Story: Middle Part 40
[[Continuity Note: Alf, Jessica and Rock discuss their Saturday on a balcony before Alf leaves.]]
After lunch, Alf decided to head for Damien's house again to try to talk some sense into his best friend. He knocked on the door, and it was once again answered by Damien's father.
"He's upstairs," Mr Reid said, before walking away from the door, back to whatever he was doing. Alf heard him mutter under his breath about giving Alf a spare key so he wouldn't be interrupted. Mr Reid really was grumpy a lot of the time.
Sneaking upstairs like the last time he confronted Damien about magic, Alf discovered that he had none of the same reservations. He knew that he had to talk to Damien, and this time it would just be like apologising after one of any number of fights they'd had before.
"Damien," Alf calls as he knocks on his friend's door before walking it. Damien's seated at his desk, maths textbook open in front of him, pen in hand. He doesn't acknowledge Alf and Alf is reminded of the day that Rock told them about his magical abilities.
"Go away," Damien said quietly, scrawling something onto his page. It's not a number, and is definitely not the right answer. Alf knows that this means that he's distracted Damien sufficiently so proceeds.
"You know, just because you didn't use magic properly before doesn't mean you will in the future. You're taking lessons. You're going to learn how to use it the same as everyone else."
"But should everyone else be using magic?" Damien interjected.
Alf had definitely not expected that as a response. He hadn't thought about it. Everyone thought that since they were given these extra abilities, that they should use them, that they should use them to help people. But who were they to decide what helping people meant? Who were they decide how to help people, when people didn't know they were being helped, and maybe didn't even want to be helped?
"I don't know," Alf said. "But if it doesn't hurt anyone, then what's the harm? If it's only for our own entertainment who's getting hurt?"
"If it's only for our own entertainment, then why not do something else?"
"I don't know, Damien. But don't you feel complete when you use magic? Doesn't it make you feel better than anything else. And it's not completely awful, right? We've got more friends. Rock isn't such a bastard anymore. Jessica speaks so that other people can understand her."
"But maybe Jessica and Rock wouldn't have been like that if there was no magic in their family."
"And maybe it would have been a lot worse," Alf countered. "You're young. You're not completely thoughtless. Maybe you don't have to use your magic. But shouldn't you at least give yourself the option. I mean, you might save someone's life. You don't want to be faced with someone about to get hit by a car and know that you can do nothing because you're too far away and the car's coming too fast. You don't want to be there the day you don't have magic and think, if only I hadn't given that up."
"You're right," Damien stated. "I won't get my magic bound. But it doesn't mean I'm going to use it, either."
"Well, I'm not saying that you should use it," Alf said. "But I think you should still learn more about it. I mean, how do you know you'll be able to save that person if you don't know how to use your abilities."
"Fine," Damien agreed reluctantly. "I'll learn about magic. But I'm still never going to use it ever again." He paused. "Except in emergencies," he added.
Alf nodded. "Though I don't quite understand why you don't want to use it? Since when do fifteen-year-olds care about the moral consequences of their actions?"
"Since they've been reprimanded severely by the magical council," Damien answers.
Alf gave him a look. That's what Damien said, but he wasn't sure he believed him.
"I hate lying to my parents," Damien said.
Alf looked at his friend incredulously. "Then just tell them."
"I can't tell them," Damien said. "They haven't been cleared by the council. Even though they're thinking about coming out to the world, they still won't let me tell my parents. Until their decree is passed, they're not going to let me tell them... and that's only if it's passed."
"Oh," Alf was sympathetic, though he had no real idea how that would feel. He'd just been able to tell his parents because no one told him not to. "That sucks."
"Yeah," Damien agrees. "And that's why I hate magic."
[[End scene.]]
posted by Cedric @ 4:27 pm
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