The Last Seat(pg.6)

     I've known Rusty forever it seemed, but his odd behavior disturbed me, he didn't have that carefree nonchalant demeanor of lately, so I came to him, "man, are you okay?"  
     In an attempt to brush me aside Rusty retaliated, " I'm fine dude!"
     In a reassuring voice, I reiterated, " are you sure, you've been acting aloof and strange of lately?" 
     Rusty then walked away, he was agitated and quite mad, so I let him be, my dad was going to pick me up later that day but I didn't want to leave on a sour note so I noticed Rusty went to the house and soon as I walked in I heard the Eagles' Hotel California playing very loud, his parents were both working, even though Rusty claimed to hate that song, had it blaring to high heavens, I walked in the room and turned down the volume, and said laughing, "I thought you hated that song?" 
     "Oh, I enjoy the guitar riffs," Rusty said smiling back at me. 
     "My dad's coming to pick me up at 2:00, so I guess I'll see you later, love you brother," I said looking for a handout of compassion. 
     "We're cool blood," he said smiling. 
     I was so glad he wasn't upset but managed to say, "I guess I'll see you at the prison camp, school."
     "Hahaaa," he chuckled back. 
     My dad picked me up that afternoon and I was still worried about ole Rusty, but life must go on, my life anyway. But, that phrase I heard all night from Rusty in his sleep, " nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit," really puzzled me. I realized it was from Seneca, and meant, "There has not been any great talent without an element of madness." But, what the hell did it mean? 
     Back at school on Monday, Rusty showed up and reciting more crazy quotes, and I had no clue what any of it meant. I pulled him aside, and said, "dude, what's going on with these absurd quotes?" 
     "I'm reciting these magical quotes in that book we found in that cave," Rusty said with a faraway look on his face.  
    Now, ice ran through my veins, I was scared shitless, it was all clear to me now, Rusty is under this book's spell. I now knew had to get him in some cunning way to return this book back to that hellish cave, but how? He's loving this, those spells may just be to ward me off, who knows? I am in too deep, should I tell his parents and risk our friendship forever? The recess bell rang and to the classroom, I went bewildered and worried. 

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