AnOther Alice: A Novel (Undergoing Editing)

Chapter 18

Xavier sat in the far corner of the campus library, intensely focused on the book in his hands, A Guide to Spirits Stuck in the World of the Living. Every so often he'd look up, searching for a familiar face before returning to the book.

He was the first one to show up at their arranged meeting point, his class having ended earlier than expected. After getting the Gordon twins and Leighton Albright involved, he thought there was a good chance they would be able to stop the Otherling, but his confidence began to wane after looking up the deaths of individuals named "Alice." What he found was jaw-dropping. In their city alone, there were more than fifteen unexplained or accident-like murders concerning a person named "Alice", some of which had become cold-cases. And what made him feel even more uneasy was the fact that it didn't matter to the Otherling whether it was a surname or a first name. All it wanted was to mimic anyone with the name Alice, yet it was such a simple name that it gave Xavier pause, and he thought about the importance the name might hold for the eldritch creature.

Why is it only mimicking people called Alice? Xavier thought. The name is so common. There must be a significant reason. Maybe something that explains its origin too.

A messenger bag decorated with punk-esque enamel pins was dropped onto the table. Jared had arrived, sticking piece of coffee-flavored candy into his mouth. He had bags under his eyes and a serious mop of bed-head. He fished out his laptop from his bag.

"Hey, Xavier, you're here early," he said.

"Class was cut short."

Xavier turned to look in the direction of an approaching Nadia. She appeared just as drained as Jared, and dropped her bag on the floor near a chair. She pushed up her sunglasses onto her forehead. Noticing the book Xavier was reading, she took it from him to examine the summary at the back.

"We've read through so many of these crappy books and not one comes even close to scratching the surface of dealing with an eldritch being," Nadia said, handing Xavier back his book. "In fact, I'm starting to believe none of these paranormal investigators ever met anything real in their entire career."

"I don't think people who actually experienced the kind of situation we're in would ever talk about it," Jared said. "They'd be trying to forget, or mostly trying to stay sane."

Xavier marked his page before closing the book. "That only leaves us with few options," he said, exchanging looks with his friends. "We can study it, observe how it behaves."

A silence befell the group, as what Xavier shared was a risky plan of action.

Nadia crossed her arms. "Are you crazy? Remember what that thing did to our apartment? The landlord practically chewed us out. He thought we'd made those impressions on that steel door with a sledgehammer!"

"It's like Jared said before, this thing is another breed of monster." Xavier pinched his brow between his fingers, before looking at her. "It can be seen by ordinary people, and it thinks it's human, so why don't we go along with it?"

"That could actually work," Jared said, closing down his laptop. He pulled his seat up, moving his hands as he's about to explain himself. "Think about it. I agree with Xavier, this thing already thinks it's human. Hell, if the Otherling believes it's Alice Gordon so much, then why don't we treat it that way?"

"Is that even going to work?" Nadia asked. Something about her expression said that she believed there were more kinks to be worked out. "Treating it like it's Alice is one thing, but what about the original Alice?"

"I'm all for it," a voice chimed in.

Alice Gordon stood behind them, and beside her stood Leighton. She stepped closer, hands tightening around the strap of her backpack; whether from nervousness or sheer determination, it was hard to tell. "We can corner the Otherling by giving it what it wants. Treating it like it is me, then we can assume it'll lower its guard enough for us to do something about it finally."