Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Author: Zorlond
Title: Grand Ted
Part: Chapter 17
Summary: A 13-year-old boy named Ted has just moved to a new house, and
discovers a magical surprise in the basement.  Let the temptations begin.
Keywords: no sex, some violence

   Chapter 17 - Wild Party

   ----

   "So, whaddya say?" Kevin asked Ted.  "Since I can't really tell which is
which, and a flashlight's pretty much the same as any other, how about you
just take your pick of these and we'll call it even?  Hmm?" At that, Kevin
casually set a hand on Ted's shoulder and gave it a little shake.  Ted's
only reply was to glare at him.  Around them, some of the older teens had
taken notice of their talk and seemed to be watching with mild interest.

   Ted turned his head a bit further, looking to Chantelle.  Kevin, his
false smile faltering a little, flicked his eyes between Ted and Chantelle.
Chantelle, still looking very anxious, opened her mouth to speak. 
"It's..."

   That's as far as she got before Kevin shot his hand up in a halting
upraised finger.  "Hut!  Not a word, genie." False smile gone now, Kevin
made a downward gesture next to him.  Looking resigned, Chantelle quietly
stepped over to his side and demurely knelt next to him, turning her head
to look down and away from both of them.  Kevin watched her a moment more,
a dark little smile on his lips for a moment before turning back to Ted. 
"So, how about it?  Go ahead, and pick one.  I can get lots more, now."
Kevin made a broad gesture to the table and the five identical lanterns
sitting on it.

   It was an obvious setup.  Kevin knew the real reason Ted had shown up,
and had clearly planned this so that even if Ted played along, he only had
a one in five chance of picking Chantelle's lantern.  If Ted demanded Kevin
give back the right one, he'd look like a kid throwing a tantrum over a
flashlight.  Nobody else there had any idea what it really meant.  They'd
probably step in and force Ted to take some random lantern to try to shut
him up.

   Ted's gaze rolled over to the lanterns on display.  They were all clean.
This obviously wouldn't have worked if Chantelle's lantern was still
grungy, it would have stood out like a beacon among the new ones.  Decoys
only worked if you couldn't tell them apart from the real thing...  Wait.
They were new.  Shiny, polished.  Pristine.  All five of them.

   They were all decoys.

   Ted looked back at Kevin.  After a moment, Kevin's smile faltered a
little, and Ted knew he'd guessed right.  But Kevin gave no other
indication of what his plan was.  Ted glanced out the corner of his eye to
Chantelle.  She clearly didn't like being stuck with Kevin, but she
wouldn't even look at him, just knelt there with eyes turned away.  She
couldn't betray her master, she had said.  Couldn't give Ted any indication
where her lantern was...

   Or could she?  She wasn't looking at either one of them.  She was
looking at Kevin's knees...  No, behind him.  She was looking behind Kevin,
at the lawn chair behind him.  Leaning slightly, Ted stole a quick glance
behind Kevin.  The chair wasn't empty, it had someone's discarded jacket on
it.  A very lumpy jacket.

   And on it's collar, a small smear of grime.

   Kevin immediately realized Ted had seen through the ruse.  "No, no..."
That's as far as he got before Ted made his move, stepping to get around
Kevin.  He moved to block Ted, but Ted quickly changed direction, reaching
around to yank the jacket off of the chair.  And there it was, in it's
battered, filthy glory.  Chantelle's lantern.  Ted lunged for it.

   "NO!" Kevin yelled.  Ted's hand reached the lantern's handle at the same
moment as Kevin's.  Fingers tangled and tugged, second hands landing and
clutching at the body of the lantern, arms pulling and wrenching as they
struggled.  Kevin heaved his body around, Ted hanging on as he was pulled
into a circular stagger, managing to stay on his feet and keep his grip on
the lantern.  "LET GO!" Kevin yelled.

   "No!" Ted answered, giving a mighty yank that nearly pulled Kevin off of
his feet.  Around them, Ted could sense the older teens gathering around, a
couple of them chanting 'fight fight fight'.  Their tug-o-war kept going,
until something interrupted them.  The lantern's light came on.  Flickered,
turned an angry red before flashing again.  "Oh no..."

   "Wha..?" Kevin barely got out before realizing what was happening.  The
lantern was shaking.  Not from their struggles over it, but from within. 
Ted grit his teeth as the shaking intensified, the light changing colors
and strobing wildly.  Ted kept on tugging and pulling on the lantern, even
as his fingers started crying out in pain from the bone-rattling shakes. 
"RGH!  It's going nuts!  Let go!" Kevin shouted.

   "It's trying to re-attune!" The shout drew both of their eyes briefly to
Chantelle, on her feet again, standing back to where she had retreated when
their fight broke out.  "It can't be attuned to two masters at once!  It's
not going to stop until one of you lets go!"

   Kevin shot Ted a dark glare before looking back at Chantelle.  "Genie, I
wish Ted was a mile away from here!  NOW!"

