A book is a source for knowledge and with that knowledge we get to know many interesting facts. But there are some books which are better left untouched because it’s not the knowledge but the misinterpreted fact that can harm or even destroy anyone. One should never go always by the written rules, maybe you are seeking adventure but you may trap yourself in an endless ruthless journey of darkness…
‘Don’t you all know the meaning of pin drop silence’? Miss Geeta asked a bunch of students in the library.  They all immediately dropped their voices to that level where the bats wouldn’t be able to hear them.  ‘Listen, I am telling you it’s stacked at the corner most bookshelf of the library, we just have to distract her and then we can read it one at a time! Meera explained her plan to her group. ‘But Meera you know … ‘oh come on you guys that would be just another kick and nobody has to know about this’!! Meera interrupted Raunak who was her best friend and her neighbor too.
Meera, Raunak, Preity and Shashank were the students of class 9 and they were the ‘famous four’ of their batch. Any monkey business around the class it was them always.
Meera was onto something since one week. Her elder sister Priyanka  was a student of class 12 and they were more like best buddies than siblings. Once Priyanka had told her about a book in their school library which is the most thrilling and spooky book and there’s just one copy of it but the problem was if anyone wanted to issue it through their library card, just one statement was slammed upon everyone that this book was not allowed by the principal for issuing it to any student because it will not do any good to them. ‘But that’s so silly’!! Meera screeched after listening to her sister. ‘I KNOW’!! But you don’t have to scream about this and mind you Meera! Don’t you dare to brag about this book in your group because I know the next thing will be our parents standing in principal’s office for your tomfoolery! Priyanka warned her.
And that’s what inspired Meera to the core, after that warning she became more determined and rigid and this disturbed her group. ‘My dear friend Meera why do you want to take that road where you know the consequences will be unfavorable and besides you know we are not allowed to issue it on our library cards’. Priety reminded her. They were relaxing in the corner of their school play ground, it was a 45 minute break that day. ‘But who said anything about issuing’? Meera asked innocently ‘we are just borrowing it for few days and then we will… but that’s stealing!! She was interrupted by shashank. ‘And that makes it more exciting!! Meera jumped like a 5 year old. Raunak who was in silence suddenly breaks it and asked her ‘what’s so special about this book’? We all have read many scary, mystery and crime novels.

So it’s like one of them and … ‘but here you are wrong ‘! Meera’s eyes were sparkling with delight. ‘There is a fascinating story behind this book; my sister told me that about 10 years back there was an author named Diana.  Well this was actually her pen name and nobody knows her original name till date. She was really popular for her horror stories but sadly only 3 of her books were published till she was into writing.

‘What do you mean’? Raunak questioned

‘My di told me that when Diana was writing this book which is in our library, she became too obsessed with the ‘perfect ending’ for her book. She was not able to complete it just because she was in search for some distinctive conclusion. And that literally drove her crazy and at last one day she left everything, she was just 25 that time. She went far away from her home and nobody ever got to know what happened to her. Her family tried to find her they even filed a missing case in the nearby police station but unfortunately she could not be even traced.

She disappeared like the characters in her book! After few months her mother took her book and went to the publishing house with this theory that might be after seeing her work published Diana might come back. Her mother requested the publisher to do something about the ending so he consulted few writers and one of them offered to complete it but obviously the way she has written the story it was difficult for him to provide a better conclusion so he just left the last page with a suspense for the readers to interpret and this was so not Diana’s style. She was always known for her nerve-racking endings.

However, the book got published and within a week the demand for that book was so high that as soon as the books hit the bookstores the stock was immediately empty. Readers were praising it for her unique style because they didn’t know that it was not her. Due to its increasing demand many local libraries and college and school libraries stocked up that book in their shelves. But still there was no trace of Diana and 2 months passed like this without any news about her. Then one day a news flashed about that the writer who had concluded her book went missing too!! And this didn’t stopped, many missing cases piled up in the police station. They were already racking their brains in search of those two prominent writers, now they were accused of their incompetence as they were not able to find any of them. After few weeks they had a breakthrough in missing cases. They found out that there was one common link between these cases and that was that ‘book’!
‘Wait! What??? What does that do to with a book? Shashank couldn’t suppress his excitement too because he actually screamed. ‘Relax dude. I know now you are there in your roller coaster of adventures but just bear with me for some time’. She said in an irritable voice because she didn’t like to be interrupted when she was into a middle of unraveling the mystery.
‘Where was I? ahh yes the police investigated the cases and stated that the last page of the book is the reason for their ‘missing’. Then she suddenly stopped and kept quiet for few minutes. Preity unable to bear that silence spoke up ‘you know Meera now would be the really good time to unravel the mystery of that last page’. Meera looked at her group and finally said ‘Actually nobody knows the ending’!! and she was smiling at them. They all looked at her blankly.
Okay, that’s it! This is some stupid, ‘so called’ horror story and you want us to believe in such…such hogwash’!! Raunak spluttered. Meera looked at him amusingly and asked ‘why are you so anxious’?

