The Fake Mind (Time Alchemist)

by Allice Revelle

  “accidentally” caught fire. Twice. Plus, a sudden blackout that happened to revive the moment Ru stepped through the backdoor (we had to sneak out around to hide suspicion). Frankie Ann was so caught up in the spontaneous fires that she didn’t even realize the two of us were gone. That, and from the guilt ridden look on Oliver’s face, he probably had to use about of his own alchemy to calm her down and…make her

  “forget” the two of us were absent for the time being.

  When we walked through, soaked to the bone from the downpour, I saw Rick and Oliver fist bump each other when Frankie Ann’s back was turned. But true to her cheerful, upbeat self, Frankie Ann pushed us both to take a good hot shower, and when I came out, dressed in clean pajamas, she had soup at the ready.

  But I think even she could tell I wasn’t in the mood for fun or chats. It didn’t matter if Ru was silent—he was always somewhere brooding about. And even though Oliver and Rick both tried to meet my

  eye, wondering what I discovered, I couldn’t bother to even try to explain. I may have gained some insight on Guinevere and her whereabouts, but my original goal had ended up in total failure.

  And how was I going to tell Dove?

  She and Chrys will still, of course, sleeping the day away, and I didn’t have the heart to wake her up just to deliver the good-and-bad news. The good news: I found Guinevere! The bad news: there’s no hope of saving Leon! Also, I don’t want you to leave me! Please?

  All night I tossed and turned, punching the pillow, shoving Butterball off my chest, getting up three times for a glass of water and forgetting it on the kitchen counter…these thoughts plagued me like death.

  Yes, I was terrified of losing Dove to Guinevere. But I was even more scared of her face if she realized that there was no way to save Leon—even though I had promised her I would!

  Maybe it was the fact that the couch was too lumpy and smelled too much like cat. The past couple of days I had camped out in the parlor room and it was just so eerily quiet. Only the faint ticking sound of a grandfather clock in the hallway could be heard. The rain had died down, but there was a slight wind howling.

  I placed a hand over my chest, feeling my heart drum beneath the skin. I could imagine the golden Runes and trace the patterns in my

  sleep. My hand traveled a little towards the center where I felt the rough fabric of my makeshift pouch, and squeezed it gently.

  I hope you use them wisely…

  I wondered about the Elixir—if it was capable of granting power, could it take that same power away? Sure, it could cure sickness, turn rocks into gold and grant immorality; I used it to save Leon’s life when he had been stabbed by Ivan; used it to revive Dove from her coma and unlock her alchemy…

  There had to be so much more to it.

  Okay that’s it. I shoved myself off, ignoring a protesting Butterball who had curled up under my legs again, and shoved my feet into the nearest pair of sandals. I unlocked the front door, peering out just in case, and cracked it open, the hinges squeaking in protest. The night air was stale and humid and already my tank top was clinging to my body from perspiration. Still, it was three in the morning—not a soul around.

  I just needed some air. And the silence was perfect for meditation.

  I kept the door cracked open just enough for the cat to make his way in and out, and settled myself on the rickety porch swing. I leaned back, filling my lungs deep with the damp air, and blew out, clearing my mind…just as Dove taught me.

  I remember fondly of our first training sessions. Had it really only

  been a semester ago? It felt like years. Our first step had been to discover my “element”. Dove was pretty sure that I had a connection to one of the basic four, so we tried almost everything…well, just enough so that I didn’t exert my fake heart, which sometimes would stop for a full minute when put under pressure.

  And oddly enough, it was thanks to a run-in with the Queen Bee of St. Mary’s, Mallory Wells, that sort of helped me untapped my alchemy. Thanks to that, I had a better understanding of not just my alchemy…but myself.

  I learned that I could overcome any obstacle, refusing to sit on the side lines and watch the world go by. I may be an ace when it came to school work, but becoming an alchemist gave me a new perspective of life.

  It felt as if I had been born again.

  And it was really all thanks to Dove. And how was I repaying her?

  By shutting her out; acting selfish when it came to the truth.

  I brought my legs up, resting my chin on my knees. What kind of friend was I? Did I even deserve to be her friend anymore?

