Silence [4]

'Page 516...' 

I was careful with my movements. I couldn't make any sounds.

Just a little sound, and I was done for. 

Swallowing my saliva, I brushed the bottom part of the pages to look for the page number. Unlike the first book I checked, this book was a lot thicker. There were at least over a thousand pages. 

'....I found it.' 

Eventually, I found the page I was looking for and slowly and carefully pushed the pages aside to get to the page. 

I felt the beat of my heart rapidly increase as I did so. 

Finally, I was going to find out more about the tree. 

Or so I thought. 

'This...' 

My mind blanked the moment I turned the pages. 

Staring at the page in front of me, all I saw was an image. The page beneath it was completely ripped apart. 

Gripping tightly onto the side of the book, I tried my best to keep my breathing steady. 

'How...?'