MIND CONTROL 2
A short story by Alvin Atwater
Continued three days after story one…
“What do you want, so late, Gemini?” I said softly. She stood outside of my open window.
“I wanted to show you something, Matt. I know it’s midnight, but I couldn’t sleep after discovering something so epic. I wanted to wait until the morning but you know…”
“Alright, alright, just keep quite. I don’t want my uncle getting the wrong idea.” Gemini crawled into my window, tripped over my prized basketball signed by Jordan himself, and fell on top of me. I groaned in pain. “Get off.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Gemini said as she stood.
“What’s so important that you had to interrupt my amazing dream?” I asked as I sat up.
“Is it a dream of –” Gemini started to ask but I quickly interrupted her.
“No. I told you already, I don’t have any crush. That’s just a stupid rumor Chelsea started –and besides, Brandon likes her.”
“Surrrree,” she said.
“Whatever. Are you jealous?”
“Don’t get full of yourself,” Gemini said. “Anyway, these are what I wanted to show you.”
She revealed a bag and pulled two black drumsticks from them. I stared at her blankly.
“You’re kidding me right? What’s so amazing about these?”
“Watch, idiot. I wouldn’t come all the way here with just plain sticks.” Gemini pointed one of the sticks at my basketball. Suddenly, it floated in midair. I jumped back, startled.
“Holy…whoa, what the hell?” I was at a loss of words. Then it came back to me: I’m dealing with Gemini here. “You stole these from the Mystery Club didn’t you?”
“Not really. My assignment is to investigate wands which were found in a box hidden in lost Iyan tribe ceremonial ruins.”
“The Iyans huh?” I said with a sigh, “not those guys again.”
“Oh come on, you know they’re fun.”
Gemini gave the wand another wave, which allowed my basketball to descend. She tossed me the second one. “You’re helping me with the research.”
I tossed the wand back to her. “Nope! Not happening. I want nothing more to do with the Iyans.”
Gemini sat on my bed. “I’m part Iyan. Are you saying you want nothing more to do with me?”
That sentence sort of shook my nerves a bit. I’ve known Gemini since we were kids and we’ve definitely had our share of good times and bad times. Even the bad times were somewhat fun, but the cost of this was pain and embarrassment…oh, so much embarrassment … Such a cruel price to pay –me—a boy who wished for nothing more than just a normal life. That aside, I knew Gemini even before I met Brandon, so saying something that wouldn’t annihilate this friendship wasn’t quite easy. But if I don’t think of anything, Gemini and her way-too-smart brain will barge the Iyans into my life. I’ll be done for! “Don’t put it that way. I just don’t want to bother their objects anymore.”
“I’m giving you permission to bother them.”
“I still don’t want to get involved any further with the Iyans. No offense, but you’re already a handful.”
“Don’t make me use something like mind control in order to force you to help.”
I snapped from my half-asleep state.
“Don’t even think about it. Those gems are all gone for good. I can finally relax without dealing with your mind-controlling pranks.”
“Are you sure about that?” Gemini smirked. “What if my ancestors made copies of each crest –demand, love, hate, and kindness? Are you sure it’s not the “norm” to make more than one product?”
“You’re kidding me…”
Gemini laughed at my pale face. “It’s okay; I don’t have any of the backup gems. It is said that those copies vanished days after the Iyans supposedly went mad.” Gemini suddenly crawled over toward me and whispered, “what if I said I knew the truth about the Iyans.”
“Am I supposed to care about the truth?” I said. “Anyway whether you use my mind control or not, I doubt I’d be of any use. I’m not an archaeologist.”
“It matters not, I just want you to do the research with me,” Gemini stated.
I flushed and quickly said, “Whatever. I just want to go to sleep.”
“Can I stay over?”
“What? No! Go home.”
“I’m staying over,” Gemini laughed and crawled into my bed.
“Dammit. I really don’t want the floor,” I muttered.
“Then sleep with me.”
“The floor it is,” I quickly said.
“Oh come on, the bottom half of the bed isn’t that bad.”
“Maybe if you didn’t kick in your sleep,” I said with a sigh, remember the last time I took the bottom half of the bed. The kicks almost erased any chance of me producing kids.
Gemini giggled. “Sorry.”
“Eleven years too late.” I grabbed an extra blanket and pillow out of my closet. Good thing my floor had thick carpet. “Night, I guess.”
“Goodnight,” Gemini replied.
The next morning I awoke to the sound of my shower and Gemini’s annoying singing. I lazily glanced at my opened drawer that contained my extra-unused toothbrushes, shower gel, and other morning things. Well, I’m used to Gemini barging over randomly. She could have at least closed the drawer. Gemini and I were complete opposites in the morning –and that’s why I took showers at night.
Why me? I thought as I slipped into my clothes for today. I glanced at the two drumsticks on my bed. “I can’t believe magic wands actually exist.” I snatched one off the bed, pointed it at the door of my bathroom –but quickly regained my senses. Waving the wand at the moment would automatically become a crime. Just then, Gemini “hit” a high note on a word of her song, which startled me. One could guess what happened after that. Yes, I waved the wand and for some reason, the door became transparent. Steam flooded my room.
“Matt, you idiot, wave it again to undo the transparency! The cold air is coming in!” Gemini shouted over the roaring shower. I did and just like that, my door was fixed.
“Sorry about that,” I shouted, silently debating if I meant that or not. These sticks apparently reacted differently depending on the object. But why did it make the door transparent –I could have been killed by Gemini! This wand must have a mind of its own. I placed it back on the bed. “Kind of sucks that I’m stuck having to research these things.” I headed into the kitchen and sighed. Same old boring morning where Uncle resided at work. I opened the fridge and immediately locked onto the milk. Good morning milk, allow me to introduce you to a bowl of cereal. Cinnamon Toast Crunch is still the best.
“Wait, Matt –let me make breakfast,” Gemini said as she walked into the kitchen.
“First of all, no. Second, where’d you get the change of clothes?” If she actually left the house, she would’ve stayed home and used her own shower, right?
“I used the wand to teleport them here,” Gemini answered. How’d she get the wand to obey her wish?
“Tha –that’s impossible…well, maybe not considering the Iyans managed to make mind controlling gemstones.” I poured the cereal into a clean bowl followed by the milk. Gemini grabbed a protein bar from atop of the fridge.
“After Mystery Club today, want to grab a smoothie?”
“Nah, I have plans with Brandon and the guys,” I answered.
“Awe. Tomorrow then?”
“Plans with Br –”
“Why does it feel like you’re coming up with ways to avoid me?”
“Nope, I’m not devising anything –those plans have been already discussed,” I laughed. “And besides, I’m pretty sure I’d have enough of you during school hours.”
I silently gasped when I saw a look on her face that I’d never witnessed before. Gemini’s sad face –I think I’m the first to see it. There’s something I hated about myself and that was instant guilt. “I was just kidding,” I said. “How about this, even though Brandon and the guys are going to kill me for this, I’ll hang with you for smoothies. Should be buy one get another free Wednesday.”
“Okay,” Gemini’s sad face vanished and I felt relief. She may be annoying but secretly, we’re closer as best friends compared to Brandon and myself. I say secretly because Gemini ANNOYED me half the time (see story one) which led up to people seeing me avoid contact with her. Sometimes I wondered why I kept Gemini as a friend despite the fact that she’d use Iyan “magic” on me.
Anyway, after classes, Brandon and I headed for the club. Chelsea (once again, see story one) bumped into us in the hall, dropping a few books. Brandon immediately picked them up for her.
“Thanks Brandon. You’re faster acting in comparison with Gemini’s man.”
“Don’t start,” I said lightly.
“What’s this? Not strongly denying it anymore?” Chelsea continued.
“Well, Gemini’s really cute, right?” Brandon said. “I wouldn’t blame him.”
“You’re not helping,” I half-snarled. “Come on; let’s go before Kate orders a bounty on our heads.”
“It’s either Gemini or …what’s the name of the girl from our English class that likes you –Rachael?”
“What?” I hissed. “What does she have to do with me?” I could feel Brandon’s relief. Luckily for him, I really had no feelings whatsoever for Rachael.
“Okay, I think he’s had enough teasing for today. We’ve got to get going before Kate assigns us the crappy leftover work.” Oh now he takes up for me… Sigh. To be honest, I endured being teased with the dating Gemini jokes far longer than I could remember. I’m used to them. Not that they really bothered me in the first place. I’d take the jokes over mind-controlling Iyan craft any day. What I didn’t want was a reputation emerging as a two-timer –every girl would hate me. Anyway, Matt and I halted in our tracks when we entered the Mystery Clubroom.
