The Curse

Invitation

"You guys are coming right? Steve is making good stuff," Mark asked Joe and Susan as they walked up to the classroom door. The bell resounded throughout the campus and they were up for the class. After a horrible lunch at the cafeteria today, Mark suggested that they go over to his home and refresh their tongues. "Given how poor the cooking was today, certainly Mark," Susan said. "You are coming too, Joe?"

Joe was walking faster than the two and realized that he had left them behind. "Mm-hmm; hurry now, or Joseph will take the last bench again." Susan was annoyed by this idea. In fact, this idea annoyed her every day. "I don't know why you guys need the last bench. They're for bullies, you guys can sit with me on the first bench." She said. "Sitting there will only get you ignored."

Joe and Mark looked at each other.

"Do you want to?" Mark asked. Joe gave him a knowing look, confirming his stance. "No love, I'll take the last bench, you can listen to the boring lecture."

When they reached the door and pushed it open, Susan grabbed the handle and stared at Joe. Clearly, she wanted to shout about something. "I'm not your love!" she said, and she stormed off. Mark looked at Joe. Joe just shrugged and pointed towards the last bench. Mark nodded and they went to the last bench and got cozy.

Joe and Mark had learnt the content of the day's lecture a month ago. They were perhaps the most direct and intelligent duo in their class. Mark Garrett and Joe Leroy. All their time spent on the internet was either on Google, YouTube, or to order new books. They would occasionally exchange whispers, which begot them angry amplified shouts from the lecturer.

Joe looked at the board wearily, and then at Susan, who was busy scribbling down whatever the teacher said. She was really studious, and that always pays. She was a topper and she managed to maintain her position every single time. By then, she had got their attention.

Mark and Joe's friendship was something passed down in the family. With both sets of parents being enthusiastic prospectors and adventurers who occasionally dabbled in detective work, it was almost fated for them to be friends.

Their interests were how they met as well. The Garrett couple was musing over a map they'd acquired in a cafe when the Leroys, interested, decided to take a peek. Since they weren't surprised by the unusual map, their mutual interests were discovered when the Leroy couple was caught. This cumulated in a friendship that would last till death.

And death did come to them. Twelve adventures together, and the thirteenth resulted in an... unlucky end to both families. The place they'd been exploring was unusual and creepy; enough to cause even the adventure-crazed families some hesitation, but with them being who they were, they'd gone ahead anyway. Mark and Joe were only seven then.

That happened 15 years ago. Mark was brought up by Mary, a kind neighbouring lady who was close to the boys even before their parents' deaths. Mary eventually moved in with Mark after the Garrett house butler, Steve, asked her to. Joe went to his aunt, but still spent a lot of time at Mark's house given his closeness to both Mark and Mary. Ever since then, the two had become an inseparable duo.

Mark and Joe were bright from a really young age and they always topped every test. But when they joined college, their topper streak was broken. Broken by Susan. She made her way up to the top and that alerted the boys. The competition Mark and Joe faced, gave way to hate and grudges. Something they never felt before.

Once, for a quiz event, the toppers of each year had to be nominated. Much to their unwillingness,they were clubbed together as a team. They didn't speak to each other but their sheer intelligence managed to make it to the finals. The finals was to be held out of the city, and flight tickets were booked.