The Researcher's Journey

Chapter 10 : A Deadly Curse.

The story was, that this village had all its inhabitants died in one day, strangely.
This happened twelve years ago, as John said, there was one survivor, who told those who found him that it was a curse, and then he disappeared without a trace, and the village burned down with everything in it. Since that day, everyone has avoided it, not only do they not come to it, they do not even pass this roed.
"This is not a curse, it doesn't exist at all, he said, after the news spread that the residents had died of a curse, days later the village burned down, this is strange."
Stella thought about the reason why the villagers were killed.
"Curiosity will kill me, I want to take a look at it, but without anyone seeing me, I don't want to miss such an opportunity as the place is nearby."
She decided that she would sneak out after the child and his mother fell asleep, so no one would probably pay attention to her.
Already after the two fell asleep, Stella sneaked out of the carriage, carrying with her one of the oil lamps.
She stealthily passed behind the two men guarding.
She had heard from Albert that the village was on the right behind the willow forest. Stella trying to move quickly, but the dress she wearing was stuck in the branches, and the leather shoes were a bit heavy.
"Ah, Helena you insisted on me wearing this, if I was wearing pants, what would bother you ?"
The dress was blue with white patterns, simple and elegant, any girl would have been happy to wear it, but Stella had another opinion.
After some time she passed the forest, to find the abandoned village in front of her, the place Reigns silence and tranquility.
"It serves as a studio for horror movie scenes."
Stella wandered for some time in the small village, all the houses were on fire, and the rubble was overgrown with weeds.
"Oh, my broad imagination, I thought I was going to see something interesting, what a disappointment !"
Stella had already turned around to leave, but something caught her eye.
There was a well at the other entrance, covered with a wooden slab, still completely intact, it is the only well in the village.
"Helena village has three wells, here even though it's the same area, they only have one, I think everyone was on good terms."
She tried to remove the wooden board, but to no avail, because it was heavy.
"This needs a strong person to remove him, I will still push him here for a week."
After losing hope, she decided that would return to the caravan, when she bent down to carry the lamp, she saw something shining on the ground, it was covered with dirt and weeds.
"What is this ? it looks like gold."
She dug it up, and she got it. It was a necklace, a gold thread in which there was a gold ring, decorated with a sun. 
"Um, I think I've seen something similar to this before, but where ?"
She thought a lot and still doesn't remember.
"I have a really bad memory."
She cleaned it a little with the tip of her dress and then hid it in her leather bag.
While she is making sure everything is inside the bag, she is surprised that someone's hand is on her shoulder, "I've revealed."
She closed the leather bag quickly and turned to the person.
The person who came is Albert, Stella asked him, "Mr. Albert, what brought you here ?"
"This question should be asked to you ? How did you get here ?"
His facial expressions were different, he was not smiling as usual.
Stella realized that she had to calm the atmosphere down a little, so she smiled and said , "Actually, I came because I'm a fan of such places, I like the atmosphere of thrills and adventures kind of, huh ?"
After hearing this, his expression softened a little, patted her head, saying, "But you shouldn't have come alone and sneaked out like that, everyone was worried about you, they were looking for you everywhere when Mrs. Alma woke up and didn't find you, she afraid that something had happened to you."
Stella bowed her head regretfully, "I apologize for disturbing you, I acted recklessly."
"No problem, but you shouldn't repeat it, separation from the group in such places is dangerous, you may be in danger."
"Yeah, you're right, I'll keep that in mind."
Albert smiled his usual smile and said, "Then, come on, we shouldn't be late, otherwise Alma will lose her nerves from anxiety."
"Well let's go."
The two made their way back, Albert was only unusually silent.
After some time Stella noticed something, that they took a different path than the one from which she came.
"He seems to know the area well, he is also a brave person for coming to the cursed village, as Alma described."
After that silence, Stella decided to talk to him about the village.
"Mr. Albert, do you believe in curses ?"
"No, you ?"
"Me too, if you believed her You wouldn't have followed me, I apologize my question was out of place."
"So, you're like me, I knew that since I met you, you dared to stay in a forest alone for a couple of days, you also like the adventures."
Silence for a moment and then continue, "Courage is a good quality, Alena, but when you cross the line it becomes a stupid."
"Yes, he is right."
Stella remember the courage that made her to accept Emma's offer.
The atmosphere was silent again, the two of them were people who didn't like to talk too much. But at one point Albert spoