Chapter Text
Magic is difficult to describe. It's like a fire inside of you. Your emotions; no matter good or bad, fuel it. The more emotional one gets, the more the one's magic flares up. Personally, if my magic acts up, plants start to sprout from my hands. Not in a painful way, the roots wrap around my fingertips and the plant will grow outward, sometimes flowers, sometimes vines.
That's what got me into performance magic, much to the chagrin of my parents. Gordon, however, supported me. No matter what. Even if he favored tech.
So, we moved in together, just the two of us; barely making rent on our shitty apartment, impulse buying the latest games. We had fun.
Until a year ago. Now, we rarely talk to each other. Only to bicker.
One day, after a long day of performing at a college for their graduation celebration, I came home to Gordon setting up a VR headset. He looked up at me, deer in headlights, as he was taking up the majority of the floor with technology scattered around. He looked like he hadn't showered in over a week and his hair could be tied back, but he let it do it's own thing, slicked down with grease. His clothing looked like it had seen better days as well, his white tank stained and his sweatpants were just as gross, too. I put my bag of magic supplies down on the ground, before crossing my arms, tapping my foot. We stared at each other for a while until he broke.
"I paid this month's rent already! Stop looking at me like that!" Gordon threw up his hands.
"I'm not upset about that; you look disgusting and I can clearly see you're tinkering with it and I haven't had a chance to play on it yet!"
"I'm good with technology, I know what I'm doing!" He ignored my comment about his appearance.
"You know what you're doing with my book on spells?" I point out the book he had behind him as if he was trying to hide it from me, "You can't keep doing this, dude. It's been over a year."
"Don't you fucking dare bring that up!"
"Why am I not allowed to talk about it? We live together, and you wallowing in your own self-pity won't fucking solve anything."
"You don't know what it was like, Mel. So shut the fuck up, and leave me alone!"
"Fine! Fuck with magic! Just don't come running to be when you fuck up!" I storm out of the room, slamming my door shut. I brush off the vines from my hands, not noticing them until just now, and hopping into the shower. I can hear him dicking around in the living room, even after the shower. I get changed into my pajamas before my stomach growls. Fuck, I got so angry I forgot to eat. I leave my room and go into the kitchen, which is just across from the living room. His setup is complete with him nowhere to be found. I figure he just went to go take a smoke break or something and make myself a pb&j. I take a big bite, starring over at his setup. My book is open to a page deep within the book. I brush it off, finishing my sandwich. I chug a glass of milk, then put all my dishes into the sink. I keep telling myself I'll make him do the dishes tomorrow, knowing in the back of my mind, I'll probably have to do them.
I brush my teeth, then head to bed. I need to do a birthday party gig tomorrow and don't have time for Gordon's bullshit.
My dreams are weird.
Usually, my dreams take place somewhere real and I'm a fly on the wall. Watching events unfold that I shouldn't be able to see or know of.
Tonight, I'm watching my brother.
He's in a suit of orange and black armor.He looks tired, his hand is gone and he is crying out for me.
Guilt forms at the pit of my stomach. He looks so sad, so small, so scared.
And I'm just the fly on the wall.
I can do nothing but watch.
I watch him weep, calling out to me.
And I, the fly on the wall.
Can do nothing.
Guilt swallows me whole.
Nothing.
My alarm goes off. It's 7 in the morning. And I'm covered in blue flowers. I toss them into the bin next to me, shaking off my sadness with them. I head over to Gordon's room and knock. No answer. I knock again, only harder.
"Gordon?"
The door creaks open. It smells really bad, but I push the door open. The bed is unkempt and the trash is overflowing. And he's not here. Fuck the birthday party, I'm getting concerned. I leave his room, heading into the living room. I take note of everything being in its place from where it was left from the night before. Even my bag. I walk over to my book and look over the page Gordon was on.
Oh shit.
I pick up the book, looking for any way to reverse the spell.
Several beeps come from the TV. I look up; text is appearing on the screen in an old pixilated font.
"mel if you're reading this im sorry i never shouldve tampered with magic i just wanted to escape but now i cant leave please hel pme"
I let out a mixture between a sob and a shout of frustration.
I can't think.
I clutch my head, staring at the words on the page, not being able to focus.
I stop. Take in a deep breath, hold, then exhale. I look back down at the book.
YES.
I can cast a spell that'll reverse it. Get him back to the real world, but I'll have to be in there to do so. I pull on a hoodie and slip on some shoes. I sling my bag over my head and enter the world.
Here we go.