I scan the books I have. I have book three of the Rising Evils series. Cool. I also have A Guide to Shirams, A Guide to Dark Magic and A Guide to Changelings.
I get out a marker and add on A Guide to Shirams:
A Guide to Shirams and the Fuckful Things They Do
Why not? I'm bored.
I choose one of the books at random and flip it open to a random page.
Changelings, true to their name, can shape-shift or even posses. A Changeling in its natural state would take the form of a blue deer that walks on its hind legs. They can shape-shift into anything.
What should I do if I suspect that my friend is a Changeling?
Changelings are very rare. They are more likely to be possessed. They can fight against the Changeling, though, by refusing to follow the Changeling's bidding.
How should I avoid being possessed by a Changeling?
Changelings feed on negative energy, so they mainly choose victims that show a lot of:
-fear
-hate
-envy
-lust
-greed
-pride
-wrath
-sloth
-anger
And so on and on. The list goes on, over seven pages, and finally comes to a stop.
I sigh and facepalm, unimpressed. Had I written the book, I'd put it like this:
-fear -hate -envy
-lust -greed -pride
-wrath -sloth -anger
And it would save a lot of space and a lot of paper. Save the environment, you know?
Wait...the All-Father thinks that Trixie is possessed by a Changeling, causing her to act like a little kid? Hm...
It's impossible to tell if Trixie shows a lot of fear, but it's evident she deeply hates my sweet angel, Angel. Envy is also impossible. Lust? Trixie likes Finch, but nothing more than that. Greed, well, Trixie does get aggressive over her armour, but only when it's stolen by Evangeline. She's evidently prideful, and as for wrath, that's a well, duh! Sloth, I've never seen Trixie doze off once. And her anger is like a raging fire in her. It demands more and more fuel, and it doesn't go out.
So does that make her a big target?
Hm...did a Changeling make me a target when I snapped at Goodie?
I flip open the book to check.
Are you possesed by a Changeling?
Here's a quick and easy checklist for you.
1. Do you get frequent headaches?
No.
2. Is that little voice in your head unusually active?
No.
3. Do you feel provoked easily?
Yeah, kinda.
4. Do you feel like you're about to explode?
No, not really.
5. Do you want to torture someone?
No fucking way.
6. Do you feel like picking a fight?
No.
7. If I told you to jump off a cliff, would you do so?
Yes, because I can fly.
8. If I told you to hang yourself, would you do so?
No. I'm not suicidal like Jezebel and Amber.
9. Do you want to bungee jump?
No. I can do that myself any time.
10. Are you crazy?
I'm not. The writer is, though.
(Orson!)
If you answered yes to 3 or under questions, relax, you are definitely not possessed by a Changeling.
If you answered yes to 4 to 7 questions, you are probably not possessed by one.
If you answered yes to 8 or above questions, seek help immediately. There's a huge chance that you are possessed.
So I'm perfectly normal. Um...yay?
I don't feel like this.
My moods aren't lifted until dinner, when I see who has joined us.
Finch, my old friend. Or sort of.
"Hey Orson!" he says.
"Hey Birdie!" I reply.
What? A finch is a bird!
We talk for a bit, but he's distracted when he spots Trixie, a few tables away in the cafeteria, amazing a bunch of punk girls by throwing knives at anything they dared her to.
"Send one at the ceiling, right in that crimson tile over there!" says a lilac-haired one excitedly.
Trixie narrows her golden eyes and sends one up.
Wait...golden eyes?
Something's off, but I'm too lazy to care.
"Throw one at Orson, and hit the strap of his backpack on his left," challenges one with a green mohawk.
Oh no.
"Trixie don't you-" I shout.
Trixie whips out another knife, and her arm swings 180 degrees as a knife flies at me. I'm too stunned to move. True to her word, the knife hits the strap of my backpack. I'm impressed, but that doesn't calm my irritation. I would have liked her stunt, clapped even, if I had known what I was in for.
"Trix!" shouts Finch.
"Aww!" rings through the cafeteria.
I give up. Those lovebirds should go get a room to flirt. I grab my food and sit down near Gabby and Angela.
"Hey, Horse," Gabby greats me.
"Hey Gabinet," I say, coming up with something that rhymes with 'gab'. I know it sounds weird, but still...
Angela laughs, and Gabby strokes her hair.
Ugh. I'm sick of the acts. They should also get a room to flirt and FUCKING LEAVE ME ALONE.
Huuh. If love is in the air, I'd put on a gas mask.
Anyway, I try to eat my dinner without glancing at other people, but everybody seems to be sitting with their boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife. And I'm just a loner.
If you ask me, no, I don't hate love, I just wish I have a hand in it. Every couple I see is a blow to my heart. Gabby and Angela make me fear that she will eventually replace me as Gabby's best friend. I look left of me, and it's a blond, quiff-haired dude with some redhead girl I don't know. Though the boy resembles Kevin, it's really not him, and looking at them make me sigh. Kevin was the guy I could relate to most: we're both guys, we're around the same age, and we're both single. They make me think that I might loose even the slim understanding between Kev and I.
Amber walks up to me, a cup of noodles in her hand. More like glides, since she's now practically a ghost, but still...
"Mr. Coldbloom, can I talk to you?"
"One, it's Goldbloom, not Coldbloom, and two, Orson will be fine."
"Suit yourself, Orson."
"Cool," I say, finishing my banana. "What do you want?"
YOU ARE READING
A Slayer With Wings
Science Fiction***Book Three of the Orson Goldbloom tetralogy*** "What?" she exclaims. "Trixie is captain?!" I nod firmly. "Yeah. Today's not April Fool's Day, and looks like the All-Father's brain is clouded as f😠😠😠." "Language, Orson!" I look at her puppy eye...
