In a lifetime

Chapter 43: Joseph Flores

I am once again woken up to the commotion happening downstairs, I swear to god if this happens again I'll make sure they never make noise again.

I freshen up before going downstairs where everyone is waiting to make a plan for Laurel's meet up which is most likely a trap. 

I make coffee for everyone with a few yawns here and there and pass them out to everyone once they are ready.

Nessa is pacing back and forth repeating "why would she set up a meeting, why now?" We watch her for a few minutes until Veronica stops her before she begins to spiral any deeper.

"We have to come up with a plan but where do we even start?" Veronica says with a worried tone and I speak up, "well we know she wants all of us there which is unusual, and that she wants "to end the curse" which is most likely a trap" after saying that I can start to see worry set in on their faces.

I try to reassure them that this won't be as bad as we're all thinking, it's working for the most part and now they're not as worried as before. 

I sit back and watch as they come up with a plan on how to go about this, throwing in a few ideas here and there.

A few minutes go by and I notice Eli staring at me and he says "we need to modify the plan to ensure that Joseph doesn't get killed cause he's the main target and I'm sure she's not playing around this time" I look at him with annoyance and I try to stop them from doing anything like that.

"Let's not do that, I'm fine I can take care of myself, I've encountered her more than you guys and I'm still here and now that I'm thinking about it maybe if we just walk in it would be the best approach," I say and now everyone is looking at me like I'm crazy.

I explain to them what I mean. If coming up with a plan is something Laurel expects then we'll surely get hurt or worse and if we just walk in it'll be something she won't expect, either way, I'm sure we'll be fine as long as we stick together.

Looking out the window I notice that it's getting close to sundown, shit we're cutting it close. I tell the others and they get up with bags. "Why do you guys have those?" I ask and they say it's for their outfits. In confusion, I watch as they go upstairs to change and come down with completely different outfits.

"Why do you have outfits?" I ask and Veronica responds, "this feels like a big fight type of thing and we thought we come ready" wow okay didn't expect this.

"This isn't a movie or a TV show we could literally die and your worried about how you'd look while you fight? And Daniel you too? why do you have a sword" I say raising my voice and they all nod. Idiots, I'm surrounded by idiots.

Daniel looks at me while holstering his sword, "Nessa gave it to me to defend myself against Laurel sense you all have powers and I don't, I know how to use it she taught me" he says and I take in a deep breath. 

Veronica looks at me with a confused look, "your not going to wear that are you?" She says and I look down to look at my clothes, "what's wrong with what I'm wearing?" I respond and she gives me a cringed look while saying "it's just that flannels don't really say "big fight here I come" 

I think my brain just upped and left.

I tell her to shut up and that we're wasting time and we make our way to the location Laurel said.

As we're walking there all I can think about is the fact that they literally had outfits for this like they were waiting for this moment their entire life. 

I shake the thought away as we make it to the property. It's a really big open area before we make it to the abandoned house but Laurel is waiting for us on the open field.

"Ah so you finally decided to show up, I'm gonna be honest I had my doubts, I'm so glad you came, now we can end this," she says and now I know this is going to end badly.

"Yeah sorry we don't really trust you, you've attacked us twice I don't see how we can work together," I say and she laughs while saying "I know, I also know you came up here to end the curse but the truth is I don't know how, I'm just getting tired of you all" the air slowly gets tense as everyone is on edge.

Welp, now we know her real motive was to kill us cause were an annoyance to her. "But I do need something from you Joseph," she says menacingly and now I'm in even more danger than before. 

"He's not going anywhere with you," Daniel says and I can tell she expected resistance and because of that she places her hands on the ground and says "then it won't just be me who will take him" the ground starts shaking as hands and bodies break through the dirt.

Within a few seconds, the open area is now filled with people who have been dead for a long time. "Really she has an undead army!?" I say and she orders them to get me and bring me to her.

As they start moving I hold out my hands saying, in terra provocatus est, moving them outwards creating a large crack in the earth to have a few of them fall in, and crossing my hands to seal it back up. 

"We better move now, I'm heading for Laurel," I say running forwards and the others follow. There's still a lot of the undead in the way but thanks to our harsh training it isn't so bad to get through but the smell of rotting flesh on my hands was disgusting to deal with.

They're nothing like the zombies you see on TV, they only have orders to capture me so even when we do damage their brains they're fine, and Laurel gave them what I think is strength cause they hit harder for having decayed bones and muscle. 

Veronica and Daniel clear a path for me and as soon as I get closer to Laurel she smiles as one of her undead people grabs my collar and throws me back.

"I am getting tired of this," I say to myself while getting up, non movere, I say to one who threw me. I walk past it and now I'm face to face with Laurel once again.

"Congratulations want a prize?" She says with sarcasm and I roll my eyes and I offer my hand, "look even if you don't know how to stop this curse you can still help us, Nessa misses you" I say waiting for a response and she grabs my hand looking sincere but I was wrong.

"Thanks for the offer but I'll pass," she says and I can feel stings and pressure on my hand and when I look down I can see the magic flowing out of me and into her. I look at her trying to pull away but I can't and after a few seconds, a flash of light and a force pushes us apart.

I look at my hand and back at her. She smiles as she says "thanks for giving back what is mine" and just like that she's gone.

Daniel runs over to me and helps me up, "what happened" he says and everyone looks at me, "yeah one moment I'm tearing through her undead army, and the next they're gone" Eli says and I look at them in fear.

Their faces are covered in concern while I say, "I think Laurel stole all my magic, I can't feel it anymore" I try to stay standing but after that, I'm completely exhausted.

Everyone helps me back to the house and Daniel helps me to my room. My body feels sore and hopefully, I feel better after I rest. Even though Laurel is more of a threat now with more magic I'm kinda relieved she took it, I'm no longer a target.