael explained the scenes he had read so far, how they seemed to mirror his own life in unsettling ways. As he spoke, he could see the skepticism in Conan's eyes, but there was also a flicker of concern.

"Sounds like you've been reading too much horror fiction," Conan said, trying to lighten the mood. "But if it's bothering you that much, maybe you should just get rid of it."

"I've thought about it," Kael admitted. "But… I don't know. It feels like I need to understand it first."

Conan nodded thoughtfully. "Well, whatever you decide, just remember it's only a book. It can't actually hurt you."

Kael forced a smile, appreciating Conan's attempt to comfort him, but deep down, the unease lingered. They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about other things, but Kael couldn't shake the feeling that the book was somehow connected to something darker.

Later that day, Kael and Conan decided to walk back to their dorms together. The evening air was cool and crisp, a welcome change from the oppressive heat of the day. They chatted about their upcoming assignments and plans for the weekend, but Kael's thoughts kept drifting back to the book.

As they crossed a busy street, Conan suddenly stumbled, his face going pale. Kael's heart lurched in his chest as he saw his friend clutch his chest, gasping for breath. Panic surged through him as he realized what was happening—Conan was having a heart attack.

Kael tried to help, but everything moved in a blur. The ambulance was called, but it felt like an eternity before help arrived. Kael could only watch in helpless horror as his friend was taken away, his mind flashing back to the book's eerie words.

Conan didn't make it. The news came later that evening, leaving Kael numb with shock. The grief hit him hard, but what haunted him more was the thought that the book had predicted this, that somehow he had known what was going to happen. The words "He was with Ben when an ally died of his illness" echoed in his mind, taking on a new, terrifying meaning.

When Kael finally returned home, he was a shell of himself, barely aware of his surroundings. The house felt cold and empty, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions raging inside him. He dropped his bag by the door and sank onto the couch, his eyes drawn to the book on the side table.

As he picked up the book again, dreading what he might find next, his fingers trembled. When he flipped through the pages, he came to the one he

came across earlier: He smirked, looking towards Ben.

Kael's eyes lingered on the words, his mind swirling with confusion and dread. He didn't understand why this particular line felt so significant now. Ben… He hadn't figured out who Ben was, but he was certain that the book was not merely predicting events—it was controlling them.

Kael closed the book and set it down on the side table, leaning back on the couch with a heavy sigh. He tried to recall when he might have smirked, but the memory was elusive. The idea that a book could dictate his actions and even his emotions was terrifying. Yet, he couldn't help but feel that it was too late to stop whatever was unfolding.

But he realized that the book was prophesying future events, and that anything written within its pages could become a reality at any moment. And then it hit him - Ben was the book. The stories, the predictions, the entire narrative was somehow embodied within him, making him a living, breathing manifestation of the book's prophecies.

Part 5: The Final Revelation

Kael's world was a blur of grief after Conan's sudden death. The shock had left him numb, and he couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of dread that had settled over him. The line from the book kept echoing in his mind: He was with Ben when an ally died of his illness. It had happened exactly as the book had said. Conan had died in his presence, and Kael couldn't help but feel responsible.

As he sat in his room, staring blankly at the wall, Kael's thoughts kept circling back to the book. He remembered the unsettling smirk he had given the book after reading the entry about Ben, a reaction he hadn't fully understood at the time. But now, after everything that had happened, Kael was beginning to see the truth. The book wasn't just predicting the future—it was controlling it, dictating the events of his life with chilling precision.

And then it hit him: Ben wasn't a person. Ben was the book. The book itself was the entity that held this power over him, and every time it referred to "Ben," it was referring to itself. The realization was horrifying, but it also made a twisted kind of sense. The book had been manipulating him all along, guiding him toward an inevitable fate.

