(Summer Horror) The Cursed Book

I wasn't going to post this but it's been eating at me so here we go.

I grew up in this quiet residential neighborhood in Seoul, just me and my parents in this old house that had been in the family forever. My dad was a rare book collector. Like seriously obsessed. The whole study was just PACKED with these old texts going back generations.

But there was one book that stood out. Kept in a locked glass case in the corner. Nobody was allowed to touch it, and my dad would genuinely get weird and cagey whenever it came up.

So one day I finally asked him. Just straight up. "Dad what IS that book."

He sighs. Long pause. And then: "It's a cursed book. It brings misfortune to our family. That's why it's locked. Don't touch it."

And I was like. Sir. You just made it ten times worse.

Obviously the second my parents left the house I went straight to that study. The book was gorgeous actually, old leather cover with gold trim, looked like something out of a movie. I dug through my dad's desk until I found the key, opened the case, and took it out.

When I opened it, dust everywhere. And inside was just... symbols. Characters I couldn't read at all. I don't know how long I stood there staring at it but I literally could not look away.

Then the room got COLD. Like suddenly, instantly cold. I snapped out of it, slammed the book shut, and got out of there.

That night I had the nightmare. I was back in the study and the book opened by itself, and the characters started glowing, and the light just kept getting brighter and brighter and it was coming FOR me and I woke up gasping.

Looked around. Everything normal. But I could not shake it.

Told my parents the next morning. They said it was just a dream. Whatever. Go back to sleep.

But then it happened again the next night. This time shadows were crawling out of the book and rushing at me.

Okay. That's enough. I came clean to my dad, told him I'd opened it. He went pale and ran to the study.

The book was still in the case. But he just stood there staring at it, face completely white, and goes: "This was never supposed to be opened before the curse was lifted..."

And THEN he finally tells me the whole story. Apparently some wizard or sorcerer (I know, I know) wrote this book to contain all his knowledge, but he got cursed in the process and his soul got trapped inside along with everything else. Ever since then, anyone who reads it suffers. So the family just... locked it up and hoped for the best.

We ended up going to a local mudang¹ in the neighborhood. She took one look at the book and went serious immediately. "This is under a very strong curse. I can try a cleansing ritual but it won't be easy."

She came to our house. Started the ritual.

And guys. The air in that room just DROPPED. She's chanting, walking around the book in circles, and then black smoke starts rising from the book like it's alive, filling the whole room.

She chanted louder. And eventually. The smoke disappeared.

She was drenched in sweat after. She goes: "It's been cleansed, but I can't say it's completely safe. Keep it as far away as possible."

So my dad made the call. He wrapped it up tight, sealed it, and we drove out to this small cave deep in the mountains and buried it. All of us together. Swore never to go back.

For a few months everything was fine. Normal. Peaceful.

Except sometimes. In the middle of the night. I'd wake up and hear pages turning.

Right next to me. Clear as anything.

I convinced myself it was nothing. Dreams. Stress. Whatever.

But eventually I had to know. I went back to the cave alone, didn't tell my parents.

Dug up the spot where we buried it.

The book was gone.

I ran.

I still hear the pages at night. The shadows are still in my dreams. And I don't know where that book is anymore.