Story: Middle Part 23
[[Continuity Note: Jessica and Alf just decided to spy on Damien.]]
It was more difficult than you might think, spying on someone who used to be your best friend. After all, it was completely suspicious if, after a few weeks of not talking to each other, you suddenly start appearing everywhere your friend was. Alf knew that if Damien was anything like he was, he would be hyper aware of where Alf was at any time. After all, Damien probably thought he had more to be upset about than Alf did.
The next day, the inquisitive duo otherwise known as Alf and Jessica had followed Damien to the local shopping centre where they saw him go into the electronics stores. He bought a couple of games for his Xbox 360, which had both Jessica and Alf raising an eyebrow. A metaphorical eyebrow in Alf's case.
More than once while traipsing around the shopping centre Alf had nearly tripped when Damien stopped unexpectedly, and had Jessica complaining that he should just leave it all to her. At least she had practice at it.
It was three days of walking around the shopping centre before either of them even thought of using magic to track him. Alf because he didn't know how, and Jessica because she knew that they shouldn't. It came about that they were sitting in Jessica's room pondering a small silver coin. It was an enchanted five cent piece. Aliana had helped them, although they'd lied and said they'd wanted to keep track of each other. It was the first time Alf had lied to one of the Alduses, and it did not leave him with a good feeling. It was as though he was betraying his trust, even if Jessica did protest that she was pretty sure Aliana had known they were lying but thought whatever it was they were doing was harmless.
"I still don't know, Jessica," Alf frowned. "I mean, stalking him is one thing, but a tracking device?"
"We don't have to do it, you know," Jessica said. "I never said anything about doing it."
"It's just that it would make it a lot easier on us, since we wouldn't have to follow him everywhere."
"That doesn't mean it's ethical."
"But we've already been following him around. That's clearly unethical."
Jessica squirmed. "Would you make up your mind already? We either do or we don't. He's your friend."
Alf frowned. "He's not my friend anymore." And just saying it made him feel like a petulant child, six years old and determined that no he would not put up with whoever not sharing any longer. Alf flopped back on the bed, throwing his arms up in apparent exasperation. "Stuff this." He flicked the coin into the air and attached it to the ceiling.
Jessica gave him a look and pulled it down, grabbing it with her hand. "What do you reckon we should do with it?" She lifted it up, as though reading its surface would tell her what to do with it.
"Maybe we should do what we said we'd do," Alf stated. "Use them to keep tabs on each other."
Jessica smiled. "In that case I have heaps of ideas about what we can do with them. It can be like a project. We can use them as like walkie talkies and have conversations."
Alf matched her grin. "That's a neat idea."
"And I was thinking we could pierce holes through the centres and wear them on chains."
"Cool," Alf agreed, mainly because Jessica seemed so enthused. He was still of the opinion that a five cent piece on a chain seemed rather girly. It could at least have been a full dollar or two.
Jessica then ran off, presumably to find supplies leaving Alf alone, sprawled on her bed. Right now seemed like a pretty good time to have a nap.
[[End scene.]]
posted by Cedric @ 9:32 pm
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