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The man who wrote reality
About This Book
In 'The Man Who Wrote Reality', Elias Thorn discovers that his imagination can bring characters to life, but this power comes with unforeseen consequences. As he navigates the realms of his own creation, he learns about the importance of unfinished stories and the lives they hold.
Who this book is for
- Fans of fantasy and short stories
- Readers interested in the power of imagination
- Those who enjoy character-driven narratives
- Lovers of magical realism
- Anyone curious about the consequences of creativity
What you'll learn
- The impact of storytelling on reality
- The relationship between creator and creation
- The importance of unfinished narratives
- How imagination can shape lives
- The balance between control and freedom in writing
Read a free sample 3 pages from the book
1 1-CHAPTER THEMANWHOWROTEREALITY FourStories.TwelveChapters.OneDangerousImagination. PROLOGUE—THEFIRSTWORD Therearepeoplewhospendtheirlivessearchingformagic. Andthentherearethoseunfortunateenoughtofindit. EliasThornewasanordinaryman,atleastasfarasordinarymenwent.Helived aloneinanoldhouseattheedgeofaforgottentown.Hisdayswerespentwriting stories,drinkingblackcoffeeandlisteningtotheraintappingagainsthiswindows. Hehadwrittenhundredsofstories. Storiesaboutheroes,monsters,lostkingdoms,impossibleloveandworldsthat existednowherebutinsidehishead. Nonehadevermadehimfamous. Nonehadevermadehimwealthy. Butoneevening,somethinghappenedthatwouldchangeeverything. Itbeganwithasimplesentence. Therewasonceamanwhocouldhearthethoughtsofthedead. Eliaspaused,studyingthewords.
2 Thencameaknockathisfrontdoor. Threeslowknocks. Hefrowned.Nobodyvisitedhimatthathour. Whenheopenedthedoor,anelderlygentlemanstoodoutside,dressedinablack coatandholdingawalkingstick. Theman'sfacewaspale. Hiseyeswerestrangelyfamiliar. "Goodevening,"thestrangersaid."Ibelieveyou'vebeenexpectingme." Eliasstaredathim. "DoIknowyou?" Thestrangersmiled. "Youwill.Youjustwrotemeintoexistence." Andsomewhereupstairs,onElias'swritingdesk,theinkbegantomove. STORYONE:THEMANWHOHEARDTHEDEAD CHAPTERONE—THEUNINVITEDGUEST TheoldgentlemanintroducedhimselfasArthurBell.
3 Hespokepolitely,removedhishatandsatinElias'sfavouritechairasthoughhehad beenvisitingforyears. Therewassomethingunsettlingabouthim. Notfrighteningexactly. JustfamiliarinawayEliascouldn'texplain. "Tellme,"Arthursaid,"whydidyoumakeme?" Eliaslaughednervously. "Makeyou?Ididn'tmakeyou." Arthurlookedtowardsthestaircase. "Yourmanuscriptsaysotherwise." Eliasfroze. Arthurcontinued. "Yougavemeadaughter.Yougavemeawifewhodiedtwentyyearsago.Yougave metheabilitytohearthedead." Eliasslowlystood. "Howcouldyoupossiblyknowthat?" Arthurlookeddirectlyintohiseyes. "BecauseIremembereverythingyouwrote." Forthenexthour,ArthurtoldEliasstoriesaboutpeoplewhohaddied,placesthatno
4 longerexistedandsecretsburiedbeneaththetown. Everydetailmatchedthemanuscript. ThenArthurrevealedsomethingEliashadneverwritten. "Thereisalittlegirlburiedbeneaththeoldchurch,"hewhispered."Andshehasbeen waitingforyou." Thatnight,Eliasreturnedtohisdesk. Heopenedthemanuscript. Thefinalpagewasblank. Butanewsentenceappearedbeforehiseyes. Thelittlegirlisnotdead.Sheiswaitingforherfather. Eliasdroppedhispen. Hehadneverwrittenthosewords. CHAPTERTWO—THECHURCHBENEATHTHEHILL Thefollowingmorning,EliasfollowedArthurtotheabandonedchurch. Itstoodonahilloverlookingthetown,itswindowsbrokenanditswoodendoors hangingloose. Arthurwalkedahead. "Sheishere,"hesaid.
