Effects[]
Two bronze bookends, one a lion and one an eagle, which are viewed as a reference to "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde". If the heads are transposed and 2 people touch one of the bookends at the same time, it's possible for those people to switch minds. However, it appears the mind switch doesn't happen immediately and wearing gloves doesn't negate the effect. The minds can be switched back by putting the lion's head on the lion's body and the eagle's head on the eagle's body. If the bookends are separated, then when one is placed on a flat surface its eyes will glow and it will rotate to point in the direction of the other. The bodies of the two parties who switched minds will eventually merge, so one second you'll be talking to Bob, but then he disappears and Jack is standing in his place. However, if the eagle and the lion aren't made whole, then both people will explode as their changes become more rapid and the two bodies attempt to occupy the same point in space-time, which is not possible.
This artifact was first discovered after a thief robbed a jewelry store and vanished.
Myka holding bookend
The two bookends may be seen in their "unswitched" form in a photograph of the author. Physical effects apparently stay with the body when the switch occurs, and thus recovering alcoholic Pete was extremely concerned at the risk of his falling off the wagon entailed in being in Myka's body after she'd had three vodka tonics.
Artifact Activated
Real World Connection[]
1850-1894
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist who wrote Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.