I was just going to explain the reason to you all for that spooky page. Okay now as you have ruined the excitement, just listen and she was now talking in a hushed voice ‘the police gave the statement that there was something in that last page of the book that made them all curious enough to go over and search for it, those who completed it. They even warned everyone to not to read the book at all until they have got some strong evidence against that book and the writer who concluded it. Hearing this many of them destroyed the book and the bookstores stopped selling it and the libraries in colleges and schools were strictly told to keep the books somewhere safe or destroy it. After some days a very odd thing happened at a school. A girl of class 10 on her friends dare stole the book from the library taking the advantage of her position as she was the principal’s daughter. She read the book that night and next day she was found dead in her bathroom.
What!! All three of them cried at once. Meera was startled by their reaction and then continued ‘the most peculiar thing was that there was no marks on her body or any cuts or bruises. So it was sent for post mortem and the results baffled them. The results showed that she died of heart attack! She was just 16 and she died due to cardiac arrest! And this time the book was missing they rummaged around the house but couldn’t trace it and when the police looked for other copies they found  that many of them were destroyed and many books didn’t have the last page in them because they were destroyed by the library owners. So the case was shut due to lack of evidence. And that’s it. As Meera finished the story, the bell rang and they all turned back for their last classes.
After many ifs and buts’ they all agreed in her plan and the very same day planned for stealing the book. That was the lunch time so Shashank and Preity went to the library and thankfully today Miss Geeta was absent so Arvind Sir was there, they easily got him into talking about ancient temples which Preity was so fond of and then Raunak came with his classmate Shiv and they said that they were just looking for an encyclopedia and they will just note down the information and will return to their class. The two boys quickly went to the last of the bookshelves and took out the clip which Meera has given them. The other boy Shiv quickly engrossed himself in the picking of the lock and after 7 minutes the lock opened and they started searching for the books, five minutes have passed by but they were out of luck. And then they heard Arvind sir coming towards that corner with Preity and Shashank. They both looked at each other in a rescue look. ‘You both are still here’? Arvind sir asked the two who were standing with their backs on the shelf. They have just shut it as they have heard the footsteps of their library teacher. Raunak quickly covered up for them ‘uhh sir, actually we came to the wrong shelf by mistake; we were just going to the right one’. ‘Okay just finish off your work and off to your classes’ he gazed at them at went away to the other side. As soon as he left they frantically started searching for the book and at last Shiv found it. it’s cover was brand new like nobody ever laid their hands on.
‘ Here’s your epitome of terror’! ‘Never look in the mirror’! What’s with this name? Shiv intimated the voice of a ghost show host. Ha Ha Ha I am amused my friend, now give it to me, saying this Raunak snatched it from Shiv’s grasp and took it with him. ‘Okay, okay but you better remember your promise that… I’ll give it to you after we have finished reading. Raunak finished Shiv’s sentence.

