Curse of the Jackalmen

explanation

Too awkward for this world. 

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"Damn Hemi." Karo muttered, shaking his head at me. I smiled slightly in response.

"I have a tough job.." I said, as if that justified my condition.

"You shouldn't even have this job. You should never have even had the opportunity to have this job! You should be-"

"Karo.. not now.." I interrupted. We had had this insubordinate discussion many times before. He didn't approve of the fact that I even got into gladiator training when I was seven, much less sold as a personal bodyguard.

"Well I have to patch up the consequences of it.." He grumbled, opening a bag with medical supplies inside.

"I know. I know..." I consented, I moved my tunic so the wound was exposed. It was swollen and foul looking, greenish veins swelled around the pus-filled opening. Dried blood caked around it, and it had a disturbing odor.

"that's bad. If I were to equate it to Gods, that's Pluto bad..." Karo said incredulously.

"You make the queerest analogies... but yes..." I said, forcing a smile that was more akin to a grimace.

"Soo," he said, treating my wound, "what exactly happened..."

I explained in detail the events. When I finished, Karo opened his mouth and had a chastising expression on.

"I swear it was dead! I didn't mean to let my guard down, but it happened!" I immediately became defensive, bracing myself for the ensuing lecture.

"Do you know how many times Grattius Trogus Rabirious ranted on about making sure your enemies are truly dead and stay that way?"

"Sir's voice has a way of slipping my.mind when I'm panicked.." I lamely replied. Our old teacher, a retired but prestigious soldier, had made an effort to make us remember his lessons. I usually did, but I, being merely human, had erred.

"I can't keep such a surly attitude long.. You should recover, just take it easy. I mean it. Nothing more than a brisk walk, and no twisting around stretching the skin there." Karo warned me. He finished bandaging my shoulder as well.

********

My father patiently watched me as I assembled my thoughts. We were looking out at the world below from the rooftop balcony. So much had happened in the months my father had been in Rome it was difficult to.decide where to start.

"Things were relatively.normal for the most part." I started, shrugging. "but, then a few weeks ago Hemite and I were at the market place when this Jackel-like monster attacked. It happened again yesterday."

My father inexplicably paled. He had the look of someone who knew something, but wasn't sure if it was the right time to say it. He merely.nodded and I stared expectantly at him.

"Syn, I guess I should tell you something. We were never sure if it was real or not, your mother refused to believe it, but now almost all doubts have been expelled from my.mind. You are supposedly cursed." He sighed, looking off in the distance.

"What!? But....why?" I was alarmed. This seemed too surreal to be serious.

"It was a long time ago... When I married your mother, some, especially an old "sorcerer" didn't approve of it. They considered it beneath My dignity to wed a non-roman. So he took matters into his own hands and said our first born would carry a curse of both lands. I assume the Jackal part represents Egypt, and the human like part either Rome or barbarians...."

"that's why you bought me a slave that can fight." I hazarded a guess.

"yes. We hoped it was just an insane man's hallucinations, but obviously we took precautions." He nodded, turning back to me. "But in all honesty, I don't think Egypt is the best place for the family anymore.. We'll have to move to Rome for a time."