The curse from long ago(Fruk)

3

1354

I had just turned twenty-nine this year and some things felt off about me. I thought that maybe I'd get a little more facial hair. Francis was now thirty-one and still looks like he is twenty-four. Well... I guess we must have young features.

The plague had "ended" a year or so back, but there were still people that would catch it once in a while. Luckily, we didn't lose anyone during that time, but I know many people died.

"Arthur, when are you going to get married?" My brother asked. I looked at him with a lifted brow and shrugged.
"I'm not sure if you noticed but I don't meet too many women," I laughed. They were getting older and had their kids and family already, and I was getting worried about their health—all of my brothers.

They hardly moved at all and I took care of them as much as I could. Their wives passed away, and luckily they still had their kids.

Francis came barging into our house, and he had tears in his eyes. "Arthur!!! It's Lucile... she is... she died!!! In her sleep, she won't wake up!" He cried. I looked to my elder brother Allistor who I knew had always been in love with her. He tried his best to get up, but I stopped him.

Francis came toward us and held Allistors's hand as they both began to grieve. "I'm so sorry...." He spoke sadly. My brother cried silently for her, and I felt so terrible about it. He lost time with her because he didn't tell her how he felt... that was the most heartbreaking part.

~
Later that night Allistor passed away and I now only had my two older brothers who were also ill. I knew it was a matter of time before I would have to watch over their young children.

I knew that Dylan and Connor wouldn't last a week, so I prepared for all of their young kids to live with Francis and me. It was an awkward situation, but there was nothing we could do. There were four kids in total, all around the same age. The eldest was Peter, he was thirteen.

Francis and I both agree that once my brothers passed we had to make sure to watch the children for as long as we got. During the funeral for Allistor and Lucille, we made sure to Bury them beside each other, despite knowing that they had a husband and a wife.

It was like time was moving without us, and just like I predicted... A few days later my older brothers passed. I was so stricken with grief that Francis and I really needed to help each other right now. Marriage is the last thing in our minds right now.

"Do you think we will be fine?" Francis asked me as he looked down at his sister's grave. I shrugged my shoulders unknowingly. "I'm not sure, but for some reason... I feel that we should have been down there too by now," I explain. I have no idea what it was, but I felt like I should have been dead already. He looked at me, confused, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Oh, you are only twenty-nine" he laughed. "Yeah..... but our mother died when she was thirty and my brothers.... I know they made it to their forties, but I'm not sure... All this death is probably getting to me," I laughed off.

~
Ten years later at the age of thirty-nine, Francis is forty-one and I found myself staring into a mirror. Nothing about me has changed... Not even white hair. Peter was now twenty-three, and we looked the same age.

"I hope my wife and I age like you," Peter laughed. He was married and had a baby on the way. My other brother was older too. In their teenage years, and I was still....looking like this?

"Well, Francis looks pretty young too," I laughed nervously. I continued to look at my skin in a mirror and I felt utterly confused. It was me... But it didn't feel like it was me. I had no idea if that made sense, but it was enough for me.

"Arthur! Help, please! It's Wendy and Dwight! Pearl came in crying," my eyes widened, and I quickly ran out the door with her to find them. "Francis, where are you!!!??" I called out.

I followed her into the forest and saw the two of them laying on the floor. I quickly ran up to them and tried to see if they were alive. "What happened?" I asked, terrified. My brothers... Their children..... what have I done?

"They were playing on the tree and fell down," she said, crying. I looked around the area we were at and noticed it was the place where Francis and I used to play at. I haven't been here since that.....night...

I felt tears fall onto my cheeks and held both of them. There was blood everywhere, and I knew they were dead. "Pearl... go get Francis, please!" I shouted. I continued to cry and hold onto them until Francis arrived.

He looked around at the area, equally stunned, and helped pick up Wendy. "Come on... We have to bring them back," he said, holding back tears. They died so young.... They will never be able to find love or get married.... Never have kids.

Francis and I carried them back, and Peter began to break down crying when he saw Wendy. They were so close; it hurt me to see this.

~

The next day, Francis and I Buried the two beside each other. I sat by their graves for hours, and Francis did his best to get me to eat, but I couldn't. I should have watched them more carefully... maybe if I did, they would still be here right now.

I wiped my tears and turned around to see Peter and pearl standing there. They came to give me a hug, and it made me feel a little better.... But I could grasp what happened. Those children... My dearest nephew and niece... both taken away tragically in thirteen seventy.