The last face

Books, for Rob, are worlds which he can escape to. When life gets tough there is always a book he can run away to. He was exploring his local bookshop when he found a shelf of fantasy books, his most favourite genre, but hidden in the midst of a sea of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, was one written by someone he had never heard of. Curiosity took over him, he picked it up, it wasn't fantasy either, it appeared to be horror. He turned the book over and read the blurb at the back

The time comes when ever boy and every girl
must pick up the book. The book will
choose their destiny, whether to send them to
hell, or ascend into heaven, or another
fate of the books choosing. It's Rob's turn
to read the book, his life will never quite be the
same again

Taken aback by the name of the main character, he almost felt a sense of duty to read it. He also couldn't deny the fact that the blurb sounded intriguing and he couldn't deny a certain curiosity. He opened the book onto the first chapter and started reading in the store

Chapter One

Hello, welcome to the last book you will ever read. This is a story which will grip you and take you on a journey. You may be thinking, this is an ordinary book, but you would never have been further from the truth. This book will choose your fate, and for Rob, it did exactly that.

***

The end

Confused, he flicked through the remaining pages, all empty of words. Just empty pages stitched into the book to give the appearance of bulk. Disappointed, he went to put the book back on the shelf, but the book glued itself to the palm of Robs hand, no matter how hard he tried he couldn't lift the book from his skin. The book flipped opened seemingly out of its own accord and landed on a random empty page. Words started melting into the centre of the page.

Well well Rob. You've certainly been a naughty boy haven't you.

Rob panicked, he screamed for help, but no one could hear him, not even the woman standing next to him browsing the fantasy books on the shelf.

I wouldn't scream Rob. Not if I were you. You don't want your last moments undignified do you. I bet you didn't think this would be your demise did you. At the hands of a book. Hah, well I am attached to your hand. I do make myself laugh. But I can see your life, all the people you've loved, all the people you've hated, everyone you've done good and bad by, everything you've said and everything you've done.

"STOP IT", Rob screamed. The book flipped a few more pages onto a blank page. A face started melting into existence on the blank paper.

This is you. Take a good long look at yourself. This is the last face that your victims would've seen, burnt into their eyes, their dying sight. What a way to die.

A darkness surrounded Rob, swirling around him blocking everything else out. The face on the book screamed and the rest of the book started making it's way up his arm, he shook his arm as hard as he could and with everything he could, he whacked the book against the shelf. The page with the face tore from the book and forced itself in front of Rob's eyes. The face spoke. "What have I done! I'm so sorry! Please, wake up, wake up please! Clara, Sasha, Ricky, Tom, Leara, Selena, Mark, Craig." The book said, repeating Rob's words as he would stand over his victim pleading them to wake up, followed by the names of each victim. The book had now reached his upper arm and started consuming his shoulder and the right side of his face. Then, Rob lost sight of everything, except his face.