I Didn't Forget Pt 5: The Star-clad Tome - SCP Foundation

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Four Years Ago

I was in the history classroom at Cypress High. It was my first year at the same school my brother had gone to. I was only two doors down from the room where Spirituality Club had been held. I’d searched that room, but there was nothing there. I was years too late. None of Evan’s teachers remembered anything useful, either.

“Now, here are your partners,” Mrs. Robinson said, gesturing at a slide on the projector behind her.

These partners were for a presentation she was assigning us. Every pair was supposed to give a presentation about everyday life in an era of history. “Remember,” she said, “this isn’t just about dates, wars and big, flashy events. Each of you needs to paint a picture of a time and place, and the lives of the people who lived in it.”

The slide behind her showed a dozen pairs of names, one of which contained mine. “Jeremy Sanders and Theodore North.”

My primary reaction was relief that I hadn’t gotten one of the bullies. I’d had a lot of trouble with them in the past few years, now that Evan wasn’t around to make them back off.

I didn’t know Theo that well. He was the new kid. He’d joined the school just last month. I wasn’t sure where he’d come from, and I didn’t really care. All I knew was that he’d been lucky to get me as a partner. While researching the Galaxy Plaza disaster, I’d learned a lot about the mines that supposedly caused it, and the people who’d dug them. It’d be a sinch for me to design a presentation that ‘painted a picture’ of them.

Mrs. Robinson dismissed class. As I packed my things, Theo walked over to me. “Hey,” he said.

“Hey.”

“So, it looks like I’m your partner.”

“Yep.”

“So, do you have any ideas for what era the presentation should be about?”

“This town, early in the colonial era, when the mines were still active.”

“Wow. Okay.”

“I know a lot about the town’s history.”

“I guess that’ll be helpful.”

“It will.”

“I’m Theo, by the way. I’m not sure we’ve ever spoken before.” He stuck out his hand to shake mine.

I glanced at his outstretched hand. I took it. “I’m Jerry,” I said.

“Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

“Do you have an opinion on which of us should speak?” Theo asked.

“I guess I’d rather it be you, since I’m going to be doing a lot of the research.”

“Oh,” Theo said.

“Is that a problem?”

“No. No. It’s fine. You’re right. It’s only fair.”

“Alright. Don’t worry. I’m pretty good at research. I’ll be able to pull my weight.”

He smiled. “I’m sure you will.”

Present Day

I drive up to Runes & Relics, alone.

I’m being ridiculous. Just by coming here, I’m being ridiculous. Theo has been my boyfriend for years. We live together, for Christ’s sake. There’s no way he’s a bad guy. Hopefully this conversation with Daisy will clear everything up, and I’ll be able to stop worrying about this.

Daisy invites me to the back of the store as I enter Runes & Relics. There’s an employee at the counter. I don’t like that she sees me coming here, but it can’t be helped. Daisy and I sit across from each other at the same white table as last time. I feel Theo’s absence next to me.

“Good to see you again,” Daisy says.

“Thanks. You, too.”

“You had some more questions for me?”

“Yeah. Primarily about that book you sold to Theo’s church. Can you tell me more about it?”

“Oh.” She thinks for a second. “Honestly, I didn’t really know what it was. Just an old book written in a language I didn’t recognize.”

“So, you don’t know what it was or where it came from?”

“Not really. Sorry.”

“And you don’t know why Theo’s church wanted it?”

Daisy shrugs. “It’s an old, mysterious thing. That makes it valuable. Honestly, I don’t know why you’re asking me. Don’t you live with Theo?”

“I’m planning to talk with him,” I lie. “He’s just a bit too busy right now.” I doubt my lie fools her, but she doesn’t call me on it. “So, you didn’t know what the book was, but did Theo and his church friends seem to know anything?”

“Not that they mentioned.”

“Are you sure? Maybe they thought the book had something to do with them?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, there was a star on it. I’ve… heard that that’s a symbol Theo’s church uses sometimes.”

“Oh.” She thinks for a moment. “That’s not the impression I got. I’m pretty sure the text was Asian in origin, and given how old it was, I don’t think it could have had anything to do with a Christian church.”

Right. Christian. “I see. I’m sorry if I’m pressing too much. It just seems strange for a church to be moonlighting as a rare book collector.”

“Well, you’ll have to ask Theo about that. I don’t know anything I’ve not already told you.”

I study her. This should be what I want to hear, that Theo is innocent, and so was her decision to let his church buy that book. But then, why did he lie about it? “Was there any particular reason you allowed them to purchase it, considering what had happened between you and them?”

“It’s like I said over the phone. I’m gracious.”

“You’re sure there wasn’t any other reason?”

“Kinda, yeah. These things can be hard to find buyers for, and they offered a very good price. It would’ve been foolish for me to turn it down. Hell, the store’s owner might have gotten mad at me if I had.”

“Did they have any trouble talking you into it?”

