The Stuff of Legends, Chapter 6
by Pleasant Dreamer
Chapter 6: Birth of a Pharaoh
I’d spent almost a week trying to find some sort of lead on the statue, but hadn’t discovered anything even remotely useful. Just as I’d expected Dad vanished from the house soon after working out all the details with Kim about her new job. He got a call in the middle of the night and woke me up saying that his team had discovered something huge and he had to leave immediately. Mel took it hard, but she was used to Dad’s sudden disappearances and quickly got over it. I think a big part of that had to do with Kim.
Kim and Mel had hit it off fast and after hanging out for just a few days were already acting like they’d been friends for years. I was grateful that she was there to help keep Mel occupied while I tried to research the statue. Mel was pestering me even more about it than I had expected. She just couldn’t get the idea that it might really hold some sort of magic power out of her head. I was really stressing out because I’d assumed that I would have at least made some headway on uncovering the secrets of the statue by now, but I was completely stumped and didn’t know where else to turn.
Kim was working out great, but things still weren’t quite as I had fantasized. She was great with Mel, and she even did some cleaning and cooked dinner most nights, but I had hoped for more. I assumed that I’d at least be able to catch glimpses of her late at night in a nightie or lounging around the pool in a swimsuit, but so far there was nothing even remotely sexy or revealing about her wardrobe. Oh well, she was still pretty cool. She had even chosen to spend her day off at Mel’s soccer game with me.
She let us know that she was going out with some friends after breakfast and would meet us at the field. Once she was gone Mel took the opportunity to pester me about the statue again. I knew I was close to my breaking point. It wasn’t Mel’s fault, but the frustration I was feeling combined with the stress I was putting myself under was getting to be too much for me and I knew that if I didn’t get some time away from her I’d end up snapping and saying things I’d regret.
I told her I needed to get some air and clear my head a bit so I was going for a walk. I figured some time away from Dad’s study and Mel’s constant stream of asinine questions and ridiculous theories about the statue would do me a world of good. I felt a lot better once I got out of the house. I knew Mel would be fine alone. She was going to get ready for the game and head over to her friend Naomi’s place to meet up with her friends before the game anyway. They almost always went together. It was a sort of game day ritual she did.
I walked around all morning and eventually found myself at the field. I settled into the bleachers next to Kim and made some small talk as I waited for the game to begin. I scanned the girls on the field looking for the attractive regulars that I enjoyed checking out. Soon they’d start their usual warm up routine of stretches and jumping jacks. That was my favorite part of the games.
Just then I was shaken out of my perverted musings by a woman I only knew as “Naomi’s mom.” She’d always been very friendly towards me and always gave Mel and me rides to and from the games and practices.
“Hi Brandon, where’s Mel?”
The question took me by complete surprise. “What do you mean? Didn’t she come here with you?”
“No, she never came to the house and didn’t answer any of Naomi’s texts. We were a little worried, but just assumed she was off doing something with Kim.” Just then she stuck out her hand towards Kim. “Hi, I’m Diane, Naomi’s mom. The girls have been best friends since kindergarten. Mel’s told me so many great things about you. I can tell she’s really fond of you.”
The whole time she was talking I was scanning the field. Sure enough I didn’t see Mel anywhere. I told myself it was nothing to worry about and that she’d only been missing a short time, but there were two things I knew about my sister for sure. First she’d NEVER miss a game. Her dumbass theories about the “Magic Cat’s Eye Statue” and her team’s chances at making the state finals were all she ever talked about lately. And second she always responded to texts instantly. She always had her phone with her and she charged it every night.
Naomi’s house was only a couple of blocks away, but who knew what could have happened. I was a little annoyed at how calmly Naomi’s Mom was taking the fact that no one knew where the fuck my sister was. I expected she was used to that sort behavior with Naomi, but I always knew where Mel was. Picking up on my fear Kim suggested that we go back to the house and see if she was still there. The more time passed the more anxious and worried I got. I could tell Kim was trying to stay calm, but that she was also getting worried too.
When we got home I burst through the doors and began calling out Mel’s name, but there was no response. It was quickly decided that Kim would drive back to the field in case Mel had showed up late and I’d wait at the house in case she returned there. After a few minutes of freaking out I decided to text her again and hope for a reply. As soon as I hit send I heard the faint sound of her ringtone coming from somewhere upstairs. I followed the sound to the closed doors of Dad’s study. Confused, I opened the door and was immediately angered by what I saw.
Mel was just fucking standing there, dressed in her soccer uniform, completely ignoring my text. What the fuck! All this time we’d been worried about her and the little retard was safe and sound at home. For once I wasn’t going to hold back. She’d scared the shit out of me and made me feel stupid for worrying about her in the first place. “What the hell have are you doing? Kim and I have been looking all over for you! And what the fuck are you doing in Dad’s office, you idiot? You know you’re not fucking allowed in here!”
For the first time in my life I was screaming at her, really screaming at her. Mel and I had argued and fought before, but I’d never been this upset. I knew I needed to calm down before I said something I couldn’t take back, but god damn I was pissed. I took a deep breath closed my eyes and tried to calm down as I waited for her to start wailing. After a few seconds I opened my eyes, surprised that I hadn’t even heard sobbing or quiet weeping. Instead she was in the exact same spot as when I opened the door. She hadn’t even turned to look at me. That’s when I realized she was staring at the statue Dad had sent me. I’d placed it on his bookcase for the time being. Confused and concerned I walked towards Mel, but tripped over her stupid pink Hello Kitty duffle bag.
