THE PILES
487 Words
INT. ANNA’S ROOM — NIGHT
Anna sits at her reading table, surrounded by books and scattered papers.
The room feels unusually cold.
The door opens.
Her MOTHER walks in carrying a small lamp. She moves around the room, lighting the wooden lamps one after another.
She pauses.
MOTHER
Your room has been so cold lately, Anna. Don’t you feel cold?
Anna barely looks up. Her eyes remain fixed on the books before her.
ANNA
No. I’m not cold.
Her mother looks at the clutter on the table. Several books are piled on top of one another.
She quietly reaches for one.
Before she can take it—
ANNA
You can at least ask me before taking that book.
Her mother stops.
She turns around, the book still in her hand.
MOTHER
This book isn’t for someone your age.
Anna finally looks at her.
ANNA
Why, Mother?
MOTHER
Because it’s for adults.
ANNA
But there are no inappropriate things in it. So give it back.
Her mother studies her for a moment before reluctantly handing the book back.
Anna takes it.
Her mother shakes her head and walks toward the door.
MOTHER
Just don’t stay up too late.
She closes the door behind her.
Anna gives the door a strange look, then rolls her eyes.
She places the book beneath the other books on her table, hiding it from sight.
Her attention shifts to the pile she had been reading earlier.
She pulls the strange old book toward her.
ANNA
Let’s check what’s in here.
She flips through the yellowed pages.
The first page contains only a single sentence:
THE CARRIER OF THE CROWN IS THE OWNER OF THE CROWN.
Anna reads it twice.
A small chuckle escapes her.
ANNA
What an odd way to start a story.
She turns the page.
Another inscription:
LIVE FOR DECADES TO DIE FOR CENTURIES.
Anna squints at the words.
ANNA
This doesn’t even make sense.
She scoffs and flips to the next page.
She freezes.
A detailed drawing fills the page.
At the top, written in faded ink:
THE COVEN OF THE MORTAL REIGNS
Below it are several coffins, arranged in a circle.
But something catches Anna’s attention.
Each coffin bears a crown.
She leans closer, studying the illustration.
ANNA
What’s this supposed to mean?
She turns the page.
The same drawing appears again.
The coffins.
The circle.
The same inscription.
THE COVEN OF THE MORTAL REIGNS.
But this time—
THE CROWNS ARE GONE.
Anna’s expression changes.
She reads the inscription beneath the drawing silently.
Her eyes narrow.
She closes the book.
ANNA
This is boring.
She pushes the book aside.
For a moment, the room falls completely silent.
Then—
A faint sound comes from beneath the table.
Anna looks down.
Nothing.
She shakes her head and returns to her other books.
The old book remains closed on the table.
Its pages slowly shift by themselves.
CUT TO BLACK.
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