Chapter XXIV Part I

Every day after school since football season ended, Evan Wright would go out to the track with his football buddies and do some exercise drills. Even though he had basketball practice in the morning, he still liked to do the extra work to keep his body as strong and fit as it was. He took pride in the way he looked and the extra drills after school was exactly what he wanted to keep himself fit and even perhaps improve his body. After all, not only had his appearance attracted plenty of girls in the past, but it also kept other guys from standing up to them. They all knew he was better than them and that, if they tried to take him on, they’d get their ass beat. The thought made him recall the look of fear on the face of Jay Brooks nearly an hour and a half earlier when he and Steven had cornered the boy. After all, there wasn’t a single doubt in anybody’s mind that Brooks wouldn’t have been able to take even one of them, let alone both. Had Damien Clark not arrived and scared Steven off, the curly-haired shit would have probably wound up crying on the concrete for making his move on Rina.

Evan scoffed, glancing over his shoulder to where Steven was gathering some of his things from the bleachers. He was waiting for his friend by the gate so they could take their usual route home but part of him just felt like ditching him. He still couldn’t get over how much of a coward Steven was when confronted by Clark. Evan knew the rumors about him were all exaggerations that everybody took far too seriously. All it would take was one chance to beat the shit out of the fuck to show everybody that Damien Clark wasn’t anybody they had to fear. Even with Brooks around, Evan was certain they could have taken them both if Steven hadn’t run with his tail between his legs.

Finally, the tall, broad-shouldered red-head turned and descended the bleachers before landing on the snow-covered track and making his way over to the iron fence and the school’s gate where Evan was standing.

“Alright, let’s get out of here,” Steven grunted. “I gotta get home and do that fuckin’ history essay.”

Evan scoffed, as they walked out onto the street of the neighborhood, eyeing his friend irritably. “You’re actually going to do that? Man, fuck that. I’m not wasting my time on some stupid-ass paper. Who cares about all that unification shit.”

He expected the other boy to agree with him but, as he had been doing lately, Steven instead frowned.

“I mean, I hear you, dude, but like, it is kinda interesting,” he replied. “I mean, you can’t deny that it’s impressive how only a handful of people could unify an entire continent. I think if you actually read the book then you might enjoy some of it.”

“Fuck you,” Evan snapped. “So what? You’re a goddamn book nerd now? Give me a break. Don’t tell me you give a fuck about grades now, too? “

Steven shook his head. “As if, man. I’m not any good at school. I’m going to fail anyway, but I’m just sayin’ that it’s not all bad.”

“Sure, whatever,” he growled. “Next thing you know, you’re going to be going to Fischer’s stupid fucking tutor, too, huh? Gonna become a pussy like him?”

Steven snorted, sticking his hands in his pockets as he looked around at the decorated houses on either side of them, their footsteps crunching in the blanket of snow that covered the sidewalk.

“Dude, shut up,” Steven spat.

Even though Steven might deny it, Evan knew that Brad’s recent interest in class was starting to rub off on not just him, but the whole team. Ever since he started studying with Ellie Kaylyn from the soccer team, some of the other football guys had begun putting more effort into school, leaving Evan as the only one left who still knew classes to be the waste of time that they actually were. If his parents weren’t such controlling maniacs then he knew he probably wouldn’t bother even showing up. If he could slip around his ridiculously strict father then he absolutely would. However, his old man had eyes like a hawk and so, he hadn’t found a way to sneak out without him knowing.

“So,” Evan hissed, wanting to change the subject to what he actually wanted to talk about. “I still can’t believe Clark made you piss your pants, Steven. I’ve never seen you run like that before.”

Steven immediately turned a glare upon him, one Evan met with a challenging look of his own.

“I already told you, Even,” he snarled. “I am not getting wrapped up with Damien Clark. Brooks wasn’t worth it. He’s just a pathetic little weasel! Like hell I’m going to fight Clark for an ugly little shit like him!”

“Why not?!” Evan demanded. “I was there! We could’ve ganged up on his ass and left him bloody on the ground where people like him belong. I can’t fucking believe how many of you supposed ‘tough guys’ shit yourselves over that lousy little bastard! Where’s your fuckin’ pride.”

Steven scowled, turning away from Evan. “You didn’t go to middle school with us, Evan. You don’t know Damien Clark. He coulda taken us, no fucking problem. I’ve seen him throw down with more and win and that was five damn years ago! I am not about to find out how much he’s improved since then! So get over yourself and leave Clark alone.”

With that, the red haired boy increased his pace without even a “see ya” and rounded a corner that would take him a different path home. Evan watched after him in disgust, finding himself tempted just to go and track Clark down for the sole purpose of kicking his ass and showing everybody how utterly stupid they all were. However, he knew that he should just leave it be for the time being. If he got his ass suspended, or even arrested, then he would have hell to pay with his father. He might be okay breaking the rules but he was determined never to get caught. That was the only thing keeping him from taking Clark on.

