MIND CONTROL 9
A short story by Alvin Atwater
Continued directly after story 8…
Demand, Love, Kindness, and Hate. These are the annoying legal crests of Iyan mind control. And then we have Hero, Seduction, Evil, and Colorless, the four illegal monstrosities created by a faction within the tribe hell-bent on taking down their crappy leaders. But…is that it? I just had a feeling we still haven’t found everything there is to know about the Iyans. And the feeling of something big approaching didn’t leave my gut.
So here I am, in the middle of the creepy goth clubroom, armed with a pen and a pad. Amy, hot leader of the club smiled as she sat in a chair across from me. The other minions didn’t even spare a passing glance as they conversed in their mini-groups. Some of them were showing off electronics, manga, talking about sports –surprisingly normal-people topics. Not the whole demon, vampire-obsessed stereotype. Black hair and green eyes were my secret weakness and Amy, this model, maybe even an undercover movie star, gazed at me with predatory eyes. It made me wonder why Gemini threw me into the lion’s den like this. I pushed the thoughts away and started the interview.
“So, we know you’re capable of doing something,” I began. “Is it true that you can do some crazy, paranormal things but reject interviews? How did anyone find out?”
She placed her hand on top of mine. I cringed as I thought of Gemini, my girlfriend –and pulled away my hand. A Gemini-spasm if I must say. “Cut that out.”
Amy laughed. “I meant what I said. You will be mine.”
I didn’t say anything, taking in the meaning of those words. Then it hit me. Among the many interview questions, I had needed to be direct with this one.
“What happened to the two science club members that –”
She cut me off with a, “they belong to me now, simple. Really, they came to the club of their own accord, saw what I can do, and became my followers.”
My eyes drifted to a necklace on her chest. A black lemon-sized gemstone dangled from it. Gemstone, lemon-sized…why is that familiar? Oh hell. I decided to distract myself from the inevitable, continuing the interview, asking dumb questions like, “where are you from? Who are your parents? Any life goals? Any boyfriend?”
Amy played along and answered. Her dad is a big-time lawyer; her mom is a detective. Amy didn’t care for relationships. Grades were more important.
“Matt, you don’t come across as a pervert so I’m going to assume you were sneaking peeks at my gemstone the entire time,” Amy said holding it up to me. I damn near leapt from the chair as I got away from it. Her goth minions still paid no attention despite the noise I just made. “Relax, I know it’s one of the Iyan gemstones but it doesn’t work.”
I was well into that range circle. If she wanted to use it, I would’ve been a goner ten minutes ago.
“You know about the Iyan tribe?” I asked as I sat back down.
“Not everything,” Amy admitted, “but I know that they have cursed objects and mind-controlling gemstones. But this simply does nothing.” She offered it to me. I took the gem and examined it. It was black as midnight or like the center of the darkest void. An endless black. My hand seemed to pulse at its touch. Felt like snakes crawling inside me. Blue is Demand, red is Love, yellow is Kindness, purple is Hate, green is Hero, pink is Seduction (or Lust), clear is Colorless. That left only one. Evil.
“Amy, why do you have this?” I asked.
“It was a gift from an admirer,” she said.
“Is it tied to your supposed talents?”
“No it isn’t,” she said. “I’ve always had my abilities. My grandmother taught me how to control them.”
“Mind showing me one?” I said.
“Fine but you’ll have to show me one of yours too.”
I frowned. “I don’t have any nor Iyan blood.”
Amy smacked her palms against the table, scowling. Then something strange happened. A white light outlined her, five inches thick. Wind blasted from literally freaking nowhere. This got her minions’ attentions because they all glared at me. “Don’t you lie to me, Matt.” Her voice…sounded…heavenly? I don’t know how to explain it but it sounded like a woman singing in a pure, perhaps, eerie tone. “I don’t like lies. My dad is a big liar. Don’t be like him. I can feel your power. It’s so strong that you could destroy the entire country if you wanted.”
I raised my hands, gem still grasped. “I’m serious. I don’t have the slightest idea to what you’re talking about.”
“You,” she said through clenched teeth. A small book smacked me in the head.
“Hey, what the hell?” I snarled as I stood up.
“Your power radiates like the sun –how can you not notice?” Amy said in that eerie voice. “I find that hard to believe.”
“This interview is done,” I said.
“Wait.” Amy grabbed my arm, her voice normal. “I’m sorry.” The winds stopped, the light fading with them. “I went too far. Let’s get to know each other a bit. Maybe I can help you.”
“No, I think I overstayed my welcome,” I said, eyeing the creepy glaring goth kids.
“That girl, Gemini is it? She knows you have this power. She’s just a leech, using you. I can teach you.”
I shook my head. “I’ve known her since childhood. She’s a pain in the ass but she hasn’t brought something like this up, not even once. Now if I were made of Iyan gemstones, I’d be more inclined to believe you.”
I turned to leave before Amy could say anything else but stopped. “You might want to destroy this thing.” I sat Evil on a table by the door. I didn’t want to be anywhere near it. The damned thing made me feel like spiders crawled all over me.
