Keith too went in to see what was happening. He stayed away from the crowd in case he got stomped on. He went to the back of the house and looked in through the windows. He could only make out a few things through the partition of the curtains but it was enough to see a person lying in the bed while the shaman stood by the bedside, chanting something while holding a scripture.
The person on the bed was certainly the mayor's wife. She was coughing badly and seemed to be in pain. Keith wondered what sort of illness she had.
As he was peeking, Keith felt a gaze on him. He turned his head and saw a little head peeking out from the other window. The little girl had bright eyes that were blinking back at him.
Keith's eyes widened. It's Riley! He could recognise those orange eyes anywhere. He went closer and talked to her in a low voice.
"Hey, it's me, Keith," He said then immediately wanted to slap himself. Why would Riley of this time know him?
"Keith," She said quietly. "Why are you here?"
Keith looked up in surprise.
"You know me?"
Riley pouted a little. "From school."
Realisation dawned on him. Oh right! They went to the same school.
"Go back home," Riley said to him. Keith didn't know what she meant so he asked why.
"It's the curse. It will get you. Don't go near the colosseum."
When Keith heard that, it was as if everything around him had started to twist and turn. It made him feel dizzy. Something inside him was breaking open, a memory, a part of history he had forgotten, it was giving him a headache.
When he looked up, he was not outside the mayor's house but inside the colosseum. He was still in his five year old form.
He suddenly remembered.
When he was five, he was kidnapped. They took him to the colosseum and hid him until they could find a way to take him out of Erenburg sneakily.
And in that place, he experienced unspeakable horror.
Keith was walking in the corridor. Specks of light came in through the holes in the walls. Otherwise, it was completely dark. He saw a shadow of a person standing on the other side of the corridor.
Calling it a person would be too much of a stretch. It had long hair that reached its knees and a bony and thin body. It's features weren't clear but Keith felt an unmistakeable dread by just looking at it.
Suddenly, he heard groaning noises and dozens of people with burned bodies and peeled skin limped up to him and surrounded him.
The five year old Keith who experienced all of this, couldn't handle the mental pressure and fainted. When the kidnappers were caught and Keith was rescued from the colosseum, he didn't speak for a whole year. It was the time the divorce was finalised and Keith's mother took him with her to the city.
As time passed, Keith learned to block that part of his memory and completely forgot about it.
Why was he experiencing this memory again?
Suddenly, an echo reached his ears.
Keith....
Keith, Wake up!
....Wake up!
The sound became louder and louder in his ears.
"Keith, wake up god damn it!" After that, he felt a sting on his cheek and his eyes jolted open. He was on the floor, dust all over him. Riley was looking down at him with concern filled eyes.
"Riley...?"
Riley heaved a sigh of relief when Keith woke up.
"I thought you died," Riley said.
Keith was touched by her concern, until he heard her next words.
"It's a bad omen to find a dead body. The bad luck could last one's lifetime."
"...Thanks," He touched his cheek where Riley had most likely slapped him.
"Enough of that," Riley said regretfully, "I really shouldn't have let you come here. Anyone but you can be allowed to enter this place."
Keith asked, "Why not me?"
Riley looked at him seriously, "Because the curse is after all those who it was hurt by and all those whom it seeks to conquer. Do you remember the fire from years ago? That closed down this place?"
Keith nodded, "I've heard about it,"
"Would you believe me if I said it was just a bunch of youngsters playing around with firecrackers?"
Keith blinked, "For real? How do you know that?"
Riley opened her mouth then closed it, not knowing how to say it.
"I'll show you," She raised her hand and placed it on his forehead. Suddenly, Keith felt a familiar feeling and after blinking a few times, he was standing outside the colosseum and this time, it didn't look abandoned or dilapidated but instead, it was bustling and lively. The paint looked new and torches that hung on the wall gave it a mystic feeling.
Keith didn't have to think much to realise he was back in time.
It was...incredulous.
"We are fifty years into the past. The day the fire began,"
Keith jerked to the side and saw Riley standing right beside him. He opened his mouth to speak but Riley cut him off.
"I'd rather you not comment on anything. Anything."
Keith shut his mouth. Very well.
"Follow me," Riley led him to the back of the colosseum and they stopped in front of a door in the ground. She bent down and opened it.
"This is the door that leads to the basement. It was mostly used by workers or those who handled props."
They went down the ladder and entered a narrow corridor. The long path led them to the back of the theatre where people were running around, preparing for the play. Keith who had never seen the colosseum look so lively was astonished. It was a cheerful sight.
"Don't get too attached. All of them will die tonight," Riley said after seeing Keith getting attracted by the liveliness.
Keith froze. All these passionate people who only wanted to showcase their art and perform a successful show met their demise in this very same place.
Riley looked down. She didn't want to ruin his mood but save him from feeling dreadful later on.
They reached the bottom floor, a place Keith remembered and stopped in front of a wood carved door. However, this time, it didn't say "The Colosseum Museum" on it but rather "Do Not Enter"
"This is where I dropped the vase," Keith said.
Riley immediately frowned, "What made you want to drop the vase here?....do you know what this place is?"
"It said...museum?"
Riley stared at him unblinking.
"...why? what's wrong?....what is this place?"
"It's a grave."