5 Eliasenteredthechurchandnoticedsomethingstrange. Achild'sdrawinglayonthealtar. Itshowedalittlegirlholdinghandswithaman. Beneaththedrawingweretwowords. Findme. Arthurkneltbesidethealtar. "HernamewasClara." "Was?" Arthurlookedathim. "Youwrotethatshewasdead.Butyouneverdecidedhowshedied." Eliasrememberedthestory. Hehadabandonedithalfwaythrough. Asuddenscratchingsoundcamefrombeneaththewoodenfloor. Thenasmallvoice. "Papa?" Arthurbegantocry. Thefloorboardsshifted.
6 Atinyhandappearedbetweenthem. Eliasstumbledbackwards. Alittlegirlclimbedoutfrombeneaththealtar. Shewasperhapssevenyearsold,wearingawhitedressandholdingawooden rabbit. ShelookedatArthur. "You'relate." Arthurembracedher. AndthenEliasnoticedsomethingterrible. Arthur'sfacewaschanging. Hisskinbecametransparent.Hisbodybegantodissolveintotinyblackletters. "What'shappening?"Eliasshouted. Arthursmiledsadly. "Mystoryisfinished." Beforedisappearingcompletely,hewhisperedsomething. "Becarefulwhatyouleaveunfinished,Elias." Thelittlegirlturnedtowardsthewriter. "Areyougoingtofinishmine?"
7 CHAPTERTHREE—THELASTSENTENCE EliastookClarahome. Shewasquiet,politeandstrangelyknowledgeableaboutthingsachildshouldn't know. Sheknewwherehekepthisunfinishedmanuscripts. Sheknewabouthischildhood. Sheevenknewthenameofhismother. ButwhenEliasaskedherwhereshehadcomefrom,shesimplyreplied: "Youimaginedme." Thatevening,Eliassatathisdesk. HebeganwritingahappyendingforClara. Hewroteaboutalovingfamily,abeautifulhouseandalifetimeofwonderful memories. Butthemomenthefinished,Clarabegantocry. "Don't,"shewhispered. Eliasstopped. "What'swrong?" "Youcan'tgivemealifethatneverhappened."
8 Helookedather. "Thenwhatdoyouwant?" Shesmiled. "Iwantyoutorememberme." Thefollowingmorning,Clarawasgone. Onthedesklayasmallwoodenrabbit. Besideitwasahandwrittennote. Thankyouforgivingmesomewheretoexist. Eliasclosedthemanuscript. Forthefirsttimeinhislife,heunderstoodsomething. Hisstorieswerenotsimplystories. Theywerelives. Andeverycharacterhecreatedhadaworldwaitingforthem. Buthehadnoideathatsomethingelsehadbeguntonoticehisgift. Somethingthatwantedtowriteitsownstory. STORYTWO:THEKINGDOMTHATNEVEREXISTED
9 CHAPTERFOUR—AWORLDOFHISOWN AfterClaradisappeared,Eliasbecameobsessedwithhisability. Hespentdaysexperimenting. Abluebirdappearedwhenhedescribedone. AstrangerknockedathisdoorafterEliaswroteaboutatravellingsalesman. Astormarrivedpreciselywhenhewrotethattheheavenswereangry. Hewasnolongermerelyimaginingthings. Hewascreatingthem. Thenonenight,hebeganwritingsomethingambitious. Akingdom. Akingdomruledbyacruelking,surroundedbymountainsandendlessforests. HecalleditEldoria. Hecreateditsrivers,itscitiesanditspeople. HecreatedabeautifulprincessnamedAmara,abravesoldiernamedRowananda kingwhofearedlosinghisthrone. Hewroteuntilsunrise. Thensomethingextraordinaryhappened. Hisbedroomwalldisappeared.