  “Yo.”

  I looked up startled and saw Rick standing at the doorway, scratching the back of his neck. He wore dark sweatpants rolled up to his knees with a white top splattered in paint; clearly an article borrowed

  from Ru. The familiar pressed silver coin around his throat twinkled a little in the lights, almost looking like a mini moon.

  Without question, Rick plopped himself down next to me, causing the swing to croak beneath his weight. The sudden movement made me lose balance and I found myself pressed against his side, feeling his warmth seep though my clothes and almost burn my skin. I looked into his startling clear brown eyes, a deep color, like melted chocolate with a dust of gray, almost silver paint had been flecked in them.

  The silence was crushing but it felt…nice. And then, of course, Rick had to ruin the mood. With a sly smirk and a cock of his head, he said, “So hard to resist me, isn’t it Clockie?”

  I gave a glare, but felt a smile on my lips as I pushed myself back.

  But the porch swing was a little too small, so even if I sat at the very end our knees still touched. And then I was suddenly very aware of the light white top and gray shorts I wore. I glanced down; horrified to see my upper thighs had hair sticking out. To be honest, even if my body was

  “frozen in time”, I still never bothered to shave my legs past my knees unless it was necessary.

  The one few things have being stuck in time is that I didn’t need to waste any time shaving, or worrying about cutting my nails (and let me tell you it is a mighty blessing to be free of Mother Nature’s monthly gift for a long time). Of course, I can’t stay like this forever, but as long

  as my body or my heart didn’t feel strained from the pressure, I wanted to put “saving myself” off for as long as I could…

  A yawn escaped Rick’s lips, and I couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

  “What are you even doing up so late, Rick?”

  “Beats me,” he said. “But I could be askin’ you that. What’s up?

  You okay?”

  The concern look he gave me made my heart twist, and at that moment, I realized—minus Ru—that I hadn’t really told anyone about what happened today. And boy, did I need to vent. So I just told him. I told Rick on our run in with that insane, homeless alchemist, discovering Leon, finding Guinevere and everything in between.

  Rick didn’t interrupt once, and he actually looked as if he…cared about a stupid girl and her stupid rants. Occasionally his hand would brush over mine, but he made no move to grab it. However, it was the times when I mentioned Leon that he would give it a light squeeze, as if to say “I’m here.”

  It was just little actions like that that made me really appreciate Rick.

  After my story, I asked him, “How did it feel?”

  “How did what feel?” he murmured in response.

  “Leaving White,” I said.

  Rick gave out a sigh and tilted his head back, gazing at the cracked

  ceiling. “It felt like shit. I felt like there was a knife in my heart that kept twisting with every damn turn. But White—he just wasn’t the same man that I knew. He became so…angry and insane. It felt like I was betraying my own father.”

  This time, it was my turn to comfort him. I inched my hand close so that our pinkies were touching and…we sort of looped them, like a promise. It felt like enough, and I saw
Rick smile a little, even though he kept staring up into the clouds.

  “I never really questioned him, you know?” Rick continued. “But when I found out all of these…things he was doing, it just didn’t feel right. But I tried to push the doubt away, especially when it came to Ash.

  But deep down, I felt that if I had to choose between White or Ash…Ash would win, hands down.”

  “And you did,” I said softly. “I think you did amazing.”

  Rick scoffed, but his tone was light, and I felt him relax next to me. “I guess. At least I know that Ash may be out there somewhere, but he isn’t getting hurt by White’s hands. I just wish I had acted sooner—

  maybe I could have prevented some of it.”

  “You did the best you could,” I replied, “And sometimes it just doesn’t feel like enough…does it?”

  “I think we’re both expert losers in life,” Rick laughed, and I laughed too, even though I felt like crying all at the same time. And

  while another bout of silence wrapped around us, me leaning a little on Rick’s shoulder and our pinkies entwined, I felt the most lighthearted I had in days. Weeks, even.

  And seeing how vulnerable and open Rick was about White, I knew what sort of attracted me to him. He was just like Leon and Dove.

