The Last Book

The Last Book

If this was the last book in humanity would you treat it any differently?  I imagine you are sitting in class thinking, “It's just another book,” and maybe it is. Maybe this is the most boring book you have ever read! But just maybe, this is the most important book in existence, and you are its powerful keeper.

This is the story of a simple book that changed someone's life forever, and it all began a long time ago in a kingdom far far…...“Get up you lazy serf!” Birtle awoke abruptly from the heap of hay in the barn to the screeching voice of his lord.  “Yes sir,” Birtle groaned. Birtle slumped out of the barn, brushing mud off his threadbare pants, humming a tune, “Off to work again, given no pay again!” Birtle wandered into the dry crackly field and started picking weeds, talking to himself as he went along. “A man lives on a island, an island having their survival weigh on BOOKS! A child is born, who wants to see a book more than anything in the whole world, yet he is put to work on farm, while most serfs construct books…!” With that Birtle yanked a weed out of the ground so hard he toppled onto the ground and on to….”A BOOK!” Birtle hollered to no one. Birtle tore open the book with a vivacious energy that was completely new to him, and viewed the title, running his grimy hands across the leather spine. The title read “The art of everything.”  Birtle leafed through the thick papyrus pages, struggling to make sense of the strange symbols on each page.  He could, however, figure out what the colorful drawings on the pages were conveying, and as he was doing so, a horde of frightened villagers ran past Birtle, screaming, “Fire in the village, fire, fire!” Without a second thought, Birtle grabbed the book and followed the villagers into a nearby marsh area.

Hours later, when the dead and living were counted, the king, lords, villagers, serfs, and Birtle gathered in the charred village.  The king rose solemnly in the crowd and spoke, choking on each word, “Our people are dead, our houses are gone, we have no food, and most of all, every last book is gone.” The villagers murmured sadly in a hushed tone, “Sage, sage, tell us what to do.” An old cloaked man arose, and croaked, “I have seen a prophecy, where the one who has the last book in this village, fate’s chosen leader, is declared...the rightful king!”  With that everyone started chattering, until Birtle rose, the book clutched in his hand. Silently, all kneeled at the foot of Birtle. At once they began to cry, “Lead us serf, turned into a king, lead us!” So, opening the book, Birtle began to lead his people.