Just then, one of the goth guys snarled, “you refused an offer that any of us would kill to have. I think I’m in the right mind to kick your ass.” He looked like a senior, muscular, maybe had sixty pounds over me.
“Screw you,” I barked but before I could turn away, he charged after me.
Amy yelled, “Chet no! Stop!”
Let’s get some realistic pointers out before you guys start judging me in the most unrealistic way possible. I don’t have any fighting or martial arts training, this guy is huge, and I’m not stupid. I wasn’t going to try to fight someone who clearly could snap me in half with a single hand. I didn’t just stand there. I ran, no, bolted as fast as I could through the hall. It was afterhours but the principal normally stayed a few hours late.
“Stop running, punk! Coward, whussy!” Chet yelled. I felt the blood on my face drain when I looked ahead to see no light shining from the door of the principal’s office. I swear, I felt Chet grin. I looked back to see a fist. Explosive knuckles connected with my face, laying me out. Before I could get up, more fists bombarded me. The pain was already numbing as stars claimed my vision. I just wanted him to finish kicking my ass already. Blood gushed from my nose. My eyes swelled.
“What a pansy. Can’t even put up a fight.” I felt a strong kick to my side, the sharp pain forcing me to yell. “Don’t go near Amy or our club again. And I might just tap that girlfriend of yours too.” I turned to see him pulling back for another kick. Enraged, I caught his leg and pulled with all of my might. He had no leverage and fell hard. I dove on top of him, throwing wild punches, connecting them to his face. After six punches, Chet threw me off him, dove on top, and pinned me to the ground. His grin was cruel. “After I knock you out, I’m going to hide your clothes. Not even your girlfriend would want to be around you after your ass is publically displayed for the world to laugh at.”
As he pulled back his fist, ready to end me, I felt a burning in my pocket. With my free hand, I reached for whatever felt like molten rock –partly because it freaking burned. It was Evil. Somehow the black gem…followed me? And it glowed a deep purple, like a Christmas light demanding the world’s attention. The necklace that held it melted away. I don’t know what came over me but I gave Evil a tap without aiming. Something unseen rushed into me, feeling like running rivers as it did. It struck me with an enormous amount of…. super confidence –so much that I laughed. Chet halted, his smug grin shifting into a deep frown.
“You think it’s funny, huh? How about I break your nose –”
“Shut up, you simple-minded, overgrown, pale animal,” I said, smirk on my face. My voice was smooth, confident, cool, and slightly deeper. I lightly kicked the moron off me. To my amazement, he flew back at least fifteen feet before landing on his back. Then I saw something that deepened my grin, shine on Chet’s face. Fear. I could feel, smell it coming off him in waves so colossal that I took a second or two to admire it before walking over to him.
“Chet, is it?” I said, lifting him up by the shirt collar. “You do know that you started this, right?” He didn’t respond. I punched him hard enough to break his nose. He yelled. I smacked him in the face a few times, feeling no remorse. I held back rage from the ass-kicking from earlier. Something within me wanted to tear him to pieces. “Answer, Chet-boy,” I said with a wry smile.
“Yes,” he said softly.
“You were just about to throw away my clothes and send me to the walk of shame,” I continued. “Give me one good reason why I should let you live right now.” His eyes widened but he lacked the strength to do anything about it.
“Please,” he said weakly. “Let me go. I swear I won’t bother you again. Please.”
I laughed. “If it were the other way around, it wouldn’t be so easy, so tell me, Chet-a-hole, why should the bully be given sympathy and let go when the smaller guy overcame him. It seems to be a big thing in Hollywood.” I kicked him in the stomach. He whimpered. I smirked. “I don’t want to see you naked, so you’ll probably go home without going through with what you were about to do to me. And you can’t do a damn thing either. Considering how you charged after a guy you don’t know with a good reason, your record is probably awful.” I felt another rush of Evil’s influence flood into me. The stone was in my pocket but like Seduction, it sent waves of Iyan magic at certain intervals. I laughed. “I’m not done with you yet.” For some reason, I felt compelled to hold up a finger and I did. Purplish fire suddenly appeared inches above said finger. It was the size of a softball, flickering, humming. I couldn’t help but smile. Chet looked horrified. Waves of tears rolled from his face.
“Please let me go, I’ll do anything. I swear I didn’t know you were one of them. Please don’t kill me, I beg you. I’ll do anything.” He sobbed like a big freaking baby. That widened my grin.
“Worthless human,” I said. “You sure wouldn’t have offered me the same treatment in return. So.”
“PLEASE!” he cried harder. I laughed. Then I heard Amy’s voice.
“Matt stop!”
I looked at her, smirk not leaving my face.
“You’re under its control,” she said. “Give it back to me.”
“I’m not under its control,” I said, “but it did give me the power to scare this clown into submission.” I grinned evilly at Chet and winked. He turned to Amy, fear rolling off him in loads.