“You two are just in time,” Kate said with a cheerful but evil smile on her face. “We’re introducing our newest member, Rachael Foster.” I secretly grimaced. “She’s also going to join your group. It’s better to have our strongest members teach her the ways of the mystery club.”
Gemini and I briefly engaged in eye contact and within a split second sent out a message that said, “This sucks.”
This was probably good for Brandon in a sense that he gets to sit with his crush but bad for me because I’m trapped in a stupid love triangle. WHY ME? GO AWAY YOU STUPID TRIANGLE ---BOTHER SOMEONE ELSE!
We sat our usual spots. Both Gemini and Rachael unfortunately surrounded me. Maybe pretending to not notice the seating arrangement may make things easier.
“I guess Gemini could introduce our new project,” I suggested.
“Sure,” she said and pulled the two wands from the bag she had them in yesterday.
“Sticks?” Rachael said.
“No, they’re wands created by an ancient tribe called the Iyans,” Gemini explained.
“Oh not those guys again,” Brandon groaned.
“That’s what I said,” I told Brandon.
“The Iyans must be an interesting bunch,” Rachael said.
“They are,” Gemini told Rachael. “The tribe specializes in the creation of limit-breaking objects.”
“Limit-breaking? You mean something that can’t normally be done right?” Rachael asked. I didn’t like where this was going. At this rate, she’d turn into a second Gemini.
“Anyway,” I said, breaking through Gemini’s next sentence. “Shall we assign everyone a portion of the research and call it a day?”
“Yeah, I guess,” Brandon, said. “Why don’t you assign the parts, Matt?”
“Alright, Brandon and Rachael will gather evidence from the web linking these wands to the Iyans. I’ll obtain history and Gemini will continue unlocking more of those abilit –” I stopped, realizing what I was about to assign. “On second thought, Gemini will gather the history behind the wands and I’ll create notes on the wands’ abilities.”
“Wait, I don’t like this setup,” Rachael’s leg nudged mine as she stood and slammed her palms against the table. Of course, it made no noise, which confirmed the rumors of her being very weak. (She often used guys to carry many things –but I guess that was probably a common trait of a most girls these days…I think.)
“I agree with Rachael,” Gemini said.
“What’s wrong with this setup?” I challenged, shaking my head slightly.
“I don’t trust the internet –and I’d rather work hands on anyway.”
“Maybe she should work with you,” Kate said as she deserted another group. I could feel her evil (and annoying) aura stirring.
“No, Iyan items isn’t something beginners should tamper with,” I said.
“He’s got a point,” Gemini agreed. Kate didn’t appear to be half-convinced.
“I see no point,” Kate said with authority into her voice. “The best way for beginners to learn is to tackle the object head-on with the supervision of an experienced member. Especially if that experienced member is an officer. So, I’m personally assigning Matt to show Rachael the ropes –and teach her how to create your perfect notes.”
“No way! He hasn’t even shown me how to make those notes,” Gemini outburst. Everyone stopped what they were doing just to glare at her. She quickly sat. “Sorry.” They nodded away and continued their projects.
“As I was saying, Matt you’re responsible for Rachael, got it?” Kate said. She stood behind Rachael, so Rachael couldn’t see her and grinned evilly at me. I felt jealously (don’t ask me how) ooze rapidly from Brandon. If I didn’t do something about this, I’d look like a jerk and hurt his chances.
“No-no-no,” I fought, “this isn’t going to work. I’m no good at instructing beginners –”
Rachael grabbed my arm. “It’s okay, I’ll pay attention –and I’m a fast learner.”
“Brandon’s better at –”
“I’m sure he is, but Kate assigned you to tutor me –there’s no need to trouble him.”
Okay, now she’s really starting to irritate me. For some reason, I could feel something terrible oozing from Gemini…I think she’s probably annoyed with Rachael as well, but we really couldn’t pin too much pressure on a newbie. I just want out of the love triangle!
“Well, I think this is settled,” Kate said with a smile.
“But –”
“What is it, Gemini?” Kate shot her an invisible glare.
“We’ll just do this as a group!” I desperately said. I quickly interrupted Kate’s upcoming objection with, “now that that’s settled I have to leave early. I forgot that my uncle wanted me to run some errands for him and I’d really rather not make him mad or that means no allowance for the week.” I dashed out of the clubroom satisfied with my lie. Sorry Rachael, but I win and Kate loses. At least for now –I’d probably face her attitude the next day.
In the hall, I nearly bumped into Chelsea.
