Cautiously, Ric and Josh approached the door. "Go on, pollo grande," Josh hissed, but he wasn’t smiling when he said it. Ric, eyes shut tight,
reached out, turned the knob and violently threw the door open.
A loud snort from Josh shocked Ric into looking. There, in a Looney Tunes t-shirt and denim overalls, stood a boy, about 10, who could have
been a shoo-in for the job of poster child for Hayseed, Inc.: gap-toothed, with a swath of freckles spread across his rosy cheeks and nose, the
pudgy face was set off by a protruding set of jug ears. A stray cowlick of pecan-colored hair stuck up at an acute angle near the back of his
scalp. A wheat stalk stuck into his mouth was about all that was missing to complete the picture.
"Um, can we help you, little boy?" Ric began.
"Kids. Pfeh! Just what I don’t need," snapped the boy, a slight lisp softening his speech. He continued talking, but something was odd - both
Ric and Josh could see his lips moving in synch, but the voice they heard wasn’t coming from the boy - it was as if it was inside their heads.
What’s more, this was the gruff, low, strident voice they’d heard earlier. No lisp now. Just a clear tone that cut through any outside sounds.
"Make way for Yenarek, o foolish ones. Know that I am the most powerful of powerfuls, the scourge of mine enemies, whose bones bleach in a
thousand lands. Immortal I may be, but do not waste my time!"
Determinedly, the boy brushed by Ric. "Ah, yonder be my mace and my shield. Just the two? Ah, well, no matter. Now!" With that, he snapped
his fingers.
Marco, suddenly no longer confused and aimless, snapped to attention, his gaze fixed on the boy. "Protect!" he shouted, then strode forward
and slammed the door shut.
"What the...." Ric and Josh both thought. Mr. Mendes, who had not looked well before, was positively becoming hideous now. Greenish-black
scales covered him all over, his nose had all but receded into his skull, leaving two large flared nostrils. Francisco's lower jaw protruded
noticeably now, in turen making his chin recede. A narrow tongue flicked out from thin, cold lips every few seconds. His arms were tight against
his sides; slowly swaying in a small semi-circle, now-yellow eyes fixed on the boy.
"Behold the power of Yenarek," the disembodied voice announced. "One shall guard my physical form with his life so long as I am present. The
other shall make a fine symbol of the power of Yenarek, an icon to bring despair into the hearts of those who oppose me!" He moved leisurely
to an armchair and plopped down, sneaker-clad feet dangling off the floor. One lace was untied and hung, frayed, in the empty air. "Now, about
my book. I sense you have made use of its power. Two of you, hm? Good. Good. Two are but half as formidable as one. Yes. Yes. Come, you
may now approach."
"Approach, my ass," Ric said. Motioning for Josh to follow, he began to run straight at the boy. "You change Mr. Mendes and Marco back, you
little snot — uh!"
A large, stron hand clamped down on Ric’s shoulder and stopped him cold. Another did the same for Josh. "Protect!" It was Marco.
"Ow! Hey, leggo, amigo. C’mon, that really hurts!" Josh said. "Protect!" was the only reply.
Yenarek laughed, an oily, rasping sound. "My guard will squeeze until you bleed, if I so wish." he said. "I can call him off, if and when you are
ready to show some sense." he reached into the chest pocket of the overalls and pulled out a stick of gum. Slowly unwrapping it, he paused just
before popping it into his mouth. "Well?" he asked.
"O–okay," Ric said through teeth clenched in pain. "We give."
"Wise," answered Yenarek. He waved his hand towards Marco, who forced both Ric and Josh to the floor, then released them. "Know this,
whelps, and know it well and true. Defy me and die. It is but that simple. Know you the whereabouts of my book?"
Josh and Ric looked at each other. "Yes," Ric whispered.
"Toy not with me," Yenarek snapped back. "Speak up and speak truly."
"Yes," Ric said, louder and more steadily.
"Good, good. Yes," Yenarek replied.
"How do we know it’s yours?" Josh piped up. "I mean, you could be, I don’t know, some evil guy trying to get it from its rightful owner." Out of the
corner of his eye, Josh saw Ric turn and look at him, wide-eyed and with his mouth agape. Josh, having blurted out the challenge wothout
stopping to think, was just as stunned at his act of bravado.
"Ha! Spirit, eh?" Yenarek laughed. "Good, good. There may be a use for the lot of you after all." he pulled the wad of wet, chewed gum from his
mouth, reached over and pressed it against the bottom of the chair. "Fortuitously, my calendar is free just now. It would amuse me to answer.
But beware - stay where you are - my guard may not be as – forgiving – as the beneficent Yenarek. Understand you my instructions?"