  They both cherished Guinevere so much. Just any mention of her made their eyes sparkle with pride, like the fourth of July fireworks had bloomed in their hearts. They were beyond proud of just being her students, and they had both suffered from her long absence, choosing to take care of me, instead.

  It hurt so much. I couldn’t make them go through another day in such pain. So that’s when I decided that minute, that once Dove woke up the next morning I would come one hundred percent clean and tell her where Guinevere was. Whatever Dove decided to do, I would support her.

  And then…I would focus on the next task at hand…

  Something out of the corner of my eye moved and I jumped visibly, so startled that even Rick gave me a quizzical look. The front yard wasn’t that big, with only a small yard hidden from the road with large bushes and a tall magnolia tree in the center. Besides a birdbath and a couple of discarded cat toys, it was empty.

  “What’s wrong?” Rick asked.

  My eyes were glued to the tree. Something felt off. Wrong. “I thought I saw something move by the tree.”

  “It was probably that dumb cat,” Rick glowered. Rick was not a fan of any cat. Especially Butterball, who liked to make himself home on Rick’s bed and get orange fur all over his nice clothes.

  “Yeah…maybe…” But I still wasn’t sure. However, Rick, sensing my worry, shot me a snarky look and leaned his forehead against mine.

  “I’ll check it out.”

  I felt myself blush all the way to my roots and prayed the night made a good cover up. Rick mumbled something about a pesky feline and tromped towards the tree, circling twice and even glancing up into the branches. He gave a smirk, lifting his hands in the air as if to say “I told you so!” when a flash of silver burst behind him and Rick was on the ground.

  Motionless.

  I let out a cry, but felt myself frozen to the ground, as if my feet were roots. There, standing behind Rick’s limp body, was Leon wielding a bloody, metal pipe.

  CHAPTER 17

  Leon raised his pipe and I leapt to my feet, instantly summoning my alchemy. I felt it flow through my veins, hot and sweet, like liquid gold, and the entire yard was consumed in a Time bubble of sorts. Leon’s arms were frozen above his head and I charged forward, slamming him against the tree. The metal pipe slipped from his hands and I kicked it hard into the bushes.

  That impact seemed to have snap Leon out of my control, but when his eyes met mine—a piercing, deep, endless black—my own heart constricted so badly that I felt the Time around us falter. But just as a sickening grin split his face, I saw Leon grimace in pain, shaking raising his arms up to his face.

  Then slowly, horrifyingly, he raked his nails down his cheeks, leaving deep red scratches on his pale skin. Blood swam down his face like crimson tears, and as I gasped out in terror I saw the black swells of his eyes flesh out, morphing into a softer, lighter color. They changed gray, but there was a tint of Leon’s familiar green in them.

  He was still in there.

  Fighting.

  “Stay…away…” Leon huffed, his face turning red from the sheer exertion of control. And then a burst of angry swept over me. That was his body; he shouldn’t have to fight to control it! And in that moment I hated Ivan Novak with a passion so fierce it felt blinding, like staring up into the sun. I wanted so badly to just….just… do something, but I couldn’t! This wasn’t like the time Ivan possessed Jack Alexander’s soul

  —my first boyfriend at St. Mary’s—but he had done so prior to our meeting. It felt horrible, but at the same time, I knew that I was stopping Ivan from doing any more evil. Though I had been too late to save Jack…

  I wasn’t going to fail Leon. Never.

  I stepped forward, wanting so badly to reach out and touch his blood soaked cheek. “How did you even find me?”

  “F-Followed…you…” he responded, taking a breath with every word as if the very effort was just too much. “He’s…planning…to…”

  Leon let out a cry of pain and I was suddenly shoved back, my side knocking against the ceramic birdbath. I gasped, startled as lights flashed before my eyes, and then I saw Leon hovering over me. But no, it wasn’t Leon this time. He used Leon’s body, but his eyes and voice…they were all him.

  “You really are pathetic, aren’t you, doll?” Ivan Novak’s voice hissed out of Leon’s mouth, like a creepy record player. He let out a deep

  chuckle that sent chills down my spine. “Do you really want to save this boy, my dear Emery?”

