Shades

the man was there.

“Yeah?”

Mr. Bedrik was a hard-ass. Danny didn’t like him; had often skipped his class the year before. But now, the teacher was looking at him with a different expression. Not contempt or disapproval, but one of impressed surprise.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.” The teacher sat down next to him in one of the empty chairs. “After school detention?”

“No,” Danny mumbled. “Just reading.”

“Crowley.” Mr. Bedrik nodded toward the bookshelves. “The Master Therion. I can’t imagine you found that in here.”

Danny shook his head, and then closed the book.

“I have to admit, Danny. I’m impressed. That’s awfully advanced reading for a boy your age, especially given your academic past. Is this some sort of heavy metal thing? What’s that new band—Slayer, I believe? Do they use him in one of their songs?”

Danny shrugged. “No. I just thought it was interesting.”

“Indeed?” Bedrik smiled. “And you like it?”

“So far.”

“You should try Aceldama, his first published collection of poems. That was always my personal favorite.”

Danny’s eyes widened. “You read this stuff?”

Mr. Bedrik smiled. “Don’t sound so surprised, Danny. A thirst for knowledge is a good thing. Crowley himself said that ‘the solution is to develop consciousness so that we no longer think as a child or a school boy does’ and are ‘capable of comprehending incommensurables as pertinent to our own formula.’ So yes, I’ve read him. I read everything, all subjects. I have a wide variety of interests.”

“You…do you…practice it?”

“No. I just like to stay informed. You’re never too old to learn more.”

“You sound like Gustav,” Danny said. A second later, he realized the slip and shut his mouth.

“You know Gustav?” Mr. Bedrik sounded surprised. “The old bum who hangs around downtown?”

“Yeah,” Danny said. “A little. I mean, I’ve seen him around town. We’re not friends or anything. You know him, too?”

“Oh yes. I am aware of him. And you should be careful around him. He’s no good.”

“He’s okay,” Danny said. “I mean, he’s not a pervert or anything. His house is a dump, but he’s nice. No job, but he’s smart.”

“How would you know? Didn’t you just say that you’re not friendly with him?”

“Well…” Danny paused, trying to think of a way to cover. For some reason, Mr. Bedrik’s interest in Gustav made him uncomfortable. “We talk about books sometimes. That’s all.”

“Do you discuss Crowley with him?”

“N-no.”

“Danny, lying does not become you.”

“Yes. Sometimes I talk to him. Happy? But so what?”

“No reason.” Mr. Bedrik stood up. “I have things to attend to. You really should go home, Danny. School is done for the day. It’s nice outside. Do you really want to spend the evening reading books?”

“I thought Crowley said knowledge was a good thing?”

Mr. Bedrik’s smile faded. “He also said ‘A little knowledge is a dangerous thing; more than a little is certain disaster.’ Keep that in mind in regards to your friend Gustav.”

“You think he’s dangerous?”

“I think you know more about him than you’re pretending. And yet, I think you don’t know enough.”

“What do you mean? Is he like a Russian spy or something?”

Mr. Bedrik laughed. “Hardly. But there are a lot of things about him that simply aren’t as they seem. His name, for instance.”

“What’s wrong with his name?”

“It’s not Gustav.”

He walked out of the library. The doors swung shut behind him. Danny frowned. The teacher had acted… different. No hollering. No angry incriminations. No disdain. It was like he’d actually been interested in what Danny was doing.

Weird. His comments about Gustav were even weirder—but understandable. After all, most of the adults in Brackard’s Point thought the old man was a simple vagrant, living in that ramshackle house. They didn’t know his secret. Still, Mr. Bedrik had seemed to know something.

Danny felt bad for being suspicious. Of course Mr. Bedrik was acting weird. His brother had recently been killed. Danny shuddered, remembering how the crabs had eaten the body. Mr. Bedrik was probably just impressed that Danny was reading. He’d tried talking to him—and Danny had responded with mistrust. He glanced out into the hallway, but the teacher was gone.

For a moment, he considered running after him and warning Mr. Bedrik about what Matt, Jeremy, Ronnie and Chuck had planned for him, but in the end, loyalty to his friends won out. He wasn’t a rat. Fuck that noise.

One month ago, Mr. Bedrik had caught Jeremy, Ronnie, and Matt kicking the shit out of Terry Hampton after Terry refused to let Jeremy copy his test answers. Everyone else had the smarts to let Jeremy do whatever he wanted, but not Terry. He was new, and didn’t know about Jeremy’s low tolerance of people who didn’t share.

The three boys had caught up with Terry behind the shop class. Chuck and Danny weren’t with them at the time. If they had been, Matt probably wouldn’t have been involved.

Matt had moved to Brackard’s Point when they were in fourth grade, after bonds had already formed between Danny, Jeremy, Ronnie, and Chuck. Sometimes, Matt still acted like the new kid, eager to please his friends and gain their acceptance.

Jeremy could be mean, and sometimes his cruelty was infectious, like when they fed the Alka-Seltzer to the birds. Ronnie always went along with whatever Jeremy suggested. Chuck and Matt were more reserved. They usually sided with Danny’s calmer influence.

But Danny and Chuck were playing the new Paperboy video game down at the pizza place on Congers Road that day, and Matt had joined in Ronnie and Jeremy’s madness. Hearing Terry’s cries, Mr. Bedrik caught them. All three got detention. It didn’t matter to Jeremy or Ronnie, but Matt’s old man hit the roof. He’d given Matt the worst beating of his life. Since then, Matt had been plotting to get even with the teacher.

Danny returned to his book, and tried to forget about everything else. His lips moved as he read. “Let then the Adept extend his Will beyond the Circle…”

Extend his will. He felt like he was ready, even though Gustav said he wasn’t. But he’d been studying hard, and he was ready to try.

Things were going to be different at home.

After a few more minutes, the words started to blur together. The school librarian cleared her throat and then looked meaningfully at the clock. Danny closed the book and left, heading for Gustav’s house.

789

Gustav handed him a package wrapped in tacky gold foil and tied with a silver bow.

“What is it?”

Gustav sat down in his dusty recliner and waved his hand. “It’s a present, yes? You do good in school.”

“A present?”

“Yes, boy, a present. Wrapped in paper. Surprise inside. Present.”

Danny grinned, forgetting all about Mr. Bedrik. “Can I open it?”

“Da. Open it already.”

Danny tore away the paper and stared at the small, red velvet box. There were no markings or store insignias on it. He opened the box. There were three items inside. An old Zippo lighter, meticulously polished, with a weird design etched into the side; a half moon, sun, serpent, and an eye.

He looked up at Gustav. “What do they mean?”

“They are Colleges of the Magus. The Moon is for thaumaturgy, the Sun for alchemy. The Snake is for sorcery,