Chapter 13: Haunted Beginnings
1359 Words
The curse was broken, but Blackwood still held its grip on me. Luca and I tried to settle into a quieter life in the town, but the peace felt as thin as glass, ready to shatter with the smallest touch. Every night, I’d wake up gasping, the taste of dread sharp on my tongue. The memories of what we’d been through, of everything we’d lost—those stayed with me, lingering in the shadows like something half-alive.
It was early evening, and I could feel the weight of the day pressing on me. The streets were empty as usual, and the thick fog curled around the town square like a living thing. I glanced at Luca beside me. He was quiet, as he often was, his jaw tight, his eyes distant. We hadn’t spoken much since the ritual ended, and I could feel the unspoken words between us, like the hum of electricity before a storm.
“Hey,” I whispered, breaking the silence. “Do you think... do you think it’s really over?”
Luca didn’t look at me, but his hand brushed mine, a small comfort. “I want to believe it is, Amelia,” he said, his voice rough with a mix of exhaustion and hope. “But Blackwood… it has a way of keeping its hooks in you.”
I nodded, feeling the cold seep into my bones. This town had a darkness that wasn’t easily shaken. I’d sensed it from the beginning, but I hadn’t expected it to feel so personal, so insistent. And now, with the curse broken, it was as though Blackwood was reminding me that some scars run deeper than others.
Later, back in the little house we’d found on the edge of town, I sat by the window, watching the trees sway in the breeze. Shadows shifted in the dim light, and a familiar unease crept over me. It was ridiculous, I knew, to think I was still being watched, still haunted. But I couldn’t shake it.
Luca came up behind me, his warmth a grounding force. His arms wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me back against him. “You’re tense,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my hair.
I leaned into him, sighing. “It’s hard not to be. It’s like… I don’t know, Luca. I just feel like it’s not really over.”
His grip tightened, and he turned me around to face him. Those piercing blue eyes of his were softer than usual, clouded with his own doubts and worries. “If there’s anything left to face, we’ll handle it. Together.”
There was a quiet promise in his words, one that settled over me like a balm. I reached up to touch his face, tracing the line of his jaw, feeling the slight roughness of his stubble beneath my fingertips. His eyes flickered down to my hand, his breath hitching.
In that moment, I wanted to believe that being with him would be enough to keep the shadows at bay.
---
That night, I woke up drenched in sweat, my heart pounding. Another nightmare. They felt so real, these dreams, like memories clawing their way to the surface. I could still see the flicker of flames, the twisted faces, hear the low murmur of voices—none of it made sense, but the fear lingered long after I woke.
I reached out, finding Luca lying beside me. His breathing was steady, peaceful, and for a moment, I hesitated to wake him. But I needed him. I needed something to remind me that I was safe.
“Luca,” I whispered, my voice trembling.
He stirred, opening his eyes. In the darkness, they looked like endless pools of shadow, mirroring my own fears. “Another nightmare?” he asked, his voice gentle, as if he already knew the answer.
I nodded, swallowing back tears. “It felt so real. Like… like something’s still here. Watching.”
Luca’s hand found mine, his fingers warm and steady. “Come here,” he murmured, pulling me closer.
We lay there, our bodies pressed together, his heartbeat a comforting rhythm against my own racing pulse. I closed my eyes, letting his presence ground me, but a part of me couldn’t shake the emptiness that clung to us, like we were somehow drifting apart despite being so close.
He leaned down, pressing his lips to mine in a slow, comforting kiss, a reminder that we’d been through the darkness and found each other on the other side. His hand moved gently along my back, his touch both tender and searching, as if he too was trying to find reassurance in our connection.
Our kisses deepened, and I felt myself melting into him, needing this closeness, needing to feel anchored to something real. My hands found their way into his hair, pulling him closer, and his quiet groan sent a shiver down my spine. We moved together, each touch a promise, a reassurance, but even as our breaths mingled, a strange emptiness lingered in the pit of my stomach.
He pulled back slightly, his gaze searching mine. “Amelia,” he whispered, his voice filled with a quiet intensity that sent warmth spreading through my chest.
I didn’t need him to say anything else. I leaned in, capturing his lips again, letting the world fall away, if only for a moment. But as we lay together, our bodies tangled in a desperate attempt to bridge the silence, I could feel something still lurking, a shadow we couldn’t quite shake.
When it was over, we lay side by side in silence, the weight of everything settling around us. Luca’s fingers traced lazy patterns on my arm, and I tried to focus on that simple comfort, ignoring the ache in my heart.
“Amelia,” he said softly, breaking the silence. “I know you’re scared. I am too. But whatever this is… whatever’s left… we’ll face it together. You don’t have to go through this alone.”
I turned to him, forcing a small smile. “I know. It’s just… I thought breaking the curse would be enough. I thought we’d be free.”
His gaze darkened, and he looked away, as if he too was grappling with his own fears. “Maybe some things… maybe they never really leave.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and unsettling. I shifted closer to him, resting my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was a small comfort, one I clung to in the face of the uncertainty that lingered.
“Luca,” I murmured, “if there’s anything left to face, I want to do it together. I don’t want to go back to facing things alone.”
He held me tighter, his grip reassuring yet filled with a desperation that mirrored my own. “Then we face it together. Whatever it takes.”
But as we lay there in the dark, the quiet pressing in around us, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Blackwood wasn’t done with us yet. The shadows seemed to creep closer, whispering secrets I wasn’t ready to hear, and the familiar presence I’d felt earlier made my skin prickle.
It wasn’t just a fear of what lay outside our walls. It was the fear that something within us had changed, something we couldn’t undo. And as much as I wanted to believe in Luca’s words, a part of me wondered if we’d ever truly escape the past we shared—or if it would keep pulling us back into its cold embrace.
---
The night passed slowly, and when dawn finally broke, I found myself sitting by the window again, watching the mist lift from the trees. Luca stirred behind me, murmuring something in his sleep, and I glanced back at him, feeling both comforted and unnervingly distant.
We were here, together, curse-free. But something in Blackwood lingered, like an old wound that refused to heal. And as the sun rose, casting an eerie glow over the town, I couldn’t shake the feeling that our battle was far from over.
- Writer