“This guy’s nuts,” Chet cried. “Amy, Leader, please help.”
“I’m nuts?” I shook my head. “You attacked me without reason, threatened me, and expect to walk out of this without remorse.” My purple ball of fire brightened, eager to eat Chet-a-hole.
“Matt, just call off your power, please,” Amy said. I didn’t. Who were these saps to command me? Are they stupid? My fireball expanded.
“See! Nuts!” Chet yelled. “Help!”
“Matt,” Amy’s voice was gentle, kind. “I don’t want to be forced to apprehend you.”
“You can try,” I said with a grin.
The white light from before instantly surrounded Amy as the winds returned. An invisible force bashed me to my back and pinned me, my fireball vanishing. I simply laughed as I stood back up. Amy looked as if she wanted to keep me pinned but her puny power was useless. I aimed a hand at her. She flinched. I raised it into the air. She also rose, five feet in fact. Yeah.
“Amy!” Chet screamed.
I walked over to her, smiling. “What should I do with you?” Tears flowed from her eyes. This girl was probably powerful but against me, felt small. I pointed at Chet. She flung over to him, landing back-first on top of him. “Let this be a warning. If –”
Someone grabbed Evil from my pocket and tossed it across the lobby. The gem’s influence over me vanished. A sense of longing hit me. I winched as I looked at Chet and Amy then turned around. Gemini hugged me. I felt hot tears roll from her cheeks.
“I don’t want to see you like that again,” she said softly.
“I’m sorry,” I told her, “I…”
“It isn’t your fault,” Amy said. I turned to her. She eyed Gemini. “Thank you…for saving us.”
Gemini nodded. “I’m just glad you Iyan-jumped into my daydream for help. I really don’t want my Matt to become like that.”
Amy nodded. “I don’t know you that well but I wouldn’t wish that gem’s influence on my worst enemy. You become its slave.”
I found it hard to focus on their conversations. I just wanted it…the gem…Evil. It didn’t enslave me. It made me feel incredible, gave me superior confidence and power. I knew I shouldn’t want such a thing. Maybe it did alter my personality but…I need it. I felt naked and helpless without Evil.
“Matt.”
I snapped out of my trance thanks to Gemini’s voice. “Yes?”
“Let’s get back to Kate and report. We’ll let Amy put that black gem in a safe place.”
“But the red case isn’t solved,” I said.
“I’ll talk to your group,” Amy said. “On one condition.”
Gemini raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“I want to teach Matt how to use his power.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Gemini said. “He wants no part of our world. Who are we to frown at that?”
I placed my arm around her, emotionally touched, and pulled her close to me. She…understood me this entire time, even when teasing with Iyan mind control. She knew that I just wanted to live my life. No wonder why she never brought up this power that even I didn’t know I had…. I mean I saw instances of it, like when I resisted Demand, and when I went toe to toe against Colorless. She didn’t bring any of that up.
“I’m sorry but that’s my condition,” Amy said. An outline of white appeared around her. She aimed her hand at Chet. He shimmered. Suddenly he was able to stand, though barely. “You’re going to be sore for a while but you’ll make it. Go back to the clubroom. You and I are going to have a chat about manners.”
Chet gave me a glare full of hatred before walking off, almost limping. Amy turned her attention back to us. “Gemini, you know that the Black Star has made a move. They may feel his overwhelming power and consider him a threat.” Amy turned her gaze to me. “I bet you felt them too. Like something huge is going to happen.”
“Yeah, I had that feeling for some time now,” I said. “Who or what is the Black Star?”
Gemini sighed. “I really don’t want him involved in this.”
“He doesn’t really have a choice,” Amy told her.
“What is the Black Star?” I said again. “Honestly, you two lost me.”
Amy eyed me. “The Black Star is a group of people with strong Iyan magic. They’re bad news –they kinda just do what they want and there isn’t a thing normal people can do about it.”
Gemini opened her mouth to speak but I cut in. “I accept your conditions but we train during winter break.”
“Deal,” Amy said. She looked at Gemini. “He’ll need your help too.”
“I’m better with Iyan artifacts,” Gemini admitted. “I’m kind of limited. You on the other hand are the greater psychic.”
While they chatted, I turned to where Evil was thrown. It called for me. I longed to run to the gem, to grasp it again, and let that rush of power overtake me. Damn. What’s wrong with me? I shook away the thoughts.
“Let’s get back to the mystery club before Kate creates a witch hunt to find us,” I said.
Gemini laughed and kissed me. Amy frowned as she walked toward Evil.
“Let’s go,” Gemini said, grabbing my arm.
Ah, so you’re surprised at this development? Me too, I guess. New worries are upon me though. This Black Star group and my ridiculous craving for the black gem. Still, solving the supposed second-hardest case in the club was a cakewalk. Or…okay, I got lucky. I wonder if we’re going to see any explosions anytime soon…. probably not. Unless…more gems turn up. Hopefully not, right?
End.
ns 172.70.178.29da2
and then Add to home screen.