Ric and Josh both gulped and nodded.
"Good, good. Yes," Yenarek nodded in reply. "Thus begins the tale of Yenarek and his book of changes. Know you that thousands of years
ago, before the rise of Greece and Rome, before the first pyramid was begun, lived a powerful sorcerer, Yenarek by name. Mastered the
arcane arts of all types, he did, yet he realized that in ut a short span of time he would pass this world as do all who dwell upon it. Yenarek
studied and prepared for years, both mentally and physically, to cast The Great Spell, one that no one on this plane had dared try to fathom,
much less perform.
"That spell, my pups, was for immortality. And work well it did. But Those Who Oversee Existence are not without a sense of humor. Once cast,
the spell was irreversible. With the level of knowledge achieved by your society, I can explain what ocurred.
"The spell changed yenarek at a genetic level. To compensate, Those Who Oversee existence provided a balancing factor - Yenarek would be
incapable of passing his gift to any progeny. Thus have I, the powerful Yenarek, been trapped in this ludicrous form ever since.
"I discovered as time continued its unstoppable tread that I did not age. But there were other cosmic payments stacked on the opposing tray of
the scale that came to light as well. First, my powers would have little or no affect on those who also had not yet achieved man or womanhood.
Think not that this gives you any advantage. There is no advantage in facing Yenarek. When your friend there (here he pointed to Francisco)
answered my summons, the mighty Yenarek cast spells to bring all of age who were within range of my voice under my thrall. Such a shame
there were only two. No matter, they will dispose of you with dispatch if I so wish. Second, my own memory and ability to retain knowledge was
becoming that commensurate with my apparent age.
"While still able, I transferred as much of my skill and knowledge as I could onto a series of tablets. Since, they have been enshrined in scrolls,
on parchment and, in this age, into a series of books. Apparently one of my minions, in a futile attempt to escape my service, managed to steal
away with the Book of Changes, which later came into your possession, I know not, nor care, how.
"I sense that the Book has bonded with you already. This is a small inconvenience, but none that the eminent Yenarek cannot undo. Understand
you this tale? Do you desire more? I find this interlude amusing, but warn you that Yenarek tires of amusements quickly."
During this monologue, both Ric and Josh had gone pale. Ric felt a trickle of cold sweat running down his sides. Josh was nervously tugging at
stray locks of his hair. "Um, yes, I think so," Ric said.
"Then bring me my book, you vomitous excuse for a boy," Yenarek shouted.
"It – it – it’s going to take both of us," Ric began. "I can’t reach it alone."
"And both of you are here still?" snarled Yenarek. "Begone and do my bidding. Your telephone has been silenced, the windows and doors of
this abode sealed. Yenarek shall admire his formidable handiwork on your friends, but my patience is not without limit. Now go!"
Ric moved first, literally grabbing Josh’s shirt and hauling him up and towards the bedroom. Yenarek had apparently lost interest in them as
soon as they agreed. "Guard, refreshments to celebrate my foreordained victory," he said to Marco. "Yes. Good, good," he intoned, one hand
absent-mindedly reaching out to stroke Francisco’s scales.
Once there, Ric closed the door. "What’re we gonna do, Ric?" Josh blurted out. "I mean, we’re way over our heads here. But we’ve gotta find
some way to change Mr. Mendes and Marco back. I’m scared, bro. I mean really scared, right down to my center." Josh sniffed, and Ric could
see tears begin to well up in his eyes.
"Listen, Josh, I think we may have one chance. Something that – kid – in there said gave me an idea. It might not work, but follow my lead,
okay?" Josh nodded and wiped his sleeve across his face.
Ric lifted up the mattress and retrieved the book fro where he’s hidden it earlier. He sat on the bed and opened it. The book was still blank.
"Come here, Josh," Ric whispered. "Give me your hand."
Holding his own hand on top of Josh’s, Ric moved both of their index fingers to the open page. As soon as they made contact, one word
flickered into view. "Yes. I thought that might be it. Remember when – he – said that two were half as strong as one? It’s going to take both of
us to do this. The book must have bonded with both of us, since we used it together, or something, I think." Ric hissed, uncertainly.
"This isn’t going to work like this," Josh offered, as understanding dawned. "Let me get behind you." Here, he jumped up onto the bed and knelt
behind Ric, then reached his hands around Ric’s body. "There, let’s try it like that."
Paired hands moved across the page, one word at a time appearing as their touch traveled. Josh had to crane his neck to see of Ric’s
shoulder, but they both were able to softly read the words as they showed.
""Ric, I don’t think anything’s gonna happen," began Josh. "Oooh, Jesus, I feel kinda – weird – all of a sudden." he tried to remove one hand to
steady himself, but the boys’ hands were stuck fast. "What the holy hell?" Josh asked. "Ric, I — glrumph...."
