AMKent books

Part 3

We both cross the bridge of books; they hold steady and firm as we approach the tree, and the ground becomes exceptionally cold. Before us lies the tree; it looks intimidating up close, and the fruit hangs low, easy to pick even on tiptoes. We pull the fruit timidly, half-expecting some kind of overly epic reaction, but the tree lets out a little sigh and another forms exactly in its place almost instantly. Purple veins of light rejuvenate the tree, and it grows taller still. We both check back on the bridge of Marxism, and it still holds well and connects us back to our bubble.

Melanie: “I know how this goes, we are tempted to pick a second fruit and something awful happens, I vote that we just take this magical apple back to Bingbong and be done with it.”

We both look at the fruit hanging low and easy, it is juicier than the one we have, thicker, more luscious, more tempting, it swells with a crimson glow as beads of clear water drip from its skin as if it were slow motion. The thing almost beats, a metronome of flavour, ushering in a taste that our mortal tongues had never fathomed before. Eve would cast away her forbidden fruit in favour of this extravagant work of nature. Incredulous, forever emitting an aroma of pure ecstasy and heavenly light that would purify one’s very soul at a mere bite.

Me: “Yeah, I agree, let’s head back.”

Once we cross the bridge of insufferable university nonsense, the town once again appears. It dawns on us that it must have been the tree that removed our escape route, either that, or whoever is in control of our lives is bleeding the stone of this stupid quest because they have no life or something. The town is lively, and many inhabitants, who appear rather mundane, are going about their daily lives. Melanie keeps looking at her own hands. I can tell she is still getting used to the idea that she is a human once again. I look down at my own hands, and they are dainty and spindly. We enter the storm drain and hear Steven Bing’s voice echoing within the dark.

Steven Bing: “You are back! I see you have the fruit, a rather shrivelled one, I must say. It would have been nicer if you had thrown that one and picked the fresh one that would have grown in its place.”

Me: “Just do what you’ve got to do, this is getting beyond tiresome.”

He gobbles up the apple, rubbing his belly in sheer delight and tossing the core into the sewer water.

Steven Bing: “You two are intertwined with destiny, you know? I see all the classic elements of a fine tale. Romance, hardship, a second act that will have you at your lowest point, repour. Yes, the only thing it misses is an orgy scene. What age are you both?”

Melanie: “I am 28 and he is 30.”

He shakes his head.

Steven Bing: “No, much too old for that. Well, let me teach you about magic. Every spell cast is a spell that costs; it costs what it costs, and whatever that may be, you shall find it costly.”

Me: “What, what does it cost? We keep hearing this, but no one ever specifies it.”

He giggles in a clownish way.

Steven Bing: “Your firstborn child’s ability to hold magic hehehe.”

Melanie: “We don’t have a child.”

Steven Bing: “When you do though ehehhe.”

Me: “We don’t care, after this, we are never returning to this realm or anything even remotely magic.”

Steven Bing: “W…Wait, you guys don’t care at all about the drain this could have on our future firstborn child’s ability to perform magic?”

Melanie & I: “No.”

We all stand in silence, staring at one another.

Steven Bing: “O…Ok then, well… Cast away I guess…”

Mealnie: “So, what are you teaching us then?”

Steven Bing: “I shall show you a spell so dark that it would make Baphomet cry, it makes the victim both their mother and father on the day of their creation, locked in a multi-sensory copulation…”

Melanie & I: “We know it.”

Steven Bing: “How about the one that gives you bad knees?”

Me: “Look, do you have anything to show us or not?”

He trudges around the sewer water, rubbing his large cranium.

Steven Bing: “I will show you how to open a portal. All one must do is think of the person they wish to see, and the portal will take you there.”

We both nod in agreement.

Steven Bing: “Ok, so, you think of what you desire, who you wish to see, and then you utter the words SCHUMERSWIFE!”

A portal opens, and in it is a grey-haired man with a long face looking back at us. Bing quickly closes the portal.

Me: “W…W… Was that?”

Steven Bing: “Nono, he is dead, no, that wasn’t him, so no need to bring that up or tell anyone about that. So, yeah, there is the spell, have fun, guys, nice meeting you.”

He sprints off into the darkness, and Melanie and I share a glance; it was totally who we thought it was.