I hit the floor hard. In all my anger I hadn’t even noticed the stupid fucking bag. To make matters worse I smashed my head on Dad’s giant desk when I fell. I felt disorientated and wondered if I might pass out.
“Dammit Mel, don’t just stand there. Help me up for God’s sake.” I raised my hand pleadingly and almost fell from the sudden wave of dizziness. I watched as my sister reached down for my arm without looking away from the statue. Once I was back on my feet I saw her eyes. They were big and glassy, almost doll like and she didn’t have a single trace of emotion of her face. It was creepy as hell. “Mel, are you alright?” It was if she hadn’t heard me at all.
I flew at Melody and grabbed her by the arm. “Mel are you alright…..Mel can you hear me?” Even as I shook her entire body and practically screamed in her face her gaze remained fixed on the statue. Angrily I reached out and snatched the statue off the shelf. Her head immediately jerked around as if there a wire connecting it to the statue. “Damn it Mel, stop it. This isn’t a game people are really worried about you. Tell me what the hell you’re doing in here and why you haven’t been answering your phone!” My tone was dead serious and she had to know she was in major trouble.
“I…snuck in to see the Magic…..Cat’s Eye statue.” Her voice was quiet and it was as if she were struggling to find the energy just to speak. “I must continue….to stare deep into the eyes…my mind belongs to the pharoh….my body belongs…to the pharoah. I must stare into the cat’s eyes…and wait for commands from my master. I am a mindless slave.”
Her voice was empty and robotic. It was the exact opposite of my always perky and energetic little sister, I would have been seriously creeped out if I wasn’t certain it was just one of her stupid games that she was way too damn old for. I took a deep breath and sighed. “Knock it off Mel. I told you before there's no damn magic and I’m not in the mood to play one of you silly games. Look you’re not in trouble ok. I was just scared something might have happened to you is all. I won’t tell Dad.”
She remained motionless, her eyes fixated on the jewels in the statue. I became annoyed and put the statue back on the bookcase, but with its eyes facing the wall. If she noticed she didn’t show it. “Look I don’t know what you’re trying to prove, but it’s time to stop this stupid game. Even for you this is childish.” I was a bit surprised that didn’t shake her, if it was one thing she hated more than anything it was to be called childish. “Fine, you want to play little kid games, I’ll play.”
I thought for a moment of some ridiculous order I could give this “mindless slave” that she would refuse and thus end her stupid act, but all I could think to say was, “Alright, if the Magic Cat’s Eye statue really did turn you into a mindless slave then I order you to do something that will prove it to me.”
She remained frozen in place for a few seconds and then quickly took off her t-shirt and threw it to the floor. The next thing I knew she had reached out and quickly grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand up to her breast. Shocked I tried to pull away just as her other hand pressed against mine.
“Mel, what the fuck are you…..” That’s when I saw her face, still cold and void of any emotion. I began to feel a wave or relaxation wash over me as the adrenaline surge from my earlier burst of anger faded and my fingers began to close around her small breast. For almost a full minute I stared directly into her empty lifeless eyes looking for any sort of response as I openly played my little sisters boob.
Lost in thought I continued to paw at her as I began to piece together a theory of what could have happened. Could it be possible that the little idiot’s belief in magic and hypnosis was so strong that simply by staring into the jewels she was able to hypnotize herself? What little I knew about hypnosis I knew from watching magic specials and documentaries with Mel. From what I remembered all it really took was an object to focus on and someone to guide you into a trace, but could someone really guide themselves?
The answer was standing right in front of me. I was certain only someone as naive and gullible as Mel could possibly have done this to themselves, but I had no doubt she’d managed to lull herself into a hypnotic trance. As I lightly stroked her small nipple protruding underneath her sports bra my mind was filled with possibilities, but I knew time was short and I had to work fast. Kim could show up any minute.
“Alright Mel, you’ve convinced me. You’ve definitely been enslaved by the magic cat’s eye statue. It’s turned you into its mindless slave. Since I own the statue then naturally you belong to me, isn’t that right?”
She blinked a few times as if her empty mind was processing this information. “Yes Pharaoh, I belong to you.” Her voice was quiet and robotic; I figured that must be how her subconscious mind believed a mindless slave would talk. I found the pharaoh bit a little funny even though I didn’t understand it. I figured her subconscious must recognize the owner of the statue as the pharaoh, but that was just a guess. I decided to play along with it.
“That’s right slave. I am your pharaoh. I am your God. I am your lord and master. I command and you obey, is that understood?”
She dropped to her knees and bowed low to the ground. Her head practically touched the carpet. “Yes my lord, how may I serve you?” Looking down at her I pulled Dad’s office chair out from behind his desk and sat in front of her.
“Well little slave, that’s a very good question. I’m going to need to relax and think about that for a minute. As I said it I leaned back in the chair and placed my feet on her back.
“Well we know you make a handy little foot stool, but what else are you good for?” I laughed before quickly adding, “Finding the answer to that question ought to be fun.”
>>Chapter 7>>