10 Beyonditstoodanenormousstonecastle. Ahorseneighedinthedistance. Abellrangacrossavalley. Andamanwearingarmoursteppedthroughtheopening. "YourMajesty,"thesoldiersaid,kneeling. Eliasstared. "Whoareyou?" "Rowan,CaptainoftheKing'sGuard." Thesoldierlookedup. "Wehaveaproblem." "Whatproblem?" "Thekingknowsaboutyou." CHAPTERFIVE—THEKING'SSECRET RowanexplainedthatKingMalrechaddiscoveredtheexistenceofthewriter. Heknewthathiskingdomwascreatedbysomeoneoutsidehisworld. Andhehadbecomefurious.
11 ThekingbelievedthatifEliascontrolledthekingdom'sexistence,thenElias controlledhislife. Hewantedfreedom. EliastravelledintoEldoriawithRowan. Thekingdomwasmagnificent. Marketsbustledwithmerchants.Childrenplayedbesidefountains.Soldiersmarched throughcobbledstreets. Butbeneathitsbeautywasfear. Thekinghadorderedthearrestofanyonewhospokeofthewriter. EliaseventuallymetPrincessAmara. Shewaseverythinghehadimagined,butshepossessedawisdomhehadnever givenher. "Youcreatedus,"shesaid,"butyouneveraskedwhatwewanted." Eliasstruggledtoanswer. Amaracontinued. "Welaugh.Wedream.Wefeardeath.Tellme,arethosethingsnotrealsimply becauseyouimaginedthem?" BeforeEliascouldreply,thecastlebellsbeganringing. Thekinghaddiscoveredhislocation. Malrecenteredthehallwearingacrownofblackiron.
12 HelookeddirectlyatElias. "So,"hesaid,"thelittlegodhasfinallyarrived." CHAPTERSIX—THEEMPTYPAGE KingMalreccapturedEliasandorderedhimtowriteanewending. Hedemandedimmortality. Hewantedhisenemiesdestroyedandhiskingdomunderhiscompletecontrol. Eliasrefused. ThekingplacedaswordagainstAmara'sthroat. "Write,"hecommanded. Eliaslookedattheprincess. ThenatRowan. Heunderstoodthathehadcreatedaworldwhereeveryonefearedthekingbecause hehadwrittenitthatway. Perhapshecouldchangeit. Heclosedhiseyesandwroteasinglesentenceonthepageinhispocket. ThepeopleofEldoriarememberedthattheywerestrongertogether. Outside,thebellsbeganringingagain.
13 Thecitizensgatheredinthestreets. Thesoldiersloweredtheirweapons. Theking'scrowncracked. Malrecscreamedasthepeopleturnedagainsthim. Butratherthandestroyhim,Eliaswroteonefinalsentence. Thekingwasgiventhechancetobecomethemanhehadoncebeen. Malrecfelltohisknees. Forthefirsttime,helookedafraidratherthanangry. Eliasreturnedtohisbedroom. Theopeninginthewallslowlydisappeared. Butbeforeitclosed,Amaracalledout. "Writer!" Heturned. "Oneday,someonewillcomelookingforyou.Someonewhoknowshowallthis began." Thewallvanished. OnElias'smanuscript,anewlineappeared. Thekingdomremembersitscreator.
14 STORYTHREE:THEWOMANWHOREMEMBEREDTOMORROW CHAPTERSEVEN—THESTRANGERINTHERAIN Monthspassed. Eliashadstoppedwriting. Hefearedwhatmighthappenifhecontinued. Hekepthismanuscriptslockedawayandavoidedputtingpentopaper. Then,onastormyevening,awomanappearedoutsidehishouse. Sheworealongredcoatandcarriednoumbrella. HernamewasEvelyn. SheclaimedtoknowElias. Notfromhisbooks. Fromhisfuture. "I'vemetyoubefore,"shesaid. Eliasfrowned. "Where?" "Tomorrow."
