Chapter 2

The next morning I rose, and though I would have loved to delve deeper into the book, I needed to tend with life's minutia. Reluctantly, I hid the book, had breakfast, and then left the house to be about my business.

Well, at least I tried to.

For some reason my energy levels were down and I was beginning to feel ill—I was suffering from ever increasing transient pains through out my body. They started in my abdomen, like a dull toothache. That pain, however, only lasted for an hour or so and was not as bad as some that I had suffered through in the past. It was quite manageable, really. Then, unfortunately, the pain moved down to my genitals and my level of concern increased along with the level of pain. I had to find a place to sit because the pain was so severe that it prevented me from walking. I had to sit with my legs spread wide and try not to hold the injured parts as one always does with a wound—I was sitting in a public park after all. I had no desire to have my name added to the sex offender's list.

You can imagine my relief when that pain stopped, but I was still forced to remain sitting on that bench as the pain moved on, down to my feet, and then began to crawl back up my legs. It was like insects were digging through my flesh, thousands of them! I broke out in cold sweats as the tingling pains crawled slowly up my legs and on into my trunk. Suddenly the bugs converged on the small of my back, at the exact location of my bad discs. I took to biting on a knotted handkerchief to stop myself from screaming out.

It was a good thing that I was seated in a little used part of the park, I'm sure that if anyone saw me writhing on that bench they would have called the police, thinking that I was a crazy man having fits. To tell the truth, the pain was so terribly bad that the aforementioned description was fast becoming a reality.

Finally, it was over! Though the pain was gone I was spent, emotionally and physically. I struggled back to my apartment, fell into bed, and slept the sleep of the dead.

I awoke the next morning feeling better than I had in decades. I put my glasses on, as was my habit, and was surprised when everything went blurry.

"Well, damn it, now what?" I blurted out in frustration at all of the things that were happening.

I took my glasses off and rubbed my eyes then noticed that things were clear and bright without my glasses.

"Well, hells bells!" I exclaimed as I went to retrieve the book.

I HAD QUESTIONS!

Book in hand I rushed to my desk and placed the thing on the blotter open to the first page.

"Book? Why can I see without my glasses?"

"The healing spell has healed your eyes, Master."

I sat back in my chair and just stared mutely at the book in astonishment. I then asked, "Was all that pain yesterday, the result of the healing spell, too?"

"Yes, Master."

"I'm totally healed then?" I asked stunned.

"Yes, Master. You now have the body and looks of a twenty year old."

Fear shot through me at the last statement.

"Did you say: 'looks'?"

"Yes, Master"

"Damn! And double damn! Is there a way to return my looks to that of yesterday?"

"Yes, Master."

"Good! Do it, then!"

"I can not, Master."

"What? Why not? You just said that I could be returned to my former appearance."

"That is true Master, but I cannot, you must perform the spell."

"I don't understand."

"I have no power to do so, Master. You are the one with the power; I am but a repository of knowledge and your tutor. You must learn the spell and then apply it."

"Well, show me the spell! I can't just change my appearance in this society. I would lose everything!"

"As you wish, Master."

The pages of the book ruffled back and forth and then stopped at a page about one third of the way into the book. It was obvious that the spell was on the right hand page but to my concern, no my alarm, there was a message on the left hand page for me.

"Master, it is not recommended that you attempt this spell at your current level of knowledge. A miss-spoken word or phrase could be fatal!"

"Is there any other way to return me to my former appearance?"

"The only way would be to refuse the gift of your powers, Master. But then all would revert back to its former state. That would include the return of all of your afflictions."

That took the wind right out of my sails. Even though it had only been a very short time that I had this new and improved body, I was now quite fond of it. It was wonderful not to hurt all of the time, and to see clearly without glasses pressing down on the bridge of my nose.

I slumped back into my chair and tried to think calmly. This was my first lesson! With all of the promised power was the fact that there could be a down side to ... to this ... magic, for the lack of a better word.

"Ok, book. You are the tutor, how do I get around this problem?"

