This choice: Umeko wants to know more about the book • Go Back...Chapter #6Umeko wants to know more about the book by: imaj   Umeko cocks her head slightly and stares at you. Stares through you.
'That's'. just a little bit creepy Will.' She says evenly. 'You didn't' do anything when you were like that, did you?'
You feel your cheeks redden.
'Oh. My. God.' She exclaims, stifling a laugh. 'You did, didn't you?'
*****
You recount the whole story to Umeko, starting with first buying the book for a couple of dollars, right the way through 'signing' it with your own blood to making and polishing the first mask. She shivers involuntarily at the part when you mention Blackwell, agreeing with you that he sounded more than a little odd.
Umeko proves to be incredibly interested in the book. Her Latin is, if anything, much worse than your own so she looks over your translations instead. You've already removed the Umeko mask because she found it 'Distracting' and are spinning it idly in your hands when she finally looks up from her work.
'This first one, the mask making,' Umeko begins, rubbing the first two fingers of her right hand against her temple in the way that she does when she's thinking. 'I think I see everything you need for that around here. It doesn't take that long, does it?'
'The spell, no. Polishing it afterwards, days'
Umeko frowns momentarily.
'But we could make the mask tonight after dinner couldn't we? And I can take it home with me and polish it up.'
'Yes,' you say warily, not entirely sure that you're happy with that. 'You want to polish one up? It's a lot of work, and you want to use it?'
'Oh come on,' Umeko smiles. 'You can't show me something like that and expect me not to want to try it out. I think I can come up with a couple of uses for it.'
'Such as?' you ask, eyes narrowing.
'Much more fun to surprise you! This second spell, the sealing. I can do that at home if you let me borrow the translation. The third spell will be difficult however'
'Huh?' you reply. 'It's not much different from the others.'
'Well, yeah, but this bit here,' she says, waving the paper at you and pointing to one of the materials. 'It's going to stink up your room for days if you try it here. Not to mention Uncle Harris and Aunt Martha will notice. You'd need somewhere else to go to cast it.'
'The clubhouse,' you murmur under your breath.
'The what?'
'The clubhouse. The old elementary school a couple of blocks from here. There's an old basement storage room I found a way into. Some of my friends use it too, but we haven't been there for months. I put a new lock on the door too, so no one else can get in.'
'That could work,' says Umeko, again rubbing here temple. 'We make a new mask tonight. Then, on, oh, say Wednesday, I meet you at this clubhouse of yours with the finished mask. And make sure you make two of those memory band things by then. I want to see what the next spell is'
Umeko smiles her broadest smile yet. You can't help but feel that you might have made a mistake.
*****
You moved the book and materials to the abandoned elementary school basement later that evening. Making the excuse that you had needed some fresh air, it was easy enough to pack everything away and head there. The lock you had added was intact and the basement seemed exactly as you had left it months ago. As a last precaution you hid everything behind a pile of old desks.
With hindsight, this seems to have been a wise move. It's Monday morning. You've just stepped outside your home and spotted the unfamiliar looking car parked outside your house.
The man standing beside it is anything but unfamiliar. Aubrey Blackwell, still wearing cheap clothes, smiles an insincere smile as he spots you.
'Good morning young Will,' he says, falling into step beside you as you walk to school. 'I was in the vicinity and I thought I'd stop by and see if you had perchance decided to rethink my offer.'
Perchance? Fagot, you think.
'I have on my very person at this moment one thousand dollars which I will give you in exchange for your book. That's quite the finder's fee for you, no?'
You walk on in silence for a moment before stopping and turning to face the collector.
'Listen Mr Blackwell''
'Aubrey, I insist,' he intereupts.
'Listen 'Aubrey',' you continue, your voice dripping sarcasm. 'I wouldn't sell you that book for ten million dollars. I want you fuck off and stay the hell away from me.'
A dark expression fleets across Aubrey's face, his hands tense into fists. For a moment you think he might attack you in a mindless rage. Then, as quickly as it disappeared, the insincere smile is back in place. Even turned up a gear from the look of it.
You resume your slow pace towards school. Aubrey remains where he stood, talking to your receding back.
'Well think about it young Will. One thousand dollars is a lot of money, and this is a one time offer. I would hate for you to regret dismissing it out of hand. One never knows what the coming days will bring. Perhaps you or your family might need that cash.'
He sketches a bow before returning towards his car. Did he just threaten your family?
*****
The conversation leaves you distracted for most of the rest of the school day. You catch a lot of flak in Geography for spending the entire period staring out the window doing nothing, simply turning Aubrey's words over and over in your mind.
Finally the last bell comes round.  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
| Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
<<-- Previous · Outline  · Recent Additions © Copyright 2025 imaj (UN: imaj at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Seuzz has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work within this interactive story. Poster accepts all responsibility, legal and otherwise, for the content uploaded, submitted to and posted on Writing.Com. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author