15 Sheenteredthehouseandplacedaphotographonthetable. ItshowedEliasstandingbesideher. Behindthemwasaburningbuilding. Thephotographwasdatedthreedaysintothefuture. Eliaslookedather. "Whatisthis?" Evelynsmiledsadly. "Yournextstory." Heshookhishead. "Ihaven'twrittenanotherstory." Sheleanedcloser. "Notyet." Thenshetoldhimsomethingthatmadehisbloodruncold. "Inthreedays,youwillwriteabouttheendoftheworld." CHAPTEREIGHT—THEWOMANWHOKNEW EvelynexplainedthatshecamefromafuturewhereEliashadcontinuedwriting.
16 Hisstorieshadgrownlarger. Hisimaginationhadbecomeuncontrollable. Hehadcreatedwars,disastersandcreaturesthatescapedtheboundariesoftheir worlds. Eventually,hewroteaboutamysteriousforcethatconsumedeverythingittouched. HecalleditTheHollow. Butsomethinghadgonewrong. TheHollowhadbecomeawareofhim. Andnowitwascoming. "Whyhaveyoucomehere?"Eliasasked. "BecauseIrememberwhathappenstomorrow." SheexplainedthateverytimeEliaschangedsomethinginthepresent,hermemories changedtoo. Shehadalreadylivedhundredsofpossiblefutures. Somewerebeautiful. Mostwereterrible. "Thereisonefuturewhereeverythingsurvives,"shewhispered. "Whathappensinthatfuture?" Evelynlookedathim.
17 "Youstopwriting." Eliasconsideredherwords. Thenhenoticedsomething. Herreflectioninthewindowwasholdingapen. ButEvelynwasn'tholdinganything. Heturnedtowardsher. "Whoareyoureally?" Hersmiledisappeared. "Iamthecharacteryouwroteandabandonedtwentyyearsago." Eliasremembered. Astoryaboutawomanwhocouldseetomorrow. Hehadneverfinishedit. CHAPTERNINE—TOMORROW'SEND Thestormgrewstronger. Evelynbeganfading. Sheexplainedthatunfinishedcharactersexistedbetweenworlds,neitherfullyalive norentirelyforgotten.
18 Shehadspentyearssearchingforthewriter. Nowshehadfoundhim. Butshehadnotcometoaskforahappyending. Shehadcometowarnhim. TheHollowwasalreadyinsidehishouse. Acoldwindmovedthroughthehallway. Thelightswentout. Fromupstairscamethesoundofpagesturning. Eliasrantohisstudy. Hislockedmanuscriptswerescatteredacrossthefloor. Blackinkcrawledacrossthepageslikelivinginsects. Asentenceappeared. Youcannotcreatelifewithoutcreatingdeath. Thewallsbegantocrack. Evelynstoodbehindhim. "There'sonlyonewaytostopit." "Tellme!"
19 "Youmustwriteastoryinwhichyouarenottheauthor." Eliasstaredattheblankpage. Heunderstood. Foryears,hehadcontrolledeverything. Everycharacter.Everyending.Everyworld. Nowhehadtosurrendercontrol. Hebeganwriting. Hewroteaboutamanwhodiscoveredthathisgreatestpowerwasnotcreation,but theabilitytoletotherschoosetheirownfate. TheHollowshrieked. Thedarknesscollapsedintothepages. AndEvelyndisappeared. WhenEliasfinished,hefoundaphotographonhisdesk. ItshowedhimselfstandingbesideEvelyn. Thistime,thebuildingbehindthemwasstillstanding. Onthebackofthephotographwerefourwords. Tomorrowisnotwritten.
