This choice: Lie: Begin with working for Blackwell • Go Back...Chapter #22And Nothing Like The Truth by: imaj   You cough nervously. Melody isn’t a practised liar, nor is it something that has ever come easily to you. “It all started when I took the cataloguing job Professor Blackwell was offering his class,” you say hesitantly, shifting your gaze between Joe, Frank and the table. Both listen attentively and it occurs to you that they expect you to be nervous. “I don’t have much of an income or savings. And it seemed that he wanted to give it to someone able too – one of the best students in his class. With hindsight I guess he was always going to be looking for someone to take on as an apprentice.”
You pause to take a sip of your coffee. It’s starting to get a little cold.
“All I knew then was that I needed the money, and he was paying well too. Too well I suppose, but well enough for me to overlook just how creepy his house was,” you explain with a shrug. “That was what I remember most from the first time I visited, the way the clocks never quite keep in time in the library and the weird stuffed monkey there.”
Joe and Frank’s gazes flicker momentarily from you to each other as you mention this. It happens so quickly you almost don’t notice it.
“The books he had me look at that night I weren’t so memorable, except for this one in German. I didn’t realise it then but it was describing how that book the Professor was looking for, the Libra Personae, was used in 16th century Germany. It’s not a part of history I’ve studied but I think there were a lot of witch trials then.”
“Yeah,” interrupts Joe with a goofy grin. “The Malleus Maleficarum and the Inquisition. Not the most edifying moment of Stellae history, but that’s when we trace the origin of the Libra too. What,” he asks as Frank gives him a sharp nudge with his elbow. “It’s true, I researched it all when Dad sent us out here… Oh right, yeah…” he trails off.
“The night I read The Shadows of The Planets,” you pick up from where you had left off. “The Professor actually asked me to read it, asked me what I thought of it. I told him it was nonsense. He seemed disappointed but didn’t press the issue. That was the night I met you,” you say, looking directly at Joe. “That wasn’t a coincidence was it,” you ask ruefully.
“No,” replies Joe quietly, unable to meet your eyes.
“I remember thinking something was following me,” you add. “Was that Blackwell, or something to do with you two?”
Frank folds his arms and leans on the table, giving you a hard look. “That was me,” he admits quietly. “I wanted know why Blackwell was so interested in you.”
A though occurs to you and you give voice to it with every ounce of indignation the Melody persona you are holding onto feels. “My room. The break in. Was that you too?”
Frank does not reply, he simply stares past you with out a word.
“At least we knew you weren’t involved with Blackwell then though,” interrupts Joe with a little forced cheer. “That was a good thing, right?”
“We didn’t find anything,” says Frank through gritted teeth. “There’s a difference.”
You tap into Melody’s emotions and let the tears well up again. “How could you do that?”
“You don’t understand,” replies Frank quickly. “The Libra is bad news. Blackwell is bad news. We needed to know where you fitted in.”
The three of you sit in complete silence for minutes on end, unable to think of what to say next.
“What happened next,” Frank eventually asks quietly. “What happened when you went to his house tonight?”
“He must have thought I was ready,” you say, looking around the coffee house. The barista is at the far end of the room, mopping the floor. “Or maybe he was desperate. Either way, he told me the truth,” You look directly at Frank for a few moments. “His truth anyway. We made, I don’t know what the word for it would be… He folded up some paper into an animal shape and brought it to life.”
“Homunculus,” interrupts Joe. “That’s the word.”
“I made one too,” you say, ignoring the interruption. You continue slowly and deliberately. “And mine walked too, further than the Professor’s did.”
“I told you,” says Joe to his brother, nudging him excitedly.
“This isn’t the time for that,” hisses Frank back.
“As if it wasn’t enough showing me that magic is real, and that I could do it, he told me about the book you’re looking for,” you add. “The Libra. He pulled out this mask, pressed it to his face and… and…”
“He became someone else,” finishes off Frank. “Melody, this is important. Who did he become, is he using the mask to hide somewhere?”
“Yes,” you reply hesitantly. “He’s taken the place of a girl called Lisa Yarborough, at a school in Saratoga Falls called Westside High.”
“That’s very specific,” replies Frank suspiciously. “How did you find all that out?”
“Once he’d become Lisa,” you continue haltingly, hoping that Frank mistakes your hesitancy for nerves rather than spotting that you have no idea what to say next. “He put another mask on this statue and it came to life… only it looked like Professor Blackwell. He, I mean the real him, the one that looked like Lisa, said he was going to search for the Libra…”
“He doesn’t have it,” interrupts Frank.
“No, he thinks it’s hidden at Westside. He told me that he was going to search for it and the fake version of himself, the golem he called it, would teach me more about magic, but…” you tail of for a moment a sudden burst of inspiration strikes. “I didn’t trust him. I didn’t trust him so I took the mask off the golem and put it on myself. If it knew what the Professor knew about magic, it must have known everything else the Professor knew. I wanted to know what he was hiding from me.” You stop suddenly.
“What,” asks Joe anxiously. “What did you learn?”
“It wouldn’t have been good,” says Frank sourly.
“He was lying” you say, and to your surprise you find yourself crying again. “Oh god he was lying. He’s killed people. He’s a murderer and he’s killed people and I could remember every one of them. One of them was a girl in my class,” you continue, the tears flowing freely now. “And he’s keeping the real Lisa locked up in his basement. I put the mask back on the golem and I ran. I’m so sorry, I just ran and ran. That’s the real reason I confronted you Joe,” you say with a sniffle. “However bad Blackwell made you out to be, he’s worse. I’m so sorry…”
“It’s okay,” says Joes. He moves round the table to sit next to you. He hugs you gently and you rest your head on his shoulder, stifling another sob. “It’s okay, what you did was very brave, and it’s going to help us catch Blackwell. Isn’t it Frank.”
“I guess,” replies Frank, sounding a little embarrassed.
“Frank, why don’t you go scout out this girl’s house,” says Joe. “You know where it is Melody, don’t you?” You nod silently. “Frank will keep an eye on Blackwell and I’ll take you back to our place. You don’t mind spending the night there, do you? So we can keep you safe.”
“Thank you,” you whisper.
*****
“You can sleep in my room,” says Joe, ushering you in through the door to his bedroom. It’s a mess, the bed is unmade, clothes are strewn over the floor and there’s a stale musty smell pervading the air. “I’ll sleep on the couch downstairs,” he continues, looking around the room. “Uh, maybe I should tidy it up a little?”
“It’s ok Joe,” you say, turning to face him and favouring him with a faint little half smile. “I’m just tired, and I want to sleep.” You lean in and peck him on the cheek. “I want to wake up and this will all be over.”
“It will be soon,” he replies backing out the room, holding the door ready to close behind him. “If there’s anything you need, just ask.”
“I will,” you say, smiling again.
“Goodnight then,” says Joe. He makes to shut the door but then stops. “Just one more question before I go Melody. Why don’t you tell me who you really are?”
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