The thought made Kael feel sick. He had been smirking at the book, thinking it was just a strange coincidence, but now he realized how deeply the book had its claws in him. Whatever he read came true, not immediately, but eventually—and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

The final page he had read, with the golden number "4," haunted him. A car accident when he was with Ben. The words lingered in his mind, a dark prophecy waiting to unfold. If the book was referring to itself as Ben, then the accident could happen at any time. Kael was terrified, knowing that the book's predictions were not bound by time—they could come true when he least expected it.

Kael knew he had to get rid of the book, but a part of him was paralyzed by fear. What if the act of trying to dispose of it triggered the final prophecy? He couldn't stay in his apartment, where the book seemed to have a life of its own, but he was also too afraid to leave, knowing the danger that awaited him outside.

In a desperate attempt to regain some control, Kael wrapped the book in the silicon cover it had come in, hoping to contain its power. He shoved it into his backpack, trying to convince himself that this would keep the book from affecting him any further.

But as he left his apartment, the book's final prediction weighed heavily on his mind. He got on his bike and started riding aimlessly through the town, trying to escape the suffocating feeling of doom that clung to him. He rode until the sun began to set, the town bathed in the orange glow of dusk.

Finally, Kael stopped at a small park, his nerves frayed and his heart racing. He pulled out the book and stared at it, his hands trembling. He was too afraid to open it, but he knew he couldn't keep it with him. It was too dangerous.

With a deep breath, Kael walked over to a nearby trash bin. He hesitated for a moment, his mind racing with the possibilities. What if this was the moment? What if throwing the book away was the trigger for the car accident the book had predicted? He felt a sudden, irrational urge to open the book again, to see if anything had changed, but he fought it down.

"No," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "I'm not letting this thing control me anymore."

With a final surge of determination, Kael tossed the book into the bin and walked away quickly, not daring to look back. He got back on his bike and rode off, his heart pounding in his chest. For a brief moment, he felt a glimmer of hope that he had finally broken free from the book's grip.

But as he rode down a quiet street, he heard the screech of tires behind him. He barely had time to react before a car swerved around the corner, its headlights blinding him. The last thing Kael saw before everything went dark was the car speeding toward him, and he knew, in that split second, that the book's prophecy had come true.

Kael woke up in a hospital bed, his body bruised and broken from the accident. The pain was intense, but it was nothing compared to the despair that settled over him. He had tried to escape his fate, but it had found him anyway.

As he lay there, he couldn't stop thinking about the book. He had thrown it away, but its final prophecy had still come to pass. And worse, the book had somehow ended up back on his side table. It was as if it was taunting him, reminding him that he could never truly be free of it.

The final realization hit him with full force: the book wasn't just predicting the future—it was creating it. Whatever he read in the book wasn't just a prophecy, it was a reality waiting to unfold. And as long as the book existed, Kael knew that he would never be safe.

When he was finally discharged from the hospital, Kael returned home with a sense of dread. He knew the book would be waiting for him, and sure enough, there it was, sitting on his side table as if it had never left.

He approached the book slowly, his body still aching from the accident. He thought about the title, I'll Again Be There Soon, and realized it wasn't just a warning—it was a promise. The book would always return to him, no matter what he did. It was a part of him now, a curse he couldn't escape.

Kael sat down on the edge of his bed, staring at the book. He thought about everything that had happened, and how every event had led him to this moment. He was trapped in a cycle, one that he couldn't break no matter how hard he tried.

Finally, Kael made a decision. He carefully wrapped the book back in the silicon cover and placed it in a box, sealing it tightly. He didn't know if this would be enough to keep the book from coming back, but it was all he could do.

With the book sealed away, Kael tried to move on with his life. He knew that the book might return, but for now, he could only hope that he had done enough to keep its influence at bay. And as he lay in bed that night, he repeated the book's title to himself, as if trying to make sense of it: I'll Again Be There Soon.

The words echoed in his mind as he drifted off to sleep, the darkness of his room closing in around him. Kael knew that this was not the end, but he was determined to keep fighting, no matter what the future held.