This choice: Continuing with the next spell in the book. • Go Back... Special thanks to Seuzz for a few words.
You're still trying to catch your breath as you stumble over any words, unable to even articulate them. Caleb blinks stupidly.
"He's ... he's ... he's what?" Caleb eventually urges.
Taking a deep breath, you finally stand up straight shaking your head.
"He's got some deep secrets, dude. Stuff that should never, ever get out."
"Like what?" he asks innocently intrigued.
"Like shit that no one else should ever know. I don't want to know it, and you don't either," you angrily retort, and he falls back looking hurt. You stand and walk forward putting your hand on his shoulder.
"You know there are things you don't want others to know. Same with me," you say gently, comforting him. "Consider how you'd feel if someone had all your memories of everything good, AND everything evil that you've ever done OR thought. It's best we just use the mask to get the next spell for now and respect his privacy."
He doesn't answer, but starts staring at the floor halfway through as if contemplating his own hidden secrets. You can tell he understands and just hope that he won't get seduced by the book's powers and decide to try the mask sometime just to impersonate Jeremy as he did at the movie.
* * *
Using the mask on the book released the next page. Between you and Caleb, you're able to decipher most of the new set of ingredients, although you both can't believe them at first and decide that you better check some of the old Latin words and phrases with an Internet search then work on the actual instructions. It's late anyway, so you hide all the masks along with the book and head off securing the door with your lock. It's then that it dawns on you both that you have real school homework that neither have started. Looks like this spell will have to wait.
* * *
The next day at school passes slowly. You get an anxious look from Jeremy when you pass in the hall, and it makes you shudder. It's strange, but so many things that were perfectly clear about him while wearing the mask seem to have faded quite a bit. You're not sure if it's because some were so traumatic that you're blocking it out or that what's in the mask is only retained while wearing and shortly after.
Since neither you or Caleb got to research and translate the new spell last night, you decide to use some of Westside's brains for help. Of course, it isn't entirely purely for the spell since you know Lisa is one of the better students of Latin and this is an opportunity to try to work back in with her.
You race to catch her before the fourth period class you share and that Geoff doesn't thereby avoiding the competition. Although, as you scramble around the human obstacle course, you remember that you haven't seen him today in the usual hallways with Lisa when you passed. But he was in first period with you. You don't have time to ponder further as you catch up with Lisa.
"Hey, Lisa."
"Hi, Will," she responds rather annoyed. "What was with you and Jeremy at the movies."
"Oh, shit! I forgot about that." you think and start to spurt the first thing that comes into your head about Jeremy.
"Oh, he was just, ah, playing, ah, gag. He was jealous of me being with you and Geoff, I think," you chuckle then cringe inside at yourself. "He was having a bad day and needed a shoulder." "Damn. Did I really just say that?"
"You're always the good one to lend an ear and help, Will. That's why I've always liked you."
Your spirit immediately turns around and your lie of an excuse is forgotten, replaced with that warm feeling about Lisa liking you. Your mind completely forgets why you're even talking to her.
"Actually, Will, maybe you can help. Geoff got upset after you left and almost walked out. I, ..." she looks away and smiles at one of her girlfriends across the room as she puts her books on the desk and you sit in the seat next to her. "I'd like your opinion of him. He's been ignoring me ever since, and none of the girls can figure this out."
"He's a jerk and pervert only after your panties to add to his pile. You can do much better. Drop him. Come back to me."
Fortunately the bell rings before you can connect those thoughts with your mouth and make a fool of yourself.
* * *
By the end of class your focus is back to the words in the spell; but as you turn to Lisa, she is already standing to head to lunch. Before you can say anything, she pauses and turns back.
"Meet me after lunch at the outside tables so we can talk before afternoon class."
Then she smiles and strolls out with a couple of her friends.
Spell forgotten and warm happies roll soothingly through your mind and body.
* * *
"Dude, you got to focus," Caleb tells you while you wolf a burger in the cafeteria scanning regularly to see if Geoff and Lisa connect there. He never shows, and she sits with her friends the entire time. "We need to get the correct translation. Do you want me to ask Jenny or Kim?"
"No. They'd ask too many questions about why. If it says what we think, it's a bit too bizarre, and they'll pester us forever 'till one of us cracks. You know them."
"Yeah, but you're getting all gooey-eyed with Lisa again. Maybe we could just use the strip, and her mind in it could tell ..."
"NO!" You almost choke saying it and do spit a piece of pickle over Caleb's shoulder. "I don't want that, especially after last evening."
"So truly, you don't actually remember what it was about Jeremy that got you upset?"
"Yeah," you breath thoughtfully and pause thinking before continuing. "It's weird, but by the time I hit the sack, it had faded. I think the memories are only good as long as you have the mask on with, maybe, a little residual time. The only thing I remember is that I felt sick and depressed. Don't know now if that was my reaction or his feelings, though."
"Maybe we should experiment some more so we know better how to use these things."
Caleb is always the more scientific method type, good with math and science. It's why he wants to get a part-time or summer job at Salopek where your dad works.
"Not with Jeremy or Lisa."
"Maybe we should do one of each other. That way we each have leverage on the other not to spill anything. This book so far is really heavy stuff. If we're not careful, something bad could easily happen. Look how Jeremy's mind almost took control." He shivers and then shakes his head as he glances into space remembering.
"I'll keep it in mind - after we get the spell. I gotta go meet Lisa. By the way, have you seen Geoff or heard him say anything about Lisa today? He's in a couple of your classes."
"I still think you're wasting your time on her. But for what it's worth, he was really upset about Lisa having you along at the movies, and when Jeremy joined as well, and she fell asleep," he snickers since it was him and the mind strip. "He wants her full attention. Kinda possessive, dude."
"Thanks," and you scurry off to Lisa.
* * *
Your meeting with Lisa goes very well. You get a more exact translation, she's actually impressed you're researching something sounding important (points scored), and she doesn't ask any questions. You also mention what Caleb told you about Geoff and give her your honest opinion, without any bias for some reason, saying he's OK but not the type of friend you'd have. She thanks you with a hug, though the physical contact was obviously just as a friend. Maybe you are too nice and need to be more assertive.
* * *
After school at the clubhouse, Caleb and you start discussing how best to get the ingredients especially the one you had problems translating.
"I told you. It means roughly four hundred pounds or about a cubic yard."
"You're sure? These old time measures of stones and hands and cubits and stuff aren't always exact."
"Look. I got this from Wikipedia. You want to challenge that? And the school's online Britannica says the same. Lisa was pretty sure of that as well. Three expert sources."
"Dude, you bring her into everything. Maybe we should invite her to join the club."
He moves a hand to his face, and you give him an evil stare which causes him to raise his hands to his chest palms forward.
"OK. I'll drop it about her. So where do we get four hundred pounds of cemetery dirt?"
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