“Well, if it isn’t Popular Man,” she laughed.
“Whatever. Hey, can I borrow your cell. I left mine at home.”
Awkward silence. “Try not to break it,” she said as she pulled it out of her purse.
I sent Gemini a text telling her that I’d meet her at Smoothie Queen. Then I erased the sent box so that Chelsea wouldn’t have something to mold a rumor from. “Thanks,” I said as I returned the phone.
“Texting your girlfriend?”
“No –she’s not –”
“I’m willing to bet she’s going to make Gemini so jealous.”
“You know, I feel like I’m talking to a wall rather than you,” I said and then started toward the exit. “See ya.”
It didn’t take Gemini too long to arrive at Smoothie Queen. Unfortunately, she didn’t arrive alone –I spotted her from afar accompanied by Brandon and Rachael. Luckily, they didn’t see me yet, so I oozed out of the open. There’s no way I’m going to let them catch onto the lie –I’d never get out of the grasp of Kate or even possible blackmail.
When they were turned around, I darted out of the store and bolted for freedom. Sorry Gemini…I’ll make it up to you later is what I wanted to think but…………. I found myself back into the store and standing beside Gemini. The wand in her hand indicated that she teleported me here. Holy shit she can teleport people… I must get rid of the wands.
“Hey—what the heck –my uncle’s going to kill me!” I wanted to at least act.
“But you promised,” Gemini said tapping the wand against the table.
“That’s amazing, Gemini,” Rachael awed. “You’ve got to teach me how to do that.” No, she doesn’t, I thought. She will not. Ever.
The tables of Smoothie Queen were square and had two chairs on each side. Gemini and I sat together whereas Brandon with Rachael. The downside is that I had to face her. He extended stares and gazes were awkward. The conversation was decent at the least. Every two minutes or so, Brandon would send me a look that probably said, “If you steal her from me, I’ll eradicate you.” Okay, so maybe that’s a little exaggerated since Brandon is normally harmless. He’s probably like one of those guys that claimed to be a lover not a fighter. After several minutes, I just couldn’t take any more of this.
“Well, I’m going to head home and explain to my uncle why I couldn’t help him,” I half lied.
“I’ll go with you and help apologize. I’m sure he’ll understand,” Rachael said.
“No that’s okay,” I said.
“No, I insist,” Rachael pursued.
“My uncle doesn’t like company, so I –”
“I’m going and that’s final!” Rachael said in a voice that I somehow couldn’t object. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” she told Gemini and Brandon. I gave Brandon a reassuring look and his face lightened up. He needs to man up and get her off me.
“I guess I’ll go home too,” he said in a relaxed voice. Gemini on the other hand didn’t look relaxed. She probably disliked Rachael –but whatever her problem is, it has nothing to do with me, right…?
Rachael and I arrived to my house within eight minutes. As expected, Uncle wasn’t home.
“Well, he’s out,” I told Rachael. “I’ll see you in Mystery Club tomorrow then?”
A tear dripped from Rachael’s face. I gasped and didn’t say anything else. I’d be pissed too if I walked all this way only to be sent home. “Matt, do you dislike me?”
I sighed. “No. What’s the –”
“Then why are you trying to avoid me? Have I done something that offended you –please tell me, because I deeply apologize for it.”
“You’ve done nothing wrong,” I retorted.
“Then please accept my feelings,” she said. I nearly fell. Honestly, I felt sort of bad since her feelings were being wasted. I know I sound like a total jerk, but love triangles aren’t my thing. MAN, Brandon needs to put in more effort!
“I’m sorry,” I told her. “I –”
“Why!?” she cried, tears streaming from her eyes. She buried her face into my chest. I had to think of something quick, even if it was a lie. Think! Think!
“I…have someone else I like,” I confessed. Suddenly she chuckled. I realized I screwed up kicking her emotions while she was already down.
“Oh really? And does that person even care about your existence?”
“She does…I think,” I said. Oh no…where am I going with this?
“I see,” Rachael’s face was still buried into my chest. Suddenly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a purple gemstone. I dashed away from her as I realized what she grasped.
“Rachael…how and why –where did you get that?” I asked nervously. The type of gem she held was quite terrifying. I recalled the four types of mind controlling gems produced by the Iyans. Blue is demand, red is love, yellow is kindness, and purple is hatred.
