The green tendrils slowly creeped up Sarah's arm, sliding and slithering, they clung to her like a lifeline. Out from the book they flowed, like a slow steady leak. They reached to her shoulder now and had aleady bound her wrists. Slowly, ever so slowly, they inched up the nape of her neck. The vines crawled further, sliding over her eyes, now her nose, down towards her lips. They were invading her body, consuming her from the inside...



Suddenely, a shriek split the night as sarah awoke, eyes wide with sweat and tears flowing heavily. She clawed and tore at the vines, but they were gone. She franticaly leaped from the warmth of her bed to the cool safety and reality of the floor.



"Just a dream" she thought, eyes still wide and heart still thumping. Sarah looked towards her nightstand; there was the book, exactly as she had left it. Innocently laying on its leather bound cover and emitting the stale scent of a book rarely opened. Sarah slowly crossed over to it. Everything seemed right as she studied her table, her bookmark was still in the correct place, her phone carelessly placed atop it. Sarah turned on the bedside light, but as the bulb lit up, she caught sight of a movement out of the corner of her eye.



"Just my imagination. I had a bad dream and now my mind is trying to scare me" she whispered softly, not knowing why. Sarah reached for the book and tentatively touched its cover.



"It looks just fine" she again whispered, not knowing who she was trying to convince. She opened the cover and her eyes grew wide. For there, on the inside page, was a leaf. Not just any leaf, but a ivy leaf. Sarah quickly took a step back, but as she did her foot caught the lamps wire sending it crashing to the floor. The now bare bulb cast a glaring light and threw the books shadow upon the wall. The shadow began to become larger, it writhed and twisted as it grew. The shadow was taking shape, turning into a hideous monstrosity with bood red eyes. It began peeling itself off the wall like a grotesque painting come alive. It reached for sarah, but she quickly bolted for the door. Sarah jostled the handle, but the door didn't give. She whipped around just in time to see it lunging towards her. Sarah desperately threw up her arms in defense and once more a shriek filled the night.



A day passed and she was reported missing. A year passed and the search was called off. No one ever found Sarah's body. Some books, dear reader, are better left unopended.