Chapter 22: Changing

Asa Pike

The day Infinity healed me, something in me changed. It was the mixture of that awful man being in the city and her power, but I believed it was mostly her power. Infinity had given me a priceless gift that day. She had given me the gift of making my own choice. I was no longer confused and forced to feel certain ways. When night fell, I had the choice of whether or not I wanted to change my form, I was able to chose whether I wanted to be helpful to or hinder Charlie Bone, and I began to understand love and feelings regardless of gender.

And although the choice was mine, I let her influence my future because I believed she and Charlie deserved my help because they were always helping people without expecting anything in return. On Monday, I wanted to thank her but I wasn't able to find her until right before we were to go to the King's Room to do homework. I approached her as she walked back to her locker in the Blue Coatroom. I called out her name but she didn't seem to hear me. I called her again, and she stopped and turned. What I saw when she looked me in the eyes made me sick. That was the face of a girl who had been enchanted.

"What is it?" She asked me. She seemed, for the most part, with it. But I could smell the evil and fear.

I didn't want to talk to her. I wanted to get away from her. She made all of my senses scream and want to retreat in fear. The Count could see the world through her eyes now. He had her under his control. "You dropped something." I made up something stupid. I didn't want the Count to be suspicious of me and then relay his suspicion to the Bloors. I handed her a pen I was holding.

"Oh. Thank you." She said quietly and took it. I nodded and walked away.

I noticed how she was treated for the week. Salem spoke to no one, including her. He was angry, biding his time. Charlie and all of his friends were wary of her. The only one who paid her any mind was Manfred, and even then he kept her from forgetting things or stumbling into walls. She was like a child.

"Why don't you keep an eye on her, Asa?" Manfred said finally, giving me a task on Tuesday. I didn't refuse it. Neither Infinity or I really belonged anywhere. We didn't speak to each other but I hardly let her out of my sight and I kept her safe until she got on the bus to leave on Friday.

I decided to spend my Friday night as a beast. I wanted to run around and forget things. I wanted to burn my energy. I ran in the ruins. I knew them like the back of my hand. That night, I could hear Joshua Tilpin and his witch of a mother cackling and flinging rocks at birds. "I was told it was an owl. Save your aim for the owls, Josh." I heard Miss Chrystal say to her son. Although I was but a beast, I knew they were on lookout for Emma Tolly. She was out and in bird form, obviously in the shape of an owl. I hoped that she would fly faster and higher than they could hit.

I stayed behind in the brush, observing. The sound of a dull thud and an owl screech was my alert to act. I watched the owl fall to the ground, wings spread and head up towards the sky. It hit the ground hard and I feared the worst. "It's not dead, but it soon will be." I heard Joshua say. I made my presence known and stepped out, growling and snarling.

"Good beast." Miss Chrystal said proudly as I hovered the scared owl. "Bring us the bird."

I didn't want her to hurt Emma. I barred all my teeth, jumped over the owl and threatened to attack. They both left, screaming in fear. I didn't want to scare Emma with my beast form, so when she left, I changed back. Bits of ripped clothes saved me from the elements and stopped me from exposing myself. I was grateful that I had decided that I didn't care enough to change when I shifted. I picked the owl up in my hands and fixed her twisted wing. "The queen and the tree are in the ruin." I whispered to it, before sending her up in the air to soar the skies again.

The next day, just after sunset, instead of becoming a beast, I decided to prowl the ruin as a boy instead. I knew something important would be happening and I could ward off anyone who threatened what Charlie was trying to do. It was the least I could do to help. I watched them from a distance as they gathered the tree. Charlie's friends and few other people I had never seen before all stood with Mr. Ominous, the owner of the Pet's Café. They stood in a circle, hands joined together.

Whatever they were doing wasn't working, because I heard Mr. Ominous step back and cry out "It's no use. With spells, their word is law. I'm not under 20. I don't know why I thought it would work."

I stepped out from behind the pillar I was hiding behind. This was my chance to give Infinity something that she deserved. "I'm under 20 years old. Maybe I can help?"

"Asa?" Charlie stared at me, confused. "It's after dark. How are you…Human?"

"Infinity gave me the most beautiful gift anyone could have ever given me. When she healed me and showed me the compassion that I did not deserve, something in me changed. I can control myself." I stepped between Emma and Olivia and extended my hands. They took them gingerly.