“I joined the mystery club to research this,” she answered. “Don’t worry, I won’t use it on you. I just wanted to give it to you as a gift right after you said you’d go out with me…” More tears and boom, instant guilt but I’d rather not see Brandon’s miserable face. “So, who is the lucky girl? Is it Gemini?”
“Who knows,” I said. “There’s no way I’d tell.”
“You know, you’re really a jerk!” Rachael snarled. “I’ve liked you for two years.”
“And I’ve like him since we were five,” a voice said from behind. I turned around and froze as Gemini approached. She stopped beside me.
“Stay back or I’ll use this gem,” Rachael snarled.
“Hand it over,” Gemini said softly. “That gem belongs to my family.”
Rachael laughed. “Try and take it but you should know what happens when you step within its range circle.”
Gemini smirked. “Miss rejected, acting like the world resolves around her.”
“Gemini, don –” I started to say. I hoped she realized she acted the same way.
“Screw you!” Rachael darted toward her and took aim with the gem. Gemini unsheathed a wand, gave it a wave but nothing happened.
“Huh?” Gemini gasped.
“You’re mine! I can’t believe you didn’t know these gems repelled projectile magic whenever the user stepped into their range circles.” Rachael tapped the gemstone, which flickered briefly. “Hate Matt! Use the wand on him!” Gemini turned to me with a look in her eyes in which I’d never seen before. That gemstone was no joke! She pointed the wand at me. “Wait a second, Gemini.” She obeyed Rachael’s command. Were there similarities to the blue gem with this? My hands were raised in the air as if I was at gunpoint. Well, one could technically call this gunpoint… “Matt, do you have any idea how much it hurts to get rejected so coldly. You said you didn’t dislike me and even said you liked someone else. But, I just can’t accept this.”
“I’m being considerate,” I told her.
“Of what?”
“You’ll know soon,” Brandon said as he swooped in from behind. He tossed me something. I glanced at it and gasped. The yellow gemstone. “This gemstone is the opposite of the purple so it automatically cancels out purple’s effect. I found it on Kate’s desk and borrowed it.”
“Oh no you don’t! Gemini attack while avoiding its range circle!” Gemini obeyed. She pointed her wand at several rocks and had them launched at us like bullets. We barely evaded them.
“Make her stop –that’s dangerous!” I snarled.
“Gemini hold it!”
“No, I must hurt the one I hate,” she said in a monotone and bolted toward me.
“I –I –I can’t make her stop!” Rachael stuttered.
“See, that’s why I hate those gems,” I said as I made a run for it. Gemini waved her wand and teleported in front of me. She balled her fist and swung. I smirked and easily dodged it. “I’ve known you since we were kids. You’re a fast runner but hated fighting.”
I tapped my yellow gemstone. Its flicker made Gemini stop.
“Wha…what was I doing?” she said. I was so glad that she returned to normal and not trying to kill us that I hugged her. I released her seconds later. “What’s going on?” she said dumbfounded.
“Don’t as—” a sharp pain jolted into my leg (cramps suck!) and I nearly tripped. The yellow gemstone, which I once grasped, flew into the air as if it leapt out of my hand on its own accord, and collided with the purple. “Oh here we go –run!”
Rachael dropped the purple stone and we hightailed it to a safe distance, watched the stones shimmer and boom! They were nothing but a memory after that… Good thing my house wasn’t in range of that explosion.
“Oh no, I dropped the wands,” Gemini whined.
“…They were caught in the explosion,” Brandon said.
I looked at Gemini and she looked at me. “What do we tell Kate this time?” I asked.
“What do you mean this time?” Rachael said.
“Nothing,” I laughed.
Rachael glared at Brandon. “It’s your fault…but thank you…” She started walking away but stopped shortly. “Don’t think I’m giving up, yet.” She ran.
“You don’t give up either,” Gemini told Brandon.
“And neither should you,” Brandon told her. I slowly tiptoed away as he patted her on the shoulder.
“Hey, Ma—wait up, Matt!” Gemini called.
“No thanks, I hate explosions,” I replied.
“You can’t run away from me!”
Should I repeat last story’s ending? This isn’t the first time Gemini and I managed to destroy Mystery Club objects. If we weren’t the best officers (and the most loved) in the club, Kate probably would’ve thrown us out. WELL, I won’t entirely repeat it. Now on my plate rested a stupid love triangle and the continuing threat of Gemini discovering more Iyan items. You know, I’m really getting tired of those guys. Why didn’t they burn their items before disappearing!
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