Book Of Light & Shadows

Adult Content, 18+- This short story may contain triggering content such as grief, the possible death of a loved one, adult language, mature sexual content, violence, and potential triggers.

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I DO NOT consent to my story being translated, copied, or otherwise reproduced by anyone.

© All rights reserved

Audio Narration by Star Williams- 

Find Star Williams on (Tiktok- @tiana_nottheprincess, Twitter- @Tiana_Voice) 

Voice Narration: Star Williams

It had been years since I’d laid eyes on the old thing. The Book of Light & Shadows.  It had been sitting on a shelf, untouched for years; the book is a hefty leather-bound tome with a weathered cover that showed signs of wear and tear. In my dimly lit room, I ran my fingers through the ancient pages filled with generations of past spells and secrets. Tonight, I’d do anything to unlock its secrets.

Flipping through the pages, I found a section on sleep and remedies, stopping on a page titled. “Keeper Of Dreams” with an illustration of a man sitting tall and regal on a throne, a veil of dark mist obscuring his face. The image drew me in, captivating me with its power and mystery.

They laid a second title beneath the image, reading. “Dream God.”

I traced my fingers along the ancient page, feeling the roughness of the ink on my fingertips. Despite the beauty of the drawing, there was an undeniable sense of danger lurking just beneath the surface. A chill hit my skin; I watched as goosebumps appeared on my flesh.

A loud yelp left my lips at the sound of my phone ringing. I sucked my teeth at the sudden interruption.  I sighed and picked it up, already knowing who it was.

“Iris?” Grace’s voice came loudly through the line.

 “Grace, who else would be answering my phone?” I snapped, irritated. “You never know these days. Have you not watched true crime shows? Crazier shit has happened.” She leveled back, seemingly just as irritated. “I’m just checking in on you. You not messing with your mama’s spell book, are you?”

I rolled my eyes, annoyed that she had the nerve not to trust me. “No, Grace,” I replied, silently hoping my answer would be good enough to get her off the phone. Judging by her silence on the other end, she wasn’t going anywhere. “No, I haven’t used the book.”

“I didn’t ask if you used it.” I could tell by her tone that she was arching her perfect brows.

“I’m going through it to see if anything could help with Project REMdy.”

There was a long pause on the line before she spoke again. “Just be careful; you might find yourself with a check; you’re not ready to cash.” Her voice dripped with a warning I knew was worth heading to. She disconnected the call with no warning or bye. The abrupt end of the call left me feeling irritated and guilty. I knew Grace meant well, but her playing mom isn’t what I need right now; I need to get some results for Project REMdy.

 

As I dove back into the book, my eyes landed on a tea recipe. Its title, “Slumber’s Kiss,” drew me in like a moth to a flame. I couldn’t resist the temptation to find out more. I slowly read through the ingredients and found them to be simple. Could I have been holding the cure for my insomnia and dreamless nights in my hands this entire time? The thought sent a surge of excitement fluttering in my chest.

 

With a spark of hope, I carefully followed the instructions and brewed the tea. The scent of chamomile and lavender filled the air and masked any signs of the mugwort. I felt relaxed, my worries and stresses fading away. I took a sip and felt a warm sensation spread throughout my body.

 

Could this be it? Could this simple tea be the solution I’ve been searching for? With bated breath, I climbed into bed and closed my eyes. And then, for the first time in what felt like forever, I drifted off to sleep easily into a world of dreams I had never known.