All hail to ‘Raunak’ the omnipotent! Shashank was bowing his head after Raunak showed them the book in the class when everybody was out for games. Shhhhhh!! The three gestured him to lower his voice. ‘Alright so who is first’? Shashank translated their conscious thoughts.
‘Isn’t it obvious’? Raunak’s eyebrows were arched high and were looking at Meera. Meera was beaming with happiness and she hugged all of them. ‘Easy there tigress’ Preity ribbed her and they all started laughing.
That day when Meera returned to her home, she gulped down her food and went to her room for completing her assignments. Her elder sister was out on a school trip and she was to return the next afternoon. This was a golden opportunity for Meera as her sister was not there to nag her. She was desperately waiting for her mother to go to bed and then when the clock struck 10 her mother wished her goodnight and kissed her on the forehead Meera surprisingly asked ‘Mother India why so emotional’?  You always spoil the moment Meera!! Her mother shakes her head in an imitating angry countenance.  ‘And mum you are not very good at gnashing your teeth’ Meera giggled and her mother was smiling and then they both retired to their bedrooms.
As soon as Meera was in the bed she vivaciously took out the book and took a deep breath and then turned to the introductory page it said ‘Mirror is the reflection of all the emotions you want to convey but still hide it so that no one catches the real you. You should always remember  that what you will show to Mirror it will always reflect that back without any error but never reveal your dark side to it otherwise you will never be the same and you will never be alone.
Meera had a very strange feeling after reading the lines but she just shrugged it off and started reading…
it was 2:30 in the night and Meera had slumbered on the book; she woke up suddenly because she was feeling thirsty. Ohh!! I had to give this tomorrow to Raunak I have to complete it today anyhow’ Meera muttered to herself and went towards kitchen, she quenched her thirst and returned to her room. She looked at the pages that how many she has to read and she was baffled that she was already there on the last page; she could hear her heart beat. ‘Will you relax’! She was talking to herself and she slowly inhaled and exhaled and lied down and started reading the last page…

‘She must have been awake whole night for that book that’s why she is not present’ Preity assured Raunak who was so anxious that he was sweating in the pleasant morning. ‘It’s not that it’s just that this is so not Meera. She doesn’t care about time if it is 4 in the morning she will call me anytime whenever she comes up with something exciting or she wants to talk about any mysterious or spooky things’!!
‘Raunak  in the lunch break we will go to office and you will make an excuse for talking to your mother because you have forgotten your assignment copy and you need it urgently and then just call Meera’. Shashank patted his shoulder and Raunak just nodded.
‘Hello aunty is Meera there’? Raunak was talking to Meera’s mother as the staff had gone into the principal’s office Raunak was talking confidently. Raunak was waiting for her reply and after sometime he heard her sobbing and he felt his throat dry and he asked immediately ‘Aunty is Meera alright’? She is fine, right? I think … ‘she is no more Raunak’ and saying this Meera’s mother bursted into fits of sobbing and then the call was disconnected. Shashank kept asking him but not a single word leapt out of Raunak’s mouth. They all continued with their classes and as the dismissal bell rang Raunak sprinted off quickly before everyone else towards his home. Preity and Shashank looked at each other confused.
Raunak   was there standing outside Meera’s house. There was stillness around the house and as he entered inside the house he heard Meera’s elder sister was searching for something in the house. ‘MAA I’m telling you if I can find that page then everything can be explained and then you will believe me’ ‘can it bring my daughter back? Her mother asked this very question and Priyanka  stopped like she was rooted to the spot. ‘Tell me can it bring your little sister back’? Her mother asked her this time in a more louder tone. Hearing this Raunak quickly retraced his steps back to shashank’s house.
What?? I mean seriously?! I know Meera, I knew she was onto something when she talked about that book with that notorious sparkle in her eyes but this prank has backfired on her please convey my message to her’. Shashank grinned but as he was turning his back he heard Raunak screaming ‘yes I will take this message to her but please do tell me how to reach there’! Shashank saw Rauank pointing towards the sky.

few days later…

‘The post mortem report clearly states that she died of cardiac arrest’ Preity, Raunak and shashank was at Meera’s house talking to her sister. ‘But di how, I mean she was just 15’! Preity said while controlling her tears. ‘I know!! It’s my entire fault!! I should have never told her about that stupid ominous book and now my only motive is to if only I could find that stupid last page! This is so frustrating!  Priyanka started crying and Preity consoled her.

I’m so sorry Meera I should have read the book first so that I could be… stop it! Preity shrieked at Raunak’s statement. It’s not anyone’s fault. It’s just that stupid book we should never have looked for it!

It was midnight and Priyanka was reading something in front of the Mirror while looking at a page and she was repeating it with a grin on her face in the dim light ‘I will never be alone, you are with me.’ And with a malicious grin she continued reading that and suddenly she could see Diana’s face converged with her in the mirror ‘But I was always with you my friend’ Diana said in a hushed voice.