  I spat up blood, refusing to answer. But my eyes must have shown my true answers and he let out another bark of laughter. He reached down and gripped my chin in his hands, bringing us so close we could have kissed. And though I only saw Leon’s face, I knew in my heart I was speaking to pure evil.

  “I’ll make you a deal, Emery,” Ivan’s voice was as sweet as poison laced sugar. “I know you have what I’m looking for. So let’s make a trade: you will come to St. Mary’s Academy come morning and bring the Elixir. And if you do—alone, with no fight—then we will end this once and for all.”

  I bit back all the vile words I wanted to spit into his face, but just as swiftly as he held me, he let go, and I tumbled back to the ground with a hiss of pain. Of course, it was at that moment that I realized just how insanely stupid Ivan was—and how damn lucky I was at the time. I had the pouch holding the Elixir around my throat, but it was tucked underneath my shirt. If Ivan had even bothered to look down while he held me, it would have been over.

  Suddenly I hear Rick cry out and tackle Ivan to the ground. In a blur the two are tangled together, Ivan laughing maniacally while Rick tries to through punches. But even in his weakened state, Ivan seems to

  have the upper hand, easily knocking Rick off, landing a kick to his jaw. I heard something crack and cried out, rushing to Rick’s side.

  Ivan caught my eyes and I felt pure fear sink into the pit of my stomach. “Remember. Come alone, Emery. Only one of us is going to be walking out of there alive.”

  With another dark chuckle, Ivan disappeared into the shadows just as I released my Time bubble around us. It felt like hours had passed in the time loop, but in reality barely a second. Rick winced, struggling to his knees. I gingerly pressed a hand to his jaw, watching the purplish bruise start to bloom on his face. The back of his head was soaked in blood, almost obscured by his already red locks.

  Rick spat up blood, stretching his jaw. “That fuckin’ hurt!”

  “Are you alright?” I asked worriedly, clutching his upper arm and holding him up. We both staggered like an odd pair to the porch steps as Rick took a deep, shaking breath. I tore the hem of my top into a shred and pressed it to the back of his head.
There was a bit of a bump, and I asked how many fingers I was holding up, but he shot me a glare and said I had better put my hand down if I didn’t want the tips to burn.

  Yeah. He was alright.

  “I take it that was your Leon,” Rick said, spitting up more blood.

  “Damn good kick.”

  I shook my head. “It was him, but at the same time, it wasn’t.” I

  had already told Rick, briefly of what had happened to Leon, but I wondered if he really understood the severity of the situation. “Leon’s time is running out. He’s fighting the best he can but it’s just not enough. He has to put himself through physical pain just to come back to his old self.” I felt myself shaking, even though the air was stifling hot. “It’s not fair!”

  “Yeah, newsflash: Life ain’t fair,” Rick shot back, but his eyes were tender, showing me a story of clarity; that he understood exactly what I was going through. “So I take it you’re going?”

  “Of course.” I gripped the pouch tighter in my sweat covered hands. “I’d go right this second if possible but—”

  “I know, I know,” Rick groaned. “Gotta get yourself ready.”

  I nodded, slowly. “Yeah…” I didn’t bother to finish: that I wanted to say goodbye to everyone. Just…in case.

  Rick seemed to sense my hesitance, and he leaned forward. “You know that I can stop you if you tried to leave.”

  I met him with a blank stare. “Would you?”

  “If I know that you’re walking into a trap, then damn right I would!” he shot back. “But it’s not my battle to fight. And I know even if you were locked up you would still find a way out. You wouldn’t let me stop you, even if I begged.”

  “Begging is always nice,” I attempted at some humor. He met my

  smile, but it was dry.

  “I have no right to stop you,” Rick said, “But that doesn’t mean I’m letting you go alone.”

  “Rick, you can’t—”

  “Damn right I can,” he interrupted, his brown eyes flashing. “I may be useless at the moment with these damn cuffs, but I’m not letting you do this alone. And I sure as hell am not gonna sit by and watch you die. I’m going to make sure you come back, good and alive. You hear me?”