Mari's return

Origins

“Get away from me!”

Mari felt herself falling. She was just fighting with her brother, Sunny after finding out that he destroyed his violin hours before their recital. The recital that they spent countless hours preparing for, now gone to waste because of what he did. Mari didn’t want to get angry at him, but seeing all their efforts being thrown away like that, she couldn’t help it. One thing led to another and the next thing she knew Sunny had pushed her as she stood in front of the stairs. Hitting the ground, Mari lost all feeling in her legs as the wooden shards of the instrument penetrated the side of her body.

'It hurts. I can’t get up. Someone help me.’

Mari felt herself struggling to move off the floor. A sound of creaking footsteps from the stairs filled the room as Sunny slowly made his way down the stairs still in shock as to what happened.

'Is this it? Is this how my life ends?’

Once he reached the bottom, Mari could see the horrified expression of guilt that painted his face.

'I’m sorry Sunny, I should have understood you better.’

Mari couldn’t die like this, she had to help her brother understand it was an accident. That everything was going to be okay. She couldn’t stand seeing that pained look on his face.

I wish I could see your smile once more Sunny, I always liked your smile.’

She had to help her brother, and not just him. What about the others? Who was going to laugh at Kel’s jokes? Who was going to help Aubrey brush her hair? Who was going to make flower crowns with Basil? And Hero, what would he do if he lost her? Mari’s vision began to grow darker, her breathing slowed, and everything was becoming colder.

'I’m sorry everyone.’

And with that, Mari was no longer in this world.

Mari awoke in a strange cavern. The shards from the violin couldn’t be seen anywhere on her body. But her legs on the other hand... They were missing. Not only were her legs missing, but her arms appeared to be replaced with some sort of dark tendrils.

Mari walked or rather floated to a nearby puddle. In it, she could see her reflection, revealing a dark inky figure with one eye. Was this her? Was this what people look like when they die? But why was this place so empty?

“Hello there.” a voice spoke. Turning around, Mari could see a young girl chained to a stone chair underneath a dim light. Because of the darkness, she couldn’t make out the girl’s face. Regardless, it was nice to see another person.

“Um, hello. Is this place-” Mari stopped not wanting to admit that she was no longer in the land of the living.

“The afterlife? I’m afraid not. If it were then my suffering wouldn’t have been so lonely.”

So she was still alive? Then if she wasn’t dead where was she?

“Where am I then? And who are you?”

“I am or I was the royal oracle. About four centuries ago I had given the king at that time a prophecy of how his nation would fall into ruin. He didn’t take the news  so kindly, thus I’ve been imprisoned in this chamber and cursed with immortality waiting for your arrival, Mari.”

“You know my name?” Mari was shocked at the girl’s story. If there was a kingdom or oracles, then this surely wasn’t Faraway Town.

“Of course. I still have my vision after all, and in it, I was able to be free of this curse by passing it onto you.”

“I don’t know if I’d want to be cursed.” she reluctantly replied.

“Don’t be afraid, child. Once you have my curse, you’ll be able to leave this chamber. It was designed to hold me and no one else after all. Furthermore, you’ll even have access to each one of my skills. The world would be yours for the taking. You could even be reunited with your brother.”

Mari’s eye lit up at that remark. If being cursed meant she could see Sunny again, then so be it. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

“Good luck then, Mari,” the oracle said as she extended her arm.

The two shook upon it, a blinding light illuminating the cave. Suddenly Mari found herself with a body once more and that the girl was now gone. Looking back in the puddle, her body looked exactly like the one she had when she was alive.

As Mari wandered to what appeared to be the exit of the cavern, her head began to buzz. Closing her eyes, images began to flash before Mari.

Sunny looked a few years older and was standing atop a rooftop. He was draped in a hospital gown with bandages obscuring the right part of his face. He made his way towards a break in the railing that surrounded the roof.

‘No’

She watched as Sunny stood there, staring down towards the pavement that waited for him several feet below.

‘Please don’t’

Without hesitation, he jumped.

‘Sunny!’

Mari felt nauseous at the sight. This must have been one of the visions the oracle spoke of.  Whatever happened to Sunny that made him want to jump, she had to prevent it from happening. But first, she had to get home, no matter what it took.

She exited the cavern, the warm bright sunlight nearly blinding her. The harsh breeze of the wind pushing against her new body. It appeared that Mari was atop a large mountain. Gazing at the bottom of the mountain, she could make out a small village and began to head towards it with the conviction to return to her brother. After all her journey had just begun.