They must have trusted me because they began to move. As we circled the great tree with its scarred trunk, blood red tears began to fall. I began to panic a little bit. Was this what was supposed to happen? The tears began to fall faster and faster and I feared they would never stop. The blood-like liquid now came to everyone's knees. What was wrong? The air hummed and the branches sighed and groaned. An icy wind tore at us and chilled me to the core. I closed my eyes. I couldn't look. Was this my fault? Had I somehow messed something else up?

"Charlie, look!" I heard Billy Raven cry out. I opened my eyes to look as well. The tree had changed. Rain was pouring through the branches and running down the trunk. The scars in the tree turned white and washed away the red water that had stained us moments before. Everyone released their hands, stopped moving and stared.

The red and gold leaves began to fall and were carried off by the wind. I knew what they were off to do. They wanted to set wrong to right. I knew the enchanter would be cast from this world, that Mrs. Bone and Infinity would no longer be enchanted.

Charlie showed me a secret tunnel that lead to the Pet's Café that we all took. As we walked back, I felt a hand clap down on my shoulder. "Are you alright, Asa?" Lysander Sage asked me.

"I hope this works, because I'm going to be in huge trouble with Manfred either way. I just want it to be worth it." I sighed. "Even if we can't wake Charlie's dad up, I would be happy enough with that awful enchanter out of our world so that everyone can be normal again." We walked into the Café and I received many strange stares when they noticed I was among the other children. The parents who did not know me wondered why they didn't see me go into the tunnel, and the ones who did were confused as to why I was standing before them, after sundown, as a boy. When I scanned the room, I also noticed a very vaguely familiar man. We made eye contact. He was an older man with steel gray hair and ice blue eyes. There was no doubt in my mind that this man was a Bloor. Salem looked exactly like him, from build to facial features.

It didn't take me long to figure out who he was. He had to be Dr. Bloor's father. There was no one else he could be. I had been told that he was killed in an avalanche, but there he stood. I saw him say something to Charlie before he quickly slipped away.

I wanted to go find Infinity in case I didn't get a chance to see her again… I didn't know what the Bloor family would do to me. I stopped and talked to Paton Yewbeam before I left, asking where she had been when he left.

"Wandering around in the cold, in cathedral square. That awful enchanter was using her as a sentry, it seems." Mr. Yewbeam answered. I nodded and ran out of the café. I wanted to see her, to make sure at least something worked. I ran as fast as my two legs could carry me. I didn't spend much time running in human form, but I wasn't slow. I at least had stamina.

I could see her as I ran off of Frog Street and into the square. She was with her mother. They were both confused and chattering and crying. When I approached, Infinity saw me first. "Asa?" She asked. "You're…human."

"That I am." I held out my arms. "And you're you. I'm happy I was able to do something right."

"What?" She stared at me in disbelief. "You did this? You destroyed the enchanter?"

"The Red King did that." I answered truthfully. "I just helped your brother and his friends give him a boost. I hope that it's enough to wake up your father. …Do you remember who he is, Infinity?"

"…No." She answered sadly. "I do not."

"It's okay. Charlie knows." I stuffed my hands in my pocket. "You all have a lot to do tonight. I'm going to have to go. I may not see you again. Once Manfred finds out that I helped in any way shape or form, I'm sure I'll end up in some kind of trouble."

To my surprise, Infinity nearly tackled me to the ground with a hug. "Thank you so much for everything you've done."

I wrapped my arms around her too. "Thank you for helping me too. You're the reason I'm able to stand in front of you on two legs right now. When you healed me that night, you also gave me control of my own body. That's all I've ever really wanted."

"When you and Charlie were doing whatever it was that you were doing, did Salem come and help too?" She asked.

"He didn't… I'm sorry." I knew she was disappointed. I hugged her a little tighter.

"You were willing to risk your life…for me." She said slowly. "You're my hero, Asa Pike." She stood up on tip toe and kissed me. It was a small, gentle peck, but on her own, she kissed me. I felt the blush creep to my cheeks and out to my ears.

"Salem loves you." I found myself saying. "Something is wrong with him right now. I think he's sick again." I couldn't let myself tear her away from Salem. I loved her, but in a different way. The love I felt towards her was one of loyalty and good friendship. "He has stood up to them a bit regarding you. It's hard for him. Once he figures out how to break away, I don't doubt that he would do anything for you. Please be careful tonight." I kissed her on the cheek and walked away with a smile on my face.