Black and White – Chapter 4: Fair game.
Author's notes: Part four of the series.
Contains more secrets, wishes, imagination, and Pandora's Box. As with my other stories, don't be afraid to show me some love. Exercise this with the usual rate-comment protocol. You know the drill. I send you all my thanks. Oh, there's no yiff yet, but there will surely be some in the future.
Everyone is encouraged to tell me what they want to see next. Please, please, please. Your input will be considered in writing the next bits.
Black and White - Chapter 4: Fair game.
"Because by keeping it, this town exists." It waved a furry leg, as though to emphasize the grandeur of the imaginary town we swore we only imagined.
The spider's name is Mr. Key. He told us that the more we write on the book, the more real things become. And they exist. Mr. Key also shared with us that when we make them exist. I didn't ask why they should exist, but Douglas did.
"It's a matter of being, pup. And we are entitled to be, just as much as you breathe, enjoy, and weep. Surely, you do not wish to take this away from us?"
I liked the way he thought. He perplexed me. Maybe because he's a few centuries older than we were. We spent hours with Mr. Key, and finally he explained to us that we could come by anytime, to consult him. Or more importantly, grant us a wish or two. As long as we promise to fill in the book with more secrets.
It was a free commodity, these secrets. And the book was just some collateral to it. If what he said was true, that we can wish all we want, well, we might as well enjoy what incidentally comes to our favorite pastime, which was collecting the secrets anyway. And all these, he made us believe, was all that was needed to make him exist.
"Mr. Key," asked Douglas, lifting his muzzle from the lemonade refreshment he'd imagined and brought to being. "May I make a wish?"
"Of course, Douglas. Come."
I was seated on the cushion of the sofa, as Douglas was lead out of the room, and into another. There, whispers were heard, but I couldn't quite make anything out of what they said. Douglas was first to come out of the room, and Mr. Key summoned me. I followed suit.
Inside was a coffer. Like Pandora's box, except it looked pretty. I figured that's where the spider slept, considering there were shapes that resembled his legs, and when you fold him neatly, he looked like he'd fit there.
"Your friend made a wish. Before I grant you your wish, I need to warn you. Our words carry meaning. Powerful ones. I trust that you know this, Evan Asimov?"
My response was presaged by a nod, before I mumbled "yes, sir."
"Our words do not work without intent. Our wishes do not realize when we do not believe. It is important to know what you want first, before you want something. Is this understood, Evan Asimov?"
"Yes, sir."
"Be careful what you wish for, for I can grant, but not take them back. I take no liability for what happens when you wish, because your intent will stop at nothing, until you get what you want. Have I made everything clear, so far?"
"Yes, Mister Key." He resembled someone from a horror film I'd seen when I was younger. I can't remember what it was about, but only some demon-like creature with sharp, bad teeth, asking people to wish.
"Very well, Evan Asimov. Make your wish."
"I wish to fall in love with my best friend, the same way he has fallen in love with me."
I was about to trail off in a poetic, sweeping manner, but then Mr. Key laughed madly, the fine hairs on his legs standing as he rubbed them together. "It is done," he said.
The class bell rang. We found ourselves running to fifth period. We found ourselves asking the same questions.
"How long have we been out?"
"Was that real?"
"Mr. Key wouldn't take our soul, would he?"
When we arrived in our seats, just in time before our economics teacher called our names, we flashed each other a wide grin. Douglas edged close to my seat, and asked me the question I was meaning to ask him.
"What did you wish for?"