Shyla was completely shocked by what was happening. First, the book glowed; now it seemed to answer her questions. "Is this really a dream?" she wondered.
Suddenly, the book glowed again, and the text disappeared. Words began forming on their own. Terrified, she read aloud: "IT'S NOT YOUR DREAM."
She froze. "What the hell… what was that??? This book is seriously scaring me. First it glowed, then it answered my thoughts… now it just read my mind? Ahhh! I'm hallucinating. Shyla, you need rest. You're too tired. I'll read this book tomorrow," she muttered, trying to close it.
Before she could, the book started glowing and moved away from her.
The book terrified her, giving her one shock after another. She felt helpless and was about to cry and call her mother—but stopped. She needed to know why her father had read it. He must have known its powers. Why would he leave it for me?
"Shy, it's your dad's book. Calm down. If it were really dangerous, it would have done something earlier. And he wouldn't have given it to me. So calm down," she told herself, taking a deep breath.
She grabbed the book again. "Now, I'll find out everything first. After that, it can scare me all it wants—until then, no fear."
The book seemed normal again. Tentatively, she asked, "Can this… change according to its surroundings?"
No response. The book seemed silent, almost sulking. "Wasn't this book trying to tell me things earlier? Why is it so quiet now? Or… did it get angry when I threw it?"
Shyla gave up for a moment, exhausted from packing and the book's strange behavior. She felt awkward and frustrated. If it weren't her father's, she would have thrown it long ago.
"Damn it. Will you put your ego aside and answer my questions?"
This time, the book reacted. It floated slightly away and closed itself. Shyla tried to open it, but it refused. She groaned. "Damn it. If you weren't my dad's book, I would've killed you already!"
Then the book spoke, its tone sharp and commanding:
"Spoiled brat. You are really STUPID, as Alex told me ages ago. Who else would have come to you, such an irresponsible child, who needed a master like that? If I didn't know you were ALEX'S child, I wouldn't have spared a glance."
Shyla froze, stunned. Her mind raced: "First it glowed, then the words disappeared, then they reappeared… then it answered my questions… and that one question I thought silently—how is this possible? A book… talking? I must be hallucinating. Shyla, you better get a checkup tomorrow… or you'll end up in a mental hospital."
Her thoughts were interrupted. The book spoke again:
"Shut up. I am not a book. You're an eyesore. I first thought you had brain issues, but now I see you're blind too. You really haven't felt me under your hands."
As it spoke, the book began floating in the air, glowing brightly.
Shyla had no idea what it was doing or saying. Fear and nervousness gripped her, making her freeze as the room seemed to grow darker with the book's intense glow. She tried to calm herself, holding onto every thought she could.