Love is a Dangerous Game

I Found A Cure (14)

I arrived at my old house before the sun rose above the mountains. I silently boarded my horse in her old stall, and snuck into the house. It was difficult to maneuver in the dark, but I had to. I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head, and tiptoed upstairs. There he was, sleeping restlessly. It seems as if he was murmuring my name. “Lorelai… Lor.. Uh…Siren… In trouble…” I knelt beside his head.

“Brother.” I whispered. “Brother!” He turned to me in confusion and terror.

“Who- Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Lorelai.” I stood. “I need your help.” Once my brother was alert, and listening, I explained the trouble I was in. That I had to save Lawrence. It didn’t surprise me that he agreed to help.

So, after helping him onto my horse, we took off towards the village. During the ride, I explained, “He’s too weak to be hiding in his tree house, or in the village. He’s either at home, or in the fields by that pond.” We left my horse a couple minutes away, risking the midnight walk to Lawrence’s home. Once we reached the door, I froze in my tracks.

“What’s wrong Lorelai?” My brother asked sweetly. I turned to him and squeezed his hand. He was the only thing keeping me from falling.

“I can’t… I mean, I can’t bear the thought of seeing him in pain. On death’s door. I - I can’t bear it.” I whispered in the cool night air.

“It will be alright, I’m sure.” He patted my hand and led me to the door. He knocked, a kind neighborly knock, and Lawrence’s stepmother answered.

I took the hood of my head off slowly and said, “Hello, ma’am. I’m Lorelai. Lawrence has been writing me, and I know it’s quite late, but-”

She widened the opening of the door and said, “Come in.” I could see the dark spots under her eyes, and the weak lean of her once tall stature.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“No worries.” She said as she led us upstairs. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize before that he loved you so dearly. You really made an imprint on his life. All our lives. It’s so unfortunate your absence has made him sick and weak. We’ve been waiting for your arrival for days.” She opened the first door on the right and led me in, shutting it behind me. I was practically glued to my brother, so he assisted in pushing me into the room. I stumbled slightly, then noticed Lawrence on a bed in the corner. Dying candlelight illuminated the room. I walked to the bed slowly.

“Lawrence.” I whispered. I could see the slight movement of his head turning towards me. I sat in the chair beside his bed, and held his outreached hand. “Lawrence.” I repeated. When I got a good look at him, I began to cry. He was skinnier, and all the muscles in his body disappeared. He had tubes up his arms, and in his nose,helping him breath, and flowing fluids into his body. A sweat had broken out on his forehead, and he had multiple bruises up his arms and legs. I said between breathes, “What - have I - do-done, La-Lawrence?”

He squeezed my hand using all his strength, and I knew he was trying to be strong for me. He smiled and simply said, “You’re here.”

“You’re dying.” I brought my empty hand up to my mouth. “You’re - You’re dying, Lawrence. It’s all my fault. You would’ve been better off without me… It’s all my fault.”

He tried calming me, and said, “Shh. Don’t say that. It’s okay.” He grunted as he tried to sit up.

“You shouldn’t have sacrificed yourself for me, Lawrence. I should’ve kept to myself...It’s all my fault. I still met with you, despite the ocean’s warnings. I was a fool.”

He paused and squeezed my hand again. “But Lorelai, you were a fool in love. So was I. Don’t blame yourself.” He wheezed as he tried to get out those words.

“I love you… I can’t bear losing you. Please, don’t leave me.”

“I won’t leave you.” He reassured me weakly, but we both knew he was going to die. He was so feeble.

“If only I were human, none of this would’ve happened.” I breathed.

That’s when I realized I was a siren. He was a human. Sirens can’t love because they are dangerous. But what about Kathy? She hasn’t managed to kill her husband yet…

I gasped. “Lawrence, I know why you are dying! I’m a siren. When I kissed you for the first time, I wasn’t planning on ever leaving you. The second our lips met, you were put under my curse. No siren can ever love. But the moment we made contact, and confessed we loved each other, our souls were attached for eternity. So when the ocean found out, and I was sent away to my aunts, I got sick. Your health plummeted. My absence made you sick.” I stood, still grasping his hand. “I think I know a cure.”