Monday morning October 6th, 2014, and Scott Nevins first meeting of the day at the bank that he manages is, was and probably will be the strangest meeting he has ever had or ever will have. It was with local college professor Dick Jameson. Now, Scott had studied at that local college more than just a few years earlier and he studied under the tutelage of Professor Jameson, so when Professor Jameson requested the meeting, Scott would make sure that he himself would take that meeting.

The meeting had been set for half past ten in the morning though it was closer to eleven when the professor arrived. What Scott remembered most about the Professor from the time he spent at college was that the professor took punctuality quite seriously so even though the arrival was just thirty minutes late, it did come across as being fairly strange indeed. Upon arrival, Professor Jameson was shown to Scott's office.

'Good morning, Professor. I hope you are doing well this morning.'

'I do apologize though my lateness is due to what it is I wish to discuss with you.'

The two men shake hands and sit either side of the desk in the room.

'And what is it that you wish to discuss?'

The Professor lifts his briefcase onto the desk opens it, takes out a book, closes the briefcase, returning it to his side then places the book on the desk. The book itself is an average sized paperback with a black cover. It is entitled 'The Book of Ages'.

'What's this?' asks Scott reaching for the book.

'Hold on there a moment' speaks the Professor intercepting Scott, 'this book right here is the reason I am here. I am asking kindly that you look after this book for me. I need you to place it in a safety deposit box and ensure that it remains there. No one can ever have access to it.'

'Why would I do that? And if there is somewhat of a problem with this book, why can't you keep it safe?'

'Right, let me explain. This book is dangerous, for anyone who begins to read it is compelled to read it to the end and once you have completed read it, you then will just have one week to live ...'

'Is this some kind of joke? I know I was not the model student back in the day but surly you must be having some sort of laugh. You're not wired with a camera, are you?'

'If only I was. This is no joke. You see this book right here is cursed. It is said that it had been cursed by a travelling Gypsy a little over a year ago. Seven people as far as I am aware have read it. Six of those are dead. Reading the book incites hysteria and hallucinations then soon after completion, exactly one week, death occurs. Those previous six have all apparently died no more and no less than seven days after finishing this book.'

'You say seven people had read it yet six are dead ...' there is a slight pause before Scott makes a realization. '... Oh alright, I guess that you have read it, right?'

'Yes, this is why I arrived late. I completed reading the book this morning. This time next week I will be dead.'

'Alright, hypothetically speaking, say I believe you then why bring the book to me? Can you not simply destroy the book?'

'It is impossible, the book is indestructible. It cannot be destroyed. Trust me, I have tried. Part of the curse is that it cannot be destroyed.'

'Alright, I tell you what, this is what I will do. I have so much respect for you that I will take the book and lock it in a safety deposit box, and I will leave it there for a week free of charge. So, when your week has passed and you are still alive, you can come back and do whatever you like with it. How does that sound?'

'Mister Nevins, Scott, thank you very much. You are doing the world a great favour. I, however, cannot guarantee my return. Lock it up, keep it locked up; tell no one of the book and whatever you do, under no circumstances read that book, do not even open its pages.'

Scott enters one of the banks vaults, opens an unused safety deposit box, places the book inside and goes on about his business soon forgetting that the book even exists. A week passes, one which was quite hectic for Scott. He had been kept so busy during that week that he had completely forgotten about that book as well as having forgotten about the meeting he had with Professor Jameson.

On his way home from work, a newspaper headline catches his attention. The article tells of the death of Professor Jameson at the local college. It was said that his death occurred under mysterious circumstances. It is safe to say that this news caught Scott completely by surprise to say the least, surprise which definitely came along with more than an element of shock.

The following morning being Tuesday 14th of October 2014, Scott arrives back to the bank that he manages. He makes his way into the vault which stores the safety deposit boxes. Inside the vault - the locker like security boxes take up three sides of the room. In the center of the room is a rectangular metal table and this is surrounded by four metal chairs.

Scott takes 'The Book of Ages' out from the box he had placed it in and moves over towards the table and places the book onto it, face up. The cover of the book almost in a way is enough to say do not read this book but Scott is more than tempted to have a closer look. Surely what the professor had told him cannot be true. The Professor's death has to be some sort of freak coincidence.

For quite a lengthy moment Scott just stands over the book looking at its cover. Another member of staff enters the vault and asks if all is alright. Scott answers that all is well and that he needs a moment or two. All may have been well at that particular moment, but all being well would not last, for Scott opens the book and begins to read. A crow appears at the entrance to the vault and begins cawing. This is not normal nor is it natural. Something is definitely not right.

Scott now has no other option than to believe that the curse is real. It exists, though there is nothing that he can do to stop himself from continuing to read the book. The compulsion to read on is overwhelming.

Where is that book now? Who knows? ... And as for Scott Nevins ... well, let's just say ... he is no longer the manager of that beloved bank of his ...