"I know of no other way than this spell. Perhaps you should travel for a time and learn the ways of the power while you travel. The people that you meet will not know you, and therefore will not cause you trouble."

"The problem, book, is that I'm poor. I have no money to take a trip," I said sarcastically.

"But, Master, you have wealth far beyond your imagination!"

I suddenly sat forward in my chair in surprise.

"Wealth? How can I be wealthy? Please explain what you mean."

"Simply put, Sir, the rule that you only use the power for the good of others, has a few loopholes. Since having funds always at hand is a constant requirement, you are allowed to cast a spell for your weight in precious stones once at the start of your education and at each new moon thereafter."

"Hmm ... Does it have to be precious stones? Could it be, say, currency to start with? I wouldn't be able to convert jewels at the moment."

There was a pause for several minutes, then the pages started to ruffle again, coming to rest at a charm for 'local money.'

"There is this charm for emergencies and I think that your problem could be considered an emergency under the circumstances. Just be sure to ask for enough. You will only be able to use this spell once this moon. It is an easy spell and you just need to say the words clearly, without hesitation. Please read the charm to yourself, first, and be ready to insert the value and type of currency needed. Then when you are sure that you are ready speak the words aloud."

"How long will we need to be gone?"

"I would venture to say no more than one moon, Master."

I sat quietly thinking for some time, laying out what I needed to do about my rent, bills and so on. Then I sat forward again and read the charm that would make me rich. It was not as simple as the book said since the words were not English. It took many hours of practice to get my tongue around the strange language, but I finally thought of a way that the book could coach my pronunciation. It would have been easier if the book could talk, but alas it could only show me the words in script on the pages. So I would say a word then ask the book if the pronunciation was correct. Together we worked it out.

Finally, after much sweat and effort, neat stacks of money in large denomination bills ... totaling two hundred fifty thousand dollars ... stood on my kitchen table. I didn't think I would need any more than that for the time being, but to think that I could have conjured up much, much more was mind-boggling!

Next I packed and then sat to think things through, AGAIN. Most of my bills would be paid by mail but the rent had to be paid in person, in cash, at the bank. Then there was the car, should I take it or should I travel by public transport?

I decided to leave the car; it was old and not too reliable. As for the rent, I would go to the bank as a friend and make the payment. The people at the bank don't care who pays the rent, as long as they get the money. I would just have to hide my face from the cameras, I wasn't sure why but I had this feeling in my gut that it would be wise to be anonymous. I shoved the needed papers into my backpack along with my clothes and headed out the back door but had to turn back for the second bag—the money and the book! It was three o'clock in the morning and dark as the inside of a coalmine by the time I departed my home.

I stayed out of the cones of illumination from the streetlights until I was away from my building then went into town to the twenty-four hour diner; it was just off of the market square. As I passed the café where all of this started I shuddered at the memory of all of the carnage.

The diner was surprisingly crowded for so early an hour but I was free and clear now, as no one would recognize the younger me. I chose a table in the back and took a seat facing the room, just as an old time gunfighter would do.

For the first time in decades a waitress flirted with me as she took my order. While I waited for my breakfast I began to worry. I realized that I was a sitting duck carrying cash like this; I was a target for those that prey on others. I broke out in a sweat from the fear.

I pulled the book out and asked quietly, "How do I defend myself if attacked while carrying you and all of this money?"

"The needed magic will automatically come to mind in your defense."

"Will I be protected from weapons like guns and knives?"

"From knives, spears and swords, most definitely, but firearms, only if you react quickly enough."

Just then my breakfast came and I forgot all my problems while I ate. I'm one of those that truly love diner food! I guess the transformation took a lot out of me because I needed seconds. I wolfed down the first breakfast but took my time with the second. I then just sat and had one coffee after another as I read all of the local newspapers and waited for the bank to open. The waitress became curious and asked why I was staying so long, and then said, half jokingly, that I had better leave a good tip as there would have been at least three more parties at the table that I was using.