The Book of Masks (Vol. 5)

One Mind, Two Bodies

Previously: "Making the Most of Melody's Mask" 

(Written by imaj)

You're beginning to regret this already. It didn't take long to bind the memory strip with your own thoughts and memories to the mask of Umeko, even taking five minutes to update the band with your memories of the last few days. When you placed it on top of the clay, it rippled and sank into it. Within seconds the mass of clay, which the book refers to as a golem, has started to glow and shrink into a more recognisably human form.

''Sup,' says the naked apparent Umeko as it stands up in front of you. 'Have I shrank or something? Everything seems a little bit bigger, including me''

You stand staring at the golem, mouth wide open.

'Oh right, I see,' says the golem. 'It's stare at Will day. Close my mouth at least before you start to drool.'

The golem looks down and cups its breast with its dainty hands.

'Hmmm, I'm liking the change of accommodation boss,' it squeals as it give one breast a gentle squeeze. 'Betcha wish you hand your hands on these puppies by the way. Well, again, you know''

You finally manage to get your mouth working again.

'Who are you,' you manage to stammer.

'Er' You,' it replies caustically. 'Well on the inside, I mean that's what counts right? Beauty is only skin deep after all, although this is a really nice skin boss.'

'Am I usually this annoying,' you ask. 'No never mind that, what do you mean 'boss'?'

'Isn't it obvious from the translation? I'm your slave. I have to do anything you say. Anything,' it says leaning towards you and lifting its breasts. 'Sure you don't want to cop a feel?'

'Well, I was just expecting something more' more''

'What like some brainless zombie,' the golem retorts, holding its arm out and walking stiffly about like a bad horror film. 'What the fuck use would that be? You want to use a golem to impersonate someone, you want to be exactly like them.'

'You have a point,' you agree.

'Well of course I have a fucking point. We are always right after all. So what is the plan then?'

'Hang on a minute, I find it a bit easier to explain when I have this on,' you say, brandishing the Melody mask.

'Wow Will, I'm really proud of you,' the clone retorts. 'You've finally learned to look at what's inside.'

'Fuck off.'

*****

Things start to move a little more smoothly once it finally occurs to you to order the golem to stop wisecracking. It looks a little resentful at this, and you kind of realise just how much this whole thing with the book has isolated you from your friends and family over the last couple of weeks.

With the aid of the Melody mask you explain to the golem how you plan to use it to act as a decoy to catch out Blackwell. This, of course means, two new masks and memory bands which you have just enough materials left to enchant. You hit on the idea of getting the golem to polish the mask while you are away, which you are pretty sure came from Melody.

As you set out for Blackwell's house as Melody, the golem is already furiously buffing away at the first mask. With a little luck you figure that both will be ready to use by the Friday.

*****

Blackwell's house, it turns out, is an extensive stone villa on the edge of Saratoga Falls. He answers the door with an insincere smile and leads you to one of the rooms upstairs.

You don't think you've ever seen so many books together in one place in your life. Blackwell's library is huge and every available wall surface is covered in bookcases that reach to the tall ceiling. The centre of room is taken up by a group of large, ornate desks. There is a large pile of books on one of the desks and a laptop computer.

'My latest acquisitions from Europe,' says Blackwell, indicated the pile on the desk. 'Which I would like for you to catalogue onto my database here. One must move with the times, after all.'

Blackwell ushers you into a seat by the laptop. He leans over you, a little too close to comfort, and powers up the machine.

'It's all terribly simple really,' he explains, gesturing across the screen. 'You fill in the boxes here, here and here. Oh that has to be filled out in both the language the book is in and the English translation.'

He drones on for another couple of minutes. Fortunately Melody understands what he is saying, even if you wouldn't unaided before finally finishing.

'And then the database will tell you where to place the book in the Library. I myself shall be retiring to my study for an hour. I shall pay you for your endeavours when I return'

With that, he leaves you alone.

There's a treasure trove of information here, but only some of it is going to be useful. You don't even know where to begin and you'll have to do some work on the pile at the desk or Blackwell will notice.

There's one thing that does catch your attention. An open book on one of the other desks and sidle over to take a look. It's in some kind of German, but with Melody's memories you are able to make a rough guess to its meaning: The page tells the story of a 16th century witch trial in Saxony in which the accused witch replaced several people of the village she lived in with simulacra. She then killed the local nobles wife and was caught trying to sneak into his estate. Before she was burnt at the stake, the witch cursed the Inquisitors who stopped her just short of unlocking the secret of 'the absolute power of eternal health and beauty'. As she burned, the simulacra 'shed their false visage and became as the clay of the earth'.

It might be about your book. Some of it seems to fit, but 'absolute power'? That doesn't sound good, and certainly not in the hands of someone like Blackwell.

An icy chill runs across your back and you shudder involuntarily. For a moment you thought you saw the door to Blackwell's study move slightly. Better get to work before he comes back.

*****

You return to the elementary school basement one hundred dollars richer but with a new set of troubles. Worse, the golem has found an inventive new way of polishing the mask.

'Hi boss,' it says, looking up as you enter. 'I heard this was how they made some expensive cigars, so I thought I'd give it a try.'

'Just' Just use your hands, ok'

You're worried about leaving that thing overnight, let alone through the school day tomorrow. Will you skip school to keep an eye on it and get some more work done tomorrow, or do you trust it to complete the job?

Next: "School for Paranoiacs" 

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"Table of Contents (Vol. 5)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 5)"