Evan sighed, noticing a small pathway between two houses that he knew would be a shortcut to his house through the woods that encircled the western side of Wilham. It was his normal route and, since the sun was already setting and, combined with the overcast sky, would make it hard to see soon, he figured he needed to hurry home. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he made his way toward the dirt path and began following it into the mass of trees beyond. The snow crunched even louder under his feet since the path was one less traveled on and thus, was still mostly covered in white powder. The trees spread out on either side of him with pale streetlamps already activated and casting some light upon the road. Normally, Steven would have gone with him but, given their argument, he was perfectly fine walking on his own. He didn’t want to have to keep listening to Steven whining about how scary Clark was.

The only sound came from his feet in the otherwise silent woods so he simply focussed on the soft footsteps, letting his mind wander as he did. It was because he was paying some attention to the sounds of his steps that he immediately noticed a second set just up ahead. Evan scowled, figuring it was someone who lived nearby out for a walk so he raised his head to glare at them as a warning to leave him alone when he suddenly stopped in surprise.

“Good afternoon, dear Evan,” Vinny Mickelson called out, a wicked grin on his face. The blonde boy was standing nearly thirty yards ahead of him, firmly in his way.

Evan couldn't help but to smirk. He’d been itching for a fight all day and now, there Mickelson was, standing before him in a part of the woods where they were the only ones around. It was like the boy was begging to get his ass beat, something Evan was absolutely willing to take him up on.

“The fuck you want, Mickelson?” Evan spat.

The other boy shrugged, glancing around as if to ensure they were alone.

“Good question,” he replied. “Well, I suppose there’s a lot I want. I want money. I want A’s. Oh, and I’d like to see you drop down on one knee and kiss my boot like the little shit-stain you are.”

Evan couldn’t help but to laugh mirthlessly.

He really is challenging me. Good.

“Is that so?” Evan growled. “Well then, come and fuckin’ make me, why don’t you? You think you’re invincible just because you’re buddies with Clark? You think you can walk right up to me and say whatever the fuck you want? Well, I’m not scared of Clark and I’m absolutely not scared of a wimp like you. So why don’t you—!”

Without warning, Mickelson pulled his hand back and threw something directly at him. The boy jumped to the side despite whatever it was flying way past his head. When Evan turned back to look, he saw a little acorn laying in the snow. He gritted his teeth and was about to turn and charge his opponent when he realized that Mickelson had already begun sprinting off the path and into the trees.

“Oh like hell you’re gonna get away!”

Evan took off after him, knowing full well that Mickelson wouldn’t be able to outrun him. He was on the football team and the other boy looked like he had never played a sport in his life with how scrawny he was. He could see Mickelson just up ahead, dodging and weaving through trees as he tried to make his escape, but Evan was quickly gaining ground on him. Within a minute, he would almost assuredly be right on top of him. Evan’s predictions seemed to be almost spot on as, after nearly thirty seconds, Mickelson was barely ten yards away. However, something happened that he hadn’t expected.

Just up ahead, Evan could make out a rickety old wooden house that Mickelson was obviously making a b-line for. He didn’t know what it was or why the boy would be trying to go there but he knew that, even if the whole Magic Club was there to ambush him, it wouldn’t matter. He’d beat the shit out of all of them without a second thought. In fact, part of him hoped Mickelson was leading him to an ambush so he could do just that. Part of his suspicion was confirmed when the blonde boy turned and bounded up a decaying porch and toward the shack’s front door, which he immediately ran into. Evan was only seconds behind him, jumping over the two steps of the porch and stalking through the doorway.

There was a small entry hall just in front of him that probably led into a main room just ahead. There was no sign of Mickelson so, unless he jumped out of a window, he should be just up ahead. When Evan dashed forward and into the next room, he found the boy waiting for him, leaning up against the opposite wall, out of breath. Evan expected there to be something waiting for him but the room was empty of both people and furniture, with the exception of one wooden chair just beside Mickelson. What Evan was most weary of was a small hallway to his right that he knew could have others waiting within. Otherwise, it was obvious the shack was abandoned.

“Thought you could fuckin’ run?” Evan hissed. “Like hell, you little shit. I’m so gonna kill you now. You’re going to regret ever being born.”

He expected Mickelson to show at least some fear but, having appeared to have caught his breath, the boy merely smiled.

“Oh really?” he asked. “Me? I’m gonna regret being born? I seriously doubt it. In fact, I think you’re the one who’s going to regret it.”

Evan snorted, hearing the sound of footsteps coming from the hallway as if Mickelson’s words had been the cue to enter. When he turned to look, he found himself almost disappointed. Rather than being somebody like Clark, the one who walked out of the hallway was none other than the boy from earlier, Jay Brooks.