20 STORYFOUR:THEAUTHOROFALLTHINGS CHAPTERTEN—THEBOOKWITHNOTITLE Eliasbelievedthenightmarewasover. Hehadsurvivedtheking,theunfinishedwomanandthedarkness. Butonemorning,hediscoveredabookonhisdoorstep. Ithadnotitle. Noauthor. Nopublisher. Itspageswerecompletelyblank. Exceptforthefinalpage. There,writteninbeautifulblackhandwriting,werefivewords. Youarenotthefirst. Eliassatdown. Forthefirsttime,hewonderedwhethersomeoneelsehadcreatedhim. Hismemoriesbegantofeeluncertain. Hadhealwayslivedinthishouse? Hadhealwaysbeenawriter?
21 Whohadgivenhimtheabilitytocreateworlds? Hesearchedhisbelongingsandfoundanoldphotographofamanhedidnot recognise. Onthebackwaswritten: ToElias,fromyourfather. Eliashadneverknownhisfather. Atleast,thatwaswhatheremembered. Heopenedtheblankbookagain. Asentenceappeared. Yourfatherwasawritertoo. CHAPTERELEVEN—THEFIRSTWRITER Eliasfollowedthecluesleftinthebooktoanabandonedlibraryoutsidethetown. Inside,thousandsofmanuscriptsfilledenormouswoodenshelves. Everybookhadaname. Everynamebelongedtoaworldhehadcreated. HefoundbooksaboutEldoria. AboutArthurandClara.
22 AboutEvelyn. Buttherewasanothersection. Itcontainedstorieswrittenbysomeoneelse. Thefirstbookwastitled: TheBoyWhoBecameAWriter. Eliasopenedit. Itdescribedayoungboywhogrewupinasmallhousewithafatherwholovedtelling stories. Theboy'sfatherhaddiscoveredthesamestrangeability. Hecouldbringanythingheimaginedintoexistence. Butheeventuallybecameafraidofhisowncreations. Hehidhisgiftinsideastoryandpasseditdowntohisson. Eliasturnedthepage. Therewasaphotograph. Itwasthesamemanfromthepicture. Hisfather. Avoicespokebehindhim. "Hello,son."
23 Eliasturned. Anelderlymanstoodbetweentheshelves. "You'vedonewell,"hesaid. "Whoareyou?" Themansmiled. "I'mthemanwhowroteyou." Eliasfelttheworldshiftbeneathhisfeet. "AreyousayingI'mnotreal?" Theoldmanshookhishead. "Doesitmatter?Youfeel.Youthink.Youdream.Isn'tthatwhatbeingalivemeans?" Eliaslookedatthemanuscripts. "Thenwhowroteyou?" Theoldmansaidnothing. Hesimplypointedtowardsthefinalshelf. CHAPTERTWELVE—THELASTSTORY Attheendofthelibrarystoodasinglewoodendesk.
24 Onitrestedafountainpenandanunfinishedmanuscript. Thecoverread: THEMANWHOWROTEREALITY. Eliasopenedit. Thepagesdescribedeverything. Hischildhood. Hishouse. ArthurandClara. Eldoria. Evelyn. TheHollow. Eventheconversationhewashavingatthatverymoment. Thefinalchapterwasunfinished. Eliaslookedathisfather. "Whoiswritingtheending?" Hisfathersmiled. "That,myson,issomethingIneverdecided." Theoldmanslowlyfaded.
25 Eliassatatthedesk. Hecouldfinishthestory. Hecouldwritethathelivedforever. Hecouldcreateanendlesskingdom,aperfectworldoralifewithoutpain. Butheunderstoodsomethingnow. Astorywithoutuncertaintywasnotastoryworthliving. Hepickedupthepen. Andwrote:…
End of sample. The full book is 27 pages on Afri KDP.
Questions about this book
What is the main theme of the book?
The main theme revolves around the power of imagination and creativity, exploring how a writer's creations can come to life and the responsibilities that come with that power.
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