third time's a charm

33

Bright had always known about Madame Sukie, the mysterious psychic who dwelled on the outskirts of town. Her reputation preceded her, whispered rumors of her uncanny abilities and the enigmatic aura that surrounded her.

But he knew her way, way before that...

"Still talking to spirits?"

Madame Sukie held Bright's gaze firmly, recognizing him instantly and understanding the significance of their encounter. "Yeah, I still talk to spirits," she admitted, her tone unwavering. "It's not like I asked for this gig, but hey, it's part of the package deal."

Bright's expression remained stoic; his words laced with a hint of disdain. "More like it was dumped on you," he quipped, the sarcasm evident in his tone. Then, with a faint smile, he added, "Mind if I dry off inside? I didn't come here for a rain shower."

With a nod, Madame Sukie turned the doorknob and ushered him into the warmth of her home. As Bright settled into a chair in her living room, she couldn't help but sense the gravity of their conversation.

"I know why you're here," she stated matter-of-factly, meeting his gaze as she spoke.

"Yeah? Did your spirits tell you?"

"I figured it's you that boy's been seeing... the third charm," Madame Sukie said with a smile as she joined Bright in the living room, offering him a cold beer.

Bright glared before taking the beer from her hand, and gulping it down quickly. He responded with a sharp, mocking laugh. Madame Sukie smirked. "You find this amusing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I find it funny, yeah," Bright admitted with an easy shrug. "I saw your face through dreams when I was a kid. I knew that you and I...someday we would meet. The moment Win started mentioning his fear, I knew you had already met him before we crossed paths again. I admit, you beat me to it."

The older woman stared at him, long and hard. "What do you want, kid?"

"What do I want?" Bright cocked his head to the side, incredulous at her question. "I'm trying to save someone's fate," his voice wavered between controlled anger and pain. "This is MY FATE too. I want that love. I want to be with him."

"And what about me, huh? My FATE? I don't want this to backfire on my children—"

"So, you're just going to sacrifice Win's for your own, is that it? If we don't put a stop to this, the cycle will never end. Soon you will pass, and then one of your children will inherit your gift and do the same thing. Your family and his family would continue and make it worse!"

Madame Sukie sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping with the weight of her confession. "I didn't want to make Win's fear worse," she admitted, her voice tinged with regret. "I wanted it to end, but I didn't know how to without hurting my children. Cassandra's curse is accompanied by karma. If I don't proceed, the curse will fire back at my children."

She paused, her gaze falling to the floor as she wrestled with the burden of her choices. "I've spent years trying to find a way to break the cycle, but every path I've explored has led to dead ends. I thought I could protect my children by keeping them away from the curse, but it seems that fate has other plans."

Madame Sukie looked up at Bright, her eyes pleading for understanding. "I don't know what to do anymore. I'm trapped in a cycle of fear and guilt, and I don't see a way out."

Bright leaned forward, a determined glint in his eyes. "Let me do it," he said firmly. "I come from the bloodline of Narcissa, the psychic who rivaled the power of your great, great grandmother in the past. If the third love, which is me, is willing to endure the curse alongside the sacrificial lamb, which is Win, the curse could be broken."