Chapter 13
Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, especially with these chapters being shorter than my previous ones. But my plan was for each of these trial chapters to be contained to each trial. Around Thanksgiving time, I should have a lot more time to write so hopefully I can get a few chapters done during that time.
Oh, and this chapter is gonna build towards its sexual climax in its third act. I'm thinking each of the trial chapters will have a similar format.
Thank you for reading my story and look forward to some more coming from me in the future. Which may include something for the winter contest. Do comment and let me know if there is anything you all would like to see for that.
Zach:
I found myself awake at the crack of dawn, covered in a pile of naked women. Under more normal circumstances I would be counting my blessings, but this was not a time for rest. Every moment would need to count.
That morning, I told Carmen and Nora to head to the office and do their jobs as normal, for obvious reasons I was going to be full-time solving these trials.
"Master, I feel that it would be much more acceptable if I came with you." Nora said, bowing with a deep reverence.
"Nora, until it is your time, I need you to keep up appearances. I know I'm asking a lot of you, but I need you, Stephanie, and Claire to hold this house together." I placed my hand on her cheek, reassuring her that I would be ok.
"So, who are we starting off with?" Stephanie burst into the conversation, keeping us on track.
"Well, I'm thinking Julia, since she will be the most noticeable change. Her boss is a real piece of shit, and I wouldn't be surprised if he threatened her job over using her accrued sick time." Saying that I felt I needed to contemplate what her trial may be. "Why do you think she was given the petplay gem?" I asked this to the room, looking at each girl as if they were deep in thought.
Except for Julia, my mom. She sat on the floor, giving herself a tongue bath. All of the girls seemed concerned, pensive even. Lara was even rubbing together her two remaining brain cells in an attempt to find a solution.
I noted this as odd. As far as I knew the petplay gem didn't literally give them the brain of an animal, it just gave them animal-like instincts and rendered them unable to talk. Julia looked carefree though, almost as if she was intentionally trying to avoid my attention.
"when was the last time mom took a day off before I came back home?" I asked Claire.
"Hmm... well if I recall, she even went to work when she ran a fever, so I don't honestly know if she ever took a day off. She would always say she would feel far too guilty leaving her coworkers to do her share of the work."
It hit me right then. "You said she felt guilty?" I reconfirmed.
"Uh, yeah, you know how much of a workaholic she is." Claire's eyebrows rose in confusion.
"So, answer me this. What if she was put into a position where it would be impossible to feel guilty? What if she were... say magically made into a cat-woman? Do you think she would like the ability to shed her burdens, and just
live.
" Finishing the sentence, I looked at Julia, only to see her giving me a concerned look.
"What do you have to s-." I was interrupted as someone's phone started going off. Looking around the kitchen island, I spotted my mom's phone, the screen saying the name "Boss".
I answered the call, and before I could get a word in, the rageful sounds of an unhappy man assaulted my ears.
"Julia! Where the fuck are you?! I swear to god if you don't come in today, I'm gonna come to your house and reprimand you right in front of your kids!" The man's voice had a nasal quality to it that just made me think he was probably the president of the math club when he was in school.
"Hello Mr.--" I trailed off as I realized I didn't even know his name. I heard a surprised sigh on the other end before he responded.
"Mr. Norvac, and may I ask who this is?" The man answered in a tone that was much more controlled, but clearly still angry.
"This is her son, Zach. She isn't coming in today." I told Mr. Novac matter-of-factly.
"Oh, so now she is having her children answer her phone for her? Young man you put her on the phone right now!" Novac's voice cracked a little at the end, making me smirk as I imagined this man to look like that boss character from The Incredibles.
"She isn't feeling good, sir. But if you want to come down here and see for yourself, then you are more than welcome too." I waited for his response.
"Fine, I'll be over in a few hours. I need to see this to believe she is actually this sick." Mr. Novac hung up right there, giving himself the last word, as I'm sure was his trademark.
"Alright, Nora and Carmen, you two head to work, I'll keep you updated. Amanda, Claire, Lara, and Stephanie, I'm going to need your help with confronting Mom's boss. I get the feeling that her trial has something to do with him, and mom's overall workaholic tendencies."
At that, we all stood up from the dinner table, and proceeded with our mornings.
Claire:
All morning, I had this compulsion to coerce Amanda and Lara into going down on each other. This voyeur gem was really clouding my decision making. Zach planned to goad Mom's boss into coming over here and seeing her. He wanted the shock of what was happening to mom to somehow kickstart some sort of dialogue.
From what I could remember of Mr. Novac, or at least what I have heard of him from mom, he has always been an asshole, but she had mentioned offhandedly that he seemed to have gotten more mean as of late. I told Zach about this while we were brainstorming ideas that morning. We both agreed that it was quite a coincidence that her boss all of the sudden got so much meaner right after Zach finally moved back home, or at least when the Prismium was activated.
"Do you think Magnus' curse is affecting Mr. Novac in some way?" I asked Zach.