"What’re you..." Ric began, then felt Josh’s weight press on him. "No, wait a sec," thought Ric, "Even Josh isn’t that heavy. What is..." The
weight increased, deadweight, pressing deep into Ric’s back.
Now Ric tried to get a hand free, and was awestruck to see that his and Josh’s hands had begun to fuse together. "What – did – we – do?" he
thought. Slowly, then picking up speed, Josh’s body and Ric’s, partially liquefied, melted together into a large, roughly human-shaped mass,
then coalesced a little smaller, a little more defined, until, finally, thankfully, there was one boy sitting on the bed. The whole process had taken
no more and 15 or 20 seconds, but had seemed like hours to Ric and Josh.
"You okay?" the boy said aloud, softly. "Yeah, I’m okay. Am I here, or are you?"
"I think it’s both of us, dude. Like we’ve become, I don’t know what to call it," the boy began.
"RicJosh," he interrupted himself. "Yeah, that’s it! ‘Two is half as strong as one.’ The book made us one. It MUST want to stay with us."
RicJosh, carefully, stood up and stretched. To anyone outside, the boy would have looked like neither Josh nor Ric individually; the fusion had
created a whole new set of features, but there were still bits around the eyes, the mouth, the way he carried himself, and so on that were
reminiscent of either one of the two who had been there but moments before. Their clothing has melded as well, creating a carnival of colors
and patterns, not displeasing, but certainly not typical young teen attire.
"I/we do feel more, I don’t know, powerful," RicJosh said to himself. Entwining his fingers together and cracking his knuckles, RicJosh reached
onto the bed and flipped open the book. A short spell, only covering one-quarter of the open page, showed, the letters almost glowing. RicJosh
flipped through other pages, but all were blank save the one.
"That must be it. One shot and one shot only," RicJosh thought. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he began to memorize the short string of odd
words. The effort came unusually easily to the newly-melded boy.
"Dawdle not longer, feckless ragamuffins!" Yenarek’s voice boomed in RicJosh’s head. "My thirst has been slaked and I long to hold once
more my dread volume!"
"Ready? Ready." RicJosh concurred. Holding the book, he stood and took a deep breath. "One, two, three ... let’s do this." RicJosh strode to
the bedroom door and briskly walked into the living room.
Yenarek was standing, poking at Marco and feeling the man’s muscles.
Three steps into the room, RicJosh quickly repeated the memorized spell.
"Ah, the sound of magic ... what?" Yenarek said as he turned to face RicJosh.
"My book! Hand it to me, quickly! I — " All the rest was reduced to a gurgling sound.
RicJosh watched, rapt, as Yenarek seemed to waver in and out of focus. His skin blanched and his hair lightened to a bright white.
His outline still shifting, Yenarek folded in on himself, and simultaneously shrank down ... smaller ... smaller, until all that remained where he
stood was a rumpled pile of boy’s clothing.
RicJosh moved forward, and saw a lump moving under the shirt.
"Protect!" Marco shouted, and pushed RicJosh aside. Reaching into the fabric, Marco pulled up, by its tail, a shrilly squealing white mouse.
"Protect," he said again, holding the mouse up, his arm extended, just out of RicJosh’s reach. RicJosh, emboldened by his/their success thius
far, used all his strength to move forward.
"Protect," Marco again shouted. He grabbed the mouse’s tail between the thumb and forefinger of his left arm and used his right to push
against RicJosh. "Protect!"
RicJosh strained and grunted, managing to push Marco back a few inches, but knew that they were outclassed. RicJosh swatted futilely at the
airborne mouse, causing Marco to move that arm higher and extend it further back and out to the side.
*THWACK*
No one really saw it.
As Marco moved slowly back, his outstretched arm had come just close enough and – with a blur of pink, a forked tongue had sped from Mr.
Mendes’ mouth, enveloped the mouse and pulled him into a now-lipless maw. Francisco swallowed his prey before anyone had realized what
had happened.
"Pro – huh?" Marco said, a dazed look in his eyes. "¿Que pasando? ¿Quién estas?
RicJosh, using both hands, managed to pull Marco’s still-pushing arm away.
"Sit down, Marco, mi amigo," RicJosh began. "It’s a long story, and afterwards we’re pretty sure we can undo everything that has happened,
including to us. As for the wiz-, er, mouse, he’s gotta be beyond saving. You wouldn’t be talking to us otherwise." RicJosh gently reached up
and, using both hands, forced Marco down onto the couch.
Off to the side, a low, contented humming and soft clicking sounds came from Mr. Mendes.