The Book of Masks (Vol. 4)

A Surprising Start

Previously: "Discomfiting Doubles" 

[Text by rugal.]

To bring in more people is most definitely a big risk; and it's a big risk that you're not willing to take at the moment. The possibility of someone slipping up and information about this getting back to Steve Patterson or, god forbid, Mansfield is not something you want to think about anymore. Besides, aren't things like this generally supposed to stay between the people who uncover it? A sort of secret that binds everyone together?

"I agree with Kim and Josie," you finally speak; you've been silent this entire time. "If more people know then it becomes way riskier for stuff to get out," you explain. "Maybe down the road, once we've got an even better handle on things, we can look at bringing in a few people but until then? Forget it."

"Yeah, but even with the five of us something can still get out," Mike counters.

"It's always a possibility," replies Kim, "but just think: if more people know then it becomes less of a possibility and more of a certainty. I agree with Will," she says as she gives you a faint smile, "in that maybe later we can start looking into adding more people but for now it's best to stay as is."

"It's a fair assessment," notes Fairfax before looking at Mike, "and seeing as we're outvoted it's one that we'll have to listen to."

"That's good because we should probably get Michael out of that that thing," Josie says as she reaches towards Mike's face. She then grabs it and gives it a tug. She then pinches it and gives it another tug.

"Jeez!" Mike exclaims as he wriggles himself free of her grip. "You were doing that on purpose weren't you?"

"Maybe you deserve it for being an idiot," she replies with a bit of admonishing concern, "we don't know what that could've done before you just shoved it on your face like that. But I was trying to get it off for your information. I just thought it would pull off."

"Wait you mean it doesn't?!" you ask in shock. "It has to come off, right?!"

Kim and Fairfax go back to the book and look over the opened pages. Kim seems to find something and calls Josie, Mike and you over. "It looks like," she says as she points out the page with the seal, "that this is continuing from the actual mask itself so it's talking about how to use the thing. It looks like if you want to remove it you have to say these words here and then pull and it should come off."

She points out a group of words that, you're assuming, are some kind of spell that activates the magic (and that's a strange thought to be having) so that the mask can come off. She then turns to Mike and raises her hands to his face she looks over at the book again as she goes over the words than starts chanting them. As she chants them she grabs Mike's face and pulls and the mask comes off. Mike instantly starts to collapse so you and Fairfax are quick to catch him and lay him down gently as he changes back into himself.

The actual change is very quick, taking no more than a few seconds at the very longest and it's not long before Mike is awake again. "That was a trip," he says as he pulls himself back up to his feet. "That's cool as hell though. I definitely see how that could be used as a disguise; nobody would ever be able to tell the difference."

"Well you only looked like Will right?" asks Fairfax. "If you could somehow get his mind too then you'd be a perfect duplicate."

"Maybe there's something on the new page about that?" asks Mike.

You go back to looking at the page with the others. It doesn't say what spell does going by what Kim can translate. Mostly it goes over materials that you'll need -- most of which you don't have on hand -- and shows what the end result will be: a metal band that you'll have to inscribe some sigils onto. For the tools to do that Fairfax states that there should be some carving tools in his garage as well as an old buffer his dad no longer uses; you only got the one from your house because of location because your dad will certainly notice that it's missing.

It's decided that, due to having to get the materials for the next spell, you'll close up shop for the day and come back tomorrow after school with those materials as well as stuff needed to make up more masks in case it's something that will need to be done.

"So who gets to hang onto the book?" you ask.

"Well it's your book," says Kim, "so you should probably keep it right?"

"That's true but maybe we should think later on about some kind of neutral storage for this thing," replies Fairfax. "In fact if we're going to be advancing through this book then it would be a good idea to only do it while we're all here. We make sure that everyone is aware of what everyone else is doing."

"That's a little paranoid don't you think?" asks Josie.

"It's probably good to be paranoid with something like this," Kim answers as she looks at the book. "I don't think any of us would do anything bad but there's no harm in having that level of security either."

You then go over who will be getting what. You've still got some money left over so you'll get more of the mask material. Kim says she's been good about saving up money from her job so she'll grab the stuff that's needed for the next spell. It's agreed, then, that once you've got the stuff needed that you'll get in touch with everyone else and that everyone will meet back here. Number's are exchanged between everyone and the five of you then march out of the basement.

* * * * *

"I'm really glad you showed me this stuff," Kim says as the two of you stand inbetween her car and your truck. "It's a little scary but it's really awesome to see that stuff like this actually exists. Kind of like... remember when you and me and Caleb would play Dungeons & Dragons with Christian and some of his friends back in ninth grade?"

"Well, it's not actually a game," you tell her.

"No, I know, but there was that magic element and it's just," she pauses, "I like that we've got the opportunity to reconnect. I really did miss being able to hang out together."

"I missed it too," you admit and more shamefully you add, "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't completely written it off though."

"And that's my fault," she sighs. "I'm so sorry, Will."

"What do you have to be sorry for?" you ask. "People go off in different directions all the time. You're doing great too; it's really cool that you're head of the student council now."

"I don't regret it if that's what you're thinking," she replies, "but it does get exhausting some time. There are times where I just want to relax. I told you that I haven't been able to even think about dating right? But that's not true, I want to. I just don't feel like I can."

"Well why not?" you ask and before you can think your mouth blurts out something to your horror. "Why don't we go see a movie some time?"

Her eyes go wide and she laughs nervously a bit and you instantly wish a hole would open up under your feet and swallow you. "I... I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking... I didn't mean..."

But what looks like relief seems to wash over Kim's face. "You're... you're asking me out on a date?" she asks nervously.

"N-no! I mean, I did but I didn't mean to but--"

"Will, Will! It's okay!" she says and you can see her turning red. "It's just that... that nobody ever asks, has ever asked..." she pauses and you can see the gears working in her head. "Oh, why not? Yes!" she says with another nervous giggle. "Yes, I'd like to go to a movie. I've got some time off I can use so I'll call in tomorrow and we can do the stuff with the book but... Wednesday!" she declares. "I don't work Wednesday so we can go then."

With that she giggles a little more as she leans up and gives you a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow Will," she says as she walks around to the driver's side of her car before adding, "but I guess I'll see you on Wednesday."

You're left stunned as Kim waves to you and drives off. You're only brought back to reality by an arm slamming itself around your shoulder. "My man!" comes the boisterous voice of Mike. You don't even really have much to say in regards to everything so you simply laugh, tell him you'll see him tomorrow and get in your truck.

* * * * *

You say nothing to your family, especially not your mother, about anything that you and Kim had talked about. You eat dinner quietly and don't engage in much conversation with the rest of your family beyond the standard updates on how your day went and such. Your mom does mention Kim coming by which doesn't get much of a reaction from your dad. You tell him about having to use his buffer but told him that it's returned back into the garage; he's slightly more reactive to that mainly to say that you should ask him before using his tools but after that is back to eating quietly.

You go through the usual night time routine of washing up, making sure you've started any homework that needs to be started and so on before going to bed. However you're now feeling antsy and excited and you have trouble at first getting to sleep. When you do though, you don't quite remember the dream that you end up having but there's a pleasant feeling associated with it all the same.

Next: "If They Only Had Your Brain" 

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"Table of Contents (Vol. 4)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 4)"