“Hey there, Wright,” Brooks said, with a slight shake to his voice. “Good to see you again. It’s been a while.”

Evan eyed the newcomer with a cocked eyebrow. “And? Am I supposed to be intimidated by a fucker who looks like a little girl? Is this loser really all you have for backup, Mickelson? I could take you both with my eyes closed!”

The blonde boy shrugged. “Then, by all means, do it.”

With that, Brooks sprung forward, his first clenched in preparation of attacking Evan. At the same time, Mickelson darted forward as well, both preparing to converge on him at once. While he didn’t think either posed much of a threat, he decided to prepare for Brooks first since he was closer. So, he turned to meet him head on, bringing his arms up to block the oncoming blow. However, he found himself surprised when, rather than throwing a punch, Brooks spread his arms wide and wrapped them around him as if trying to give him a hug. Evan reacted quickly, pulling his fist up to shove it into Brooks’ gut but, just as he was about to, he saw Mickelson’s fist fly toward his face from the left. He lunged forward, trying to shove Brooks and avoid Mickelson but, just as he was about to, something unexpected happened.

The entire world vanished and he was enveloped in a sea of white.

What the fuck?! What’s happening?!

He tried to move but found himself without a body, suspended in the senseless world. Just as the panic and confusion were about to set in completely, he found himself once again standing in the cabin. He blinked, his vision slightly blurry, as he tried to get his bearings but, before he could even try to process what happened, he felt an excruciating pain shoot through his head and before he knew it, he was laying on the ground.

“Wha—!” he sputtered.

He tried to react but was suddenly grabbed by the collar of his uniform and hurled upwards. Before he knew it, he was sitting on a wooden surface that he could only assume was the chair.

“Now!” he heard someone call.

He opened his mouth to speak but, before he could say anything, something sticky was pressed over it, preventing him from making any sound aside from muffled grunts. Then, deciding he should try and move, he tried to get up but was shoved back into the chair as his arms were yanked back behind it. He felt a painful sensation against his wrists and suddenly, he found them bound together and he knew his hands had been tied together.

What the fuck?! What’s happening?! What did Mickelson do?!

As the pain gradually began to lessen, his vision got more defined, giving him the chance he needed to gather his bearings. However, when he finally looked up at the two boys before him, his eyes went wide. What he was staring at was utterly impossible. It couldn’t have been real and part of him wondered if he had a concussion that was causing him to hallucinate.

“I promise that you aren’t hallucinating,” the boy before him said, as if reading his mind. “This is as real as anything else. After all, Wright, we have always said we have magic. Now, you’re just getting to see it with your own eyes. Lucky you.”

Standing there, in front of Jay Brooks, was himself, eyeing him with a look so smug that a part of him knew what it was that must have happened. But he couldn’t fathom it being real. After all, it was absurd. The Magic Club was a bunch of psych ward patients allowed to run freely around the school. They couldn’t have been telling the truth.

“Brooks,” his body said. “Get our guest a mirror.”

Brooks sighed, reaching into the pocket of his pants to produce a small, circular hand mirror that he immediately held up to Evan’s face. And what he saw made his blood go cold.

The face in the mirror wasn’t his. It was Mickelson’s.

Through some impossible method, Vinny Mickelson stole his body.

***

For a while, Evan struggled helplessly to get out of the chair but, to Jay’s relief, the rope they had picked up from the hardware store on their way there was strong enough to keep him in place for the time being despite how relatively cheap it was. In addition, he wouldn’t be able to call for help due to the duct tape Vinny had placed over his mouth so, even if they hadn’t been in the middle of the woods, nobody would have heard him. Then there was the fact that Vinny wasn't a physical threat so, by sticking Evan in his body, it diminished the boy’s strength by a significant amount. Overall, Evan had fallen into their trap so easily that Jay might have found it funny had he not been feeling like he was about to throw up.

He glanced over his shoulder to see Vinny in Evan’s body, on the phone talking to Rina in the corner of the room. While Vinny didn’t talk exactly like Evan, it was close enough that anybody unaware of the gem’s existence wouldn’t be able to tell that he wasn’t who he claimed to be. Until Vinny put the next step of his plan into action, Rina Davens would be clueless. Yet, it was that next step that made Jay want to curl up in the corner and die. It was such a horrible thing to do to her that he wanted to convince Vinny not to. Regardless of what Rina had done, she was still someone he had once considered a friend, and he wasn’t sure he could live with what was about to happen in his conscience. But when he expressed his worries to Vinny, the boy had given him a stern look and said,

“You need to push those feelings aside, Brooks. Think about what Rina is willing to do to Alice. Think about how, not two hours ago, she accused you of trying to molest her right in front of her boyfriend, knowing full well that he would beat your ass. The only reason you’re okay is because Damien was watching over you. Otherwise, you’d have a black eye or something worse right now. Don’t forget that.”