   Chantelle held up both of her hands, shaking her head.  "I can't.  No
wishes for anybody until the attunement is over!  I can't help either of
you!"

   Ted cried out in pain.  The shaking was worse than the first time, was
growing even worse with each breath as they both held on.  Ted tried to
grit his teeth, only to feel them grinding together painfully.  The
vibrations from the lantern were being felt across his whole body now, too
much for flesh to absorb and mitigate.  "I'm...  Not...  Letting...  Go!"
Ted managed against the pain.

   Kevin, eyes wild against the pain, grunted.  "Then here!  Have it!"
Without letting go, Kevin shoved.  Caught mid-pull, Ted fell over
backwards, landing on the lawn.  Still pressing forward, Kevin pushed the
lantern right into his chest.

   Ted screamed.

   His whole body shook.  His ribcage felt like it was trying to explode,
his belly felt like it was flowing backwards, his lungs were on fire... 
Ted willed his body to roll over, which both got the lantern out of contact
with his chest, and pulled Kevin off of his feet.  Continuing the roll, Ted
managed to get on his knees over Kevin.

   Still hanging on, Kevin yelled, "The genie is mine!  Just let go and let
me have it!  I won't let you take it away from me!" His eyes met Ted's,
with a look that Ted would remember for years to come...  With a roar, Ted
gave one more big pull, lifting Kevin's shoulders up off the ground with
the force of it.  Kevin's hands, abused by the shaking of the lantern,
finally gave way, and he lost his grip.

   Ted got to his feet quickly, staggering back.  The lantern was already
settling down, light off, looking once again like an innocent, grungy piece
of plastic and wires.  Ted looked down at it, at his hands, both palms
covered in blackish muck.  His joints ached, and he was pretty sure there
was a huge purple bruise forming on his chest.  Breathing was labored.

   Ted's eyes raised to where Kevin was getting back on his feet.  That
look was still in his eye.  He still wanted the lantern, was just rallying
for another attempt for it.  In a moment, Ted could see the future.  Both
of them fighting for control of the lantern, wrestling over it again and
again despite the pain, breaking into homes to steal it, attacking each
other in the streets...  And Chantelle, stuck in the middle.  Fought over
like a toy.

   "You lost it fair and square.  The genie is mine." Kevin spat at Ted,
interrupting his thoughts.

   Ted just looked at him for a moment before answering.  "She has a name,
Kevin.  Chantelle is my friend." His gaze turned, as he spoke quickly. 
"Chantelle, I wish for your freedom."

   Chantelle stood there for a heartbeat, before her lips curled into a
small, sweet smile.  And vanished.  Gone, as if never there.

   Ted looked at where she had just been for a moment more before sighing.
He lowered his arms, lantern hanging from his grip loosely.  Turning back
to Kevin, Ted saw him just staring blankly at the empty space Chantelle had
occupied.  Ted spoke, quietly, firmly.  "It's over.  No point anymore."
Kevin turned to look at him, saying nothing, no comprehension on his face.
Ted let his gaze linger a bit more before turning to go.  Kevin didn't stop
him.

   Walking over to Mitch, who'd been watching the whole thing from the
crowd of onlookers, Ted asked him, "You seen my mom around?"

   Mitch replied, "I think I saw her inside trying to break up the bar."
Ted started to head inside when Mitch added, "Hey, we're...  still okay,
right?"

   Ted considered it, then nodded.  "Yeah, we're okay, Mitch.  Talk to ya
at school.  We'll work on that project." With that, Ted went inside.

   Ted did find Carol inside, doing her best to berate the partying teens
into some form of civility.  It was a losing battle, however, as she was
badly outnumbered.  She seemed partly relieved to answer Ted's request to
go home.  And partly concerned, as she sensed that he had just had some
large life experience that he was still processing.  The drive home was
quiet, Ted in the passenger seat, watching the trees go by, holding the old
lantern in his lap.

   Eventually, the got home.  Ted just went upstairs to his room and shut
the door.  Sitting on the bed, he looked over the lantern.  It looked
unchanged.  Still dirty, bit worn and beaten.  His hands were still grimy,
but he didn't care.  Pressing the switch, he casually turned the lantern
on, then off.  It still worked fine.  Looking into the lens, Ted
contemplated the little bulb inside for a few moments before, hesitantly,
he raised his hand and gave the lens a firm rub.

   "Hey, Ted."

   Ted looked up, jumping up off of the bed, arms wrapping around Chantelle
in a close hug.

   *****

   This is a work of fiction, if that wasn't clear enough.  Nothing I write
about has ever or will ever occour in reality.  Any resemblence characters
may have to real people is entirely coincidental and unintentional.  And I
can not and will not condone real sexual activity involving minors.

   I do however, condone positive feedback, and encourage it.  :)

   If you feel like sending me some feedback, you can reach me at zorlond
AT yahoo DOT com.