CURSED 1

STOP

I drove all night and got to Lena’s house at about 7:00 a.m.

There were no cars parked out front, and the lights were out. The trailer park

looked deserted, and I suddenly felt hopeless. The only other place I could think

to see was the creepy mansion in Victorville. I knocked on the door and waited.

I kept looking in the sky for Daphne. Sadly, I knew that I needed to avoid her,

too. Especially her. With a start, I realized that it was probably over for me and

Yari. Me and Daphne. I was light. She was dark. And she was in a creepy cult

clan with a terrifying agenda. And I...didn’t want to be.

Finally, I heard the door unlatch. It opened and Lena was standing there.

wearing white shorts and a red tank top. Her hair was messy, and I had

obviously awakened her.

“Holy s**t, Josiah, you’re alive!” Lena jumped in my arms and hugged me.

“Come in, I don’t want anyone to see you.”

“Where’s your family?”’

“They took off to Vegas last night.”

Lena grabbed a blanket from the floor and laid it on the couch. I looked

around the living room area. It was extremely conservative. There were crosses.

on the wall, pictures of Jesus, and posters with Bible verses on them.

“Wow, I guess you rebelled, didn’t you?” I said, referring to all the Christians.

stuff in the room.

“Don’t even get me started on the hypocrisy in this house. I am so happy.

you’re here.”

“You are?” I said, surprised.

“Josiah, I was so upset when I heard what they had done to you. You have to

understand that Atticai had no choice. I know that on some level, he was hoping

You will make it through the trial of the snakes. He just has to abide by the

rules of the Troat. If Atticai wanted you dead, you would be dead. He gave you

an out, and you made it.”

“Some out,” I said, thinking about all the snakes. I was going to have

nightmares for the rest of my life. But the thought that Atticai wasn’t such an

awful person or whatever creature he is, intrigued me. Indeed, if he wanted me

dead, he could have just ordered me to be dropped from high above. I

would have fallen a hundred or so feet, at least ten stories roughly. I would have

been dead for sure. Instead, he sent snakes after me. How biblically symbolic of

him. Still, the big goon had nefarious plans for Lena, and that’s where I drew the

line. Atticai, in the end, was no friend of mine. Or hers.

And since when did I start using words like nefarious? Since I started talking

about vampires? Vampires and nefarious things go hand in hand.

I shook my head, focusing my thoughts and pushing them out at Lena. “Well,

before he decided to turn into his little black bird, I almost choked him out.”

“Be glad you didn’t. The other guys would have ripped you to shreds.”

“Why, Lena?”

“Why, what?”

“Why do you love him? Why do you want that world? Why do you have to

be a part of them? You’re better than that.”

“Am I, now? Look around, Josiah. I live in a two-bedroom trailer house.

where my stepdad finds a way to put his grimy hands on me every day. And if

He’s not doing that, he’s spying on me showering or changing.”

“Then move out. Go somewhere else.”

“Where? Where can I go?” She paused, perhaps sensing the silliness of her

own question. A nineteen-year-old girl could go anywhere. At least, she could

move in with friends, like Tommy and I had done. She steeled her resolve and

said, “I love Atticai and he loves me. And that’s enough for me.”

“But he doesn’t love you, Lena. He’s using you.”

“What do you know? You didn’t know any of them until a month ago, and

now you’re an expert? I know you lost your best friend, and I can’t imagine how

bad that is screwing with your head, but I’m not you. This is the life I want.”

“Lena, listen to me: if you leave tonight with Atticai, he will kill you.”

“Kill me?! You don’t know what you’re talking about—”

“Lena, I know more than you know. I know about their prophecies. Atticai is

to be their Chosen One. He is going to become some white eagle or something.

and save all the good man from the bad man. I know everything.”

“Then what’s the problem, Josiah? Atticai and I will always be connected.

Don’t you see? It’s beautiful.”

“Wait, you know?”

“I know what I care to know. I know Atticai needs me to fulfill his destiny,

and I’m willing to do whatever it takes and to do whatever he needs me to do to

make that happen.”

“Even if it means killing you?!” I yelled. “He’s going to suck all the blood out.

of your body. You are basically going to bleed to death. You do understand that.

You are not one of them, right? You can romanticize it all you want. In the end,

He’s going to kill you.”

“I see,” she said, but I don’t think she saw at all. “What do you suggest I

should I do then, Josiah, since you seem to have all the answers?”

“Run away with me. I have over a hundred thousand in the bank from my

MMA winnings and inheritance. Run away with me, Lena, and we’ll start a

whole new life together.”

“Are you in love with me or something?”

I looked at her and didn’t know how to answer that. “All I know is, I don’t

I want you to die. I want you to live. I’m willing to do whatever it takes. To save

you.”

“Josiah, come sit next to me.” She patted the couch next to her, and I did as

she asked. “I know a lot has happened since you stuck up for me. To be honest, I

cried for hours when they told me that you were dead.”

I sighed. “We need to get going. Now,” I said firmly.

“Josiah, I believe that once in every lifetime, each of us is given a golden

opportunity. We’re given a chance to be a part of something greater than

ourselves. Some people never get this chance. I’m going to take it.”

“But you’re going to die. And for what? So some hidden underground

societies have peace?”

Lena put her arms around me, and I found my head resting on her chest. I

could hear the strong beat of her heart. She was so amazing. She was so

comforting, too. I came here to try to save her, but instead she was comforting

me. I was exhausted, and soon we both fell asleep in one another’s arms. There

There was nothing s****l about it. It was just two friends who discovered they loved

each other.

TO BE CONTINUED...