As Vinny’s words replayed in his mind, Jay couldn’t help but to grind his teeth in frustration. He knew that the boy was right and that he shouldn’t feel bad but, after hearing what Vinny intended to do to her, he just couldn’t bring himself to accept it. He was about to be an accomplice in something terrible but, now, he was too deep into the plan to back out. After buying what they needed from the nearby hardware store, they had successfully lured Evan to the shack and stolen his body. Now, the boy would be unable to stop them and they could deal with Rina, assuming she took the bait. Soon, Alice would be okay and the problem would be resolved. He just had to bite his tongue and endure it.

But how am I supposed to just endure this? he asked himself once again. And to do it all here...in this place.

He looked away from Vinny and turned his attention to the rickety old house. He hadn’t been there in years and he had tried his best not to think about it. It was a place from his past that no longer held anything happy for him to come to. When they were younger, it was where he, Alice, Rina, and Audrey would sneak off to play. It was a hideout of sorts and he could recall so many days where they would sneak into the abandoned house to play. When Vinny asked if he knew of anywhere secluded, his thoughts had come to this place—a place he hadn’t visited since before everything fell apart.

And now...in our hideout, I’m plotting to help Vinny do something horrible to Rina. God...no matter what I do, I’m always utterly pathetic. Why am I even having second thoughts? Rina shouldn’t mean anything to me anymore. I should hate her. If I have to hurt her to protect Alice then I should be willing to do so. So why? Why can’t I accept this?

He looked back over at Vinny, seeing the determination in his eyes.

He’s the one Alice needs. Not me. Mickelson is willing to go to hell for her. I can’t even betray somebody hurting Alice. Maybe...she’ll be better off with him. Maybe she doesn’t need me anymore...if she ever really did.

“Alright, I’ll see you in a moment,” Vinny said before pocketing the phone and looking back at Jay with a smug smirk that was fitting on Evan’s features. “She said she’s home alone and will be for most of the night. We’re good to go, Brooks.”

He swallowed nervously, having partly hoped that something would stand in the way of Vinny’s plan.

“Great,” he replied weakly. “Then are you taking off?”

Vinny nodded, glancing past Jay to where Evan was now sitting quietly in the chair, staring down at ground as if still in utter shock.

“I am,” the boy said firmly. “I’ll deal with Rina and we can put this whole mess behind us. All you need to do is keep an eye on Evan until I get back.”

Jay nodded. “And then? What are you going to do with him after this is over? I understand how you’re going to manipulate Rina, but Wright won’t be so easy.”

“Oh, I disagree.” Vinny then moved past him and walked up to where Evan was sitting stuck in the wooden chair. The big boy slowly raised his head, his eyes narrowed in such intense hatred that, had he not been bound, Jay wouldn’t have been surprised if he tried to murder Vinny. “You still conscious, Wright?”

Evan didn’t make any indication that he had heard Vinny but, based on his glare, it was clear to them both that he was listening. So, Vinny continued.

“I hope you understand what this means,” he said. “Everybody at school laughs at us, mocks us, belittles us...all because we believe in magic. They all think we’re a bunch of dumbasses but, what do you know? We actually tell the truth and now, you know we aren’t just talk. All it takes is a snap of my finger and your body is mine, and...unfortunately for you, nobody would ever believe you if you told them. So, do yourself a favor and keep this quiet. As long as you leave Alice and everybody else in our club alone, including Brooks, then we won’t have a problem.” The expression in Vinny’s eyes then turned harsher as his tone darkened. “And if you don’t, I’ll just steal your body and ruin your life in ways you could never even imagine. Is that clear?”

For a second, Jay thought he saw a flash of fear in Evan’s eyes as he looked up at himself. Part of the plan was to ensure that Evan never saw the gem so they could lead him to think that they could just swap with him as they pleased. That way, Evan would be completely ignorant about how the power works, allowing them to manipulate him however they pleased.

“Good,” Vinny said, before turning and looking back at Jay. “Keep an eye on him, Brooks. I’ll be back.”

With that sharp goodbye, Vinny stalked past him and out of the room, making his way toward the door of the shack, leaving Jay alone with Evan Wright. Now that Vinny was gone, Jay knew there would never be any going back. He was consigned to forever have this weighing over him and there was nothing he could do.

Without even looking at Evan, Jay turned and made his way into the hallway leading to the singular room in the back of the shack. He knew it was irresponsible to put Evan out of his sight but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t allow the other boy to see him break.

Losing all control over his emotions, Jay Brooks collapsed to the ground and began crying silently, feeling the tears flowing down his cheeks before he had the chance to stop them.

I’m such a loser…