I stumbled upon a dusty old book while browsing the shelves of a used bookstore. Its cover was plain and unassuming, with the title “Mysteries of the Past” embossed in faded gold letters. Beneath the title was an author’s name, “W. Martins”. Intrigued, I purchased the book along with a cup of hot coffee from the store’s adjoining café. Once I returned home, I settled into my favorite armchair, eager to delve into the world of forgotten secrets. As I opened the book, the scent of aged paper and ink wafted up to my nostrils, filling the room with nostalgia. The first few pages contained a table of contents, teasing various chapters about historical enigmas and unsolved mysteries. However, one chapter near the end caught my eye, simply titled “The Unseen Past.” The chapter was bizarrely devoid of any page numbers, an anomaly that intrigued me even more. I began reading, and the more I delved into the chapter, the more I realized that it was unlike anything I had ever encountered before. It described an alternative reality and the possibilities of accessing it.
Skeptical yet fascinated, I read on. The rest of the text was just crossed out with paint or some sort of a marker, and on the very last page, I found coordinates and the word “Dig”. I was taken aback and ran to my PC to google the coordinates, they weren’t that far away from my place. As I read, my curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to go there. I got a shovel and drove off into this forest. I found a huge oak tree, there was a lot of land around and I wasn’t sure where to start digging. Terrified as to what I could possibly dig up, the air around me seemed to crackle with energy, and for a moment, I felt a strange sensation, like a gentle pull. But as quickly as it had come, the feeling vanished. My shovel led me to a certain spot, and I began digging. I hit something, this was quite the workout. I took a deep breath in and put my hand in the hole I’ve dug. It was something small wrapped in a plastic bag; a VHS tape. Thank God there were no human remains.
Relieved, I headed back home. I didn’t have the technology to watch this tape so I planned a trip to visit my parents the day after. I felt uneasy the whole night, I had nightmares about things I couldn’t quite recall. Tired, but excited to watch the tape, I headed to my mom’s place. I put the tape in and the TV burned down. I was bummed out but yet again, relieved. On the next day however…
I began to notice subtle changes in my life. My neighbor’s car was a different color, and the old oak tree in my backyard bore fruit, which it hadn’t done in years. The name of my favorite local café had inexplicably changed, and I could have sworn it used to be called “Café de la Luna.” It wasn’t long before the changes became more unsettling. My best friend’s birthday had shifted, and her favorite color was suddenly different. My pet dog, Max, which had always been a lively, energetic creature, became lethargic and slept all day. Panic set in as I realized that the changes were not coincidences. My reality was shifting, and it all started after I read the damn book and dug up the tape. Desperate for answers, I ransacked my home, searching for the book to reverse whatever had been set in motion. When I finally located the book I started flipping through the pages in hopes of finding answers. Nothing.
I decided to do some research on the book’s author, W. Martins. To my surprise, I found very little information, except for an old newspaper article from the 1990s. It detailed the mysterious suicide of a writer and report named Walter Martins, who had killed himself during a broadcast.
As I read the article, a chill ran down my spine. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had stumbled upon a piece of that unfinished work, a book that could alter reality for better, or for worse. I decided to bury the tape and give the book back. In the next week, things seemed to have changed to their original state, and I decided to move on. However, I can’t seem to move on. The tape and the book keep on pulling me back.
Should I attempt to unlock the secrets of “The Unseen Past” once more, or leave well enough alone, knowing the power it holds? The choice was mine, and it carried the weight of the unknown.