The Omniscrolls

I awakened to whispers filling the air around me. “Bubbles, please help me…” Only Nana called me by that nickname, and I was sure it was her voice that I heard. A deep unease stirred within me; was Nana alright? I called Mom even though it was 2:00 am and asked her to check on Nana. She called me back with grave news. Nana was gone… I wanted to visit Mom and the others right away, but she said I should get some sleep first. I agreed but found no sleep for the remainder of the night. I left for my hometown before the day’s first light emerged. The night we buried Nana, I was sleeping in my old bedroom when the whispers returned. “Bubbles, I need your help.” It was Nana’s voice, but now I heard it even while I was awake. “Nana? Is that really you?” “Yes, I had to wait till my body was buried to speak to you again.” “What’s going on? How is this even possible?” Nana went on to explain everything that had happened leading to her death. A demon had tried to steal her soul, but she had seale...

“Come on, Sally, it’s time for bed,” I said, taking Sally’s hand to lead her to her room. “But Mom and Dad aren’t home yet, Anna.” She pulled back. “I promised your parents you’d be in bed by 9. Besides, tomorrow’s Saturday; you’ll have plenty of time to spend with them.” Sally finally agreed, albeit with a heavy sigh. When I was tucking her in, however, I thought I heard a noise downstairs. “That’s just the monsters in the basement,” Sally said. “Daddy locked them up there.” I smiled at what she said but was about to tell her to stay in bed while I investigated downstairs when I heard the front door open. Sally’s parents, Allison and Matt, were home. Sally ran out of the bedroom to greet them the second she heard their voices. I was just about to leave when Allison said that Matt could give me a ride home. During the drive, he asked me whether Sally gave me any trouble. I had no complaints since she was a well-mannered child. But things took a weird turn when I mentioned to Matt about...

No one seemed to remember that it was my 21st birthday. Neither my family nor my friends wished me the entire day. But when I arrived home after work, I was surprised to find everyone gathered to throw me a surprise birthday party. I was speechless. Mom chuckled as she walked up to me. “You really thought we forgot, didn’t you?” My sadness disappeared as everyone proceeded to hug and kiss and wish me. I was having some cake later on when I got a call from an unknown number. I excused myself and went outside to answer it. “Happy birthday, Yasheera.” “Do I know you?” “You will.” The call cut right after, and suddenly, there were screams inside the house. I rushed back inside, but the second I entered, the screams stopped, and no one was there. The entire house was pitch black. I tried to turn on the lights, but the room remained dark. “Mom?” I put my phone flashlight on and looked around. Everyone was gone. “Don’t worry, they are safe…for now,” a faint voice echoed in the room. “Who’s th...

I had just arrived from work when my phone rang. “Gen, it’s mom. Nana just passed away.” My heart sank upon hearing those words. “What happened?” “A heart attack.” I left for my hometown the next morning and found all our relatives and friends already at our family home. Mom hugged me the second I walked through the door. Nana was in her open casket in the living room; even though her warmth was gone, she still looked peacefully asleep there. My eyes were brimming with tears before I knew it. I was ready to leave for the city the day after the funeral, but mom persuaded me to stay another three days for the will to be read. Nana had left me her coin collection. I could vaguely remember when she first showed it to me. She had so many different coins, from many different parts of the world. That same evening, I was in my old room going through Nana’s coins when my mind took me to memories I had not recalled in decades. Nana used to say that these coins were magic—that they’d take me anyw...