Daisy shakes her head. “Not really. Their offer was very good. The only reason to turn it down would’ve been spite, and I’m not one to cut off my nose to spite my face.”

That makes perfect sense, especially coming from Daisy. She’s just about the least spiteful person I’ve ever known.

I shouldn’t be here. I need to stop wasting her time. “Are you sure?” I ask, one final time. As I speak, I will, with everything I have, for my words to free her from any mind control she might be under.

“Yeah,” she says. “I’m sure.”

Four Years Ago

Cypress High’s cafeteria was huge. Its walls were blue, and the floor was a checkerboard of blue and white. Tall bushes stood outside the windows. Out of which, in the distance, you could see the Galaxy Plaza. Most people didn’t know that, but if you knew what the buildings’ roofs looked like, you could recognize them.

I happened to be wearing my Pride flag t-shirt. Some would’ve questioned the wisdom of that in a town this size, but the bullies it attracted were the same ones that were on my case anyways. Plus, it wasn’t just them it offended. It nudged a lot of other kids away from me, which was how I liked it.

Theo plopped his tray down right across from me. “Hey,” he said.

I looked up at him. My immediate urge was to tell him to go away, but that would’ve been too mean. “Hey,” I said. I took a bite of my food.

“How’s it going?” Theo asked, opening his carton of milk.

“Alright. You?”

“I’m good.” With that, we ate silently for a minute. At first, I was relieved he didn’t want any more small talk, but as we sat there silently, awkwardness built up between us. I kept expecting him to break it, but he didn’t. Eventually, I couldn’t stand it any longer. “So, where are you from? Out of town?”

“No, I’m from in town. I used to go to a private religious school. It was pretty small, and, well, it’s gone now.”

“Gochya,” I said. “You religious, or just your parents?” It wasn’t that I had a problem with religion, as such. Evan was no atheist. However, the only private religious schools in America were Christian ones, and that didn’t bode well for me getting along with Theo.

“It’s not just them,” he said. “I am, too.”

I took a sip of my milk.

“Is that, um, okay?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You just, well, I don’t know.”

I shrugged and sipped my milk. “I’m not the boss of you. You can believe whatever you want.”

“I’m not, like, that kind of religious person,” Theo said. “Like, I’m like, cool. I’m actually gay myself.” His face immediately went flush with mortification at what he’d just said.

“Cool,” I said, trying with all my might to convey that I didn’t care. He looked at me like he was expecting something. I took a bite of my corn bread. It was too crumbly.

“So, uh, do you have plans later?” Theo asked. “I don’t have any friends here, and, well, you seem alright. Like, since the project gives us a reason to spend some time together anyway, and since we already have one thing in common,” his eyes went wide, “not that it’d be like, a date, or anything, just, like, you know, I need to get to know someone around here, you know?”

“I’m busy today,” I said. “I’m going to be at the library.”

“I can stop by there later.”

“The town library. There’s something else I need to check up on. I’ll probably get some schoolwork done while I’m there, but I’d prefer not to be distracted.”

“Oh. Okay. Maybe some other time, then?”

I looked at him. He was pitiable. Pathetic. A bit cute, in a way, but I couldn’t do anything about it. In a few years, I was going to risk my life to get Evan back. I couldn’t drag someone else into that. “Look,” I said, “I’m not really in the market for a new friend right now. No offense. It’s nothing to do with you. I’m just a loner, and I’m more comfortable that way.”

“Oh,” Theo said. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. You asked. I answered. No harm done.”

Theo stood up, carrying his tray with him. “You don’t have to…” I began, but he kept walking.

Present Day

The wheels of my shopping cart rattle as I push it down the aisle. I’m at the big grocery store on the far side of town. This is where I told Theo I was going when I left to meet Daisy, and maintaining that lie requires me to actually come here. As usual, I forgot the grocery list at home, and had to have Theo text me a picture of it. I was relatively apologetic about this, but he assured me that it was no big deal.

As I walk around, I keep my eye out for the woman who was following me around yesterday. So far, no sign of her.

If Daisy had been under some kind of mental control, I’d have broken it. The fact that that didn’t happen proves that, unless I’m very wrong about how my powers work, she wasn’t forced to sell the book, or to hide anything from me.

But then, why would Theo lie about his church buying it?

Maybe I should just ask him. Maybe he had a totally understandable reason, and I’m being a paranoid doofus by thinking he’s a mind-controlling star cultist.

I pass the store’s electronics section. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a device encased in clear plastic. It’s a tiny microphone that looks like a pen. I walk over and pick it up. The packaging boasts that it’s discrete and can hold more than five hours of audio.

I slip it into my cart. If there is some grand, sinister secret behind Theo’s lie, it obviously has something to do with his church. He’s going to go to church tomorrow morning. I can probably slip this into his pocket. That could allow me to listen in on his service, and, if I’m lucky, any relevant conversations he might have while he’s there.

Then, when he brings back a recording of a completely normal church service, I can stop being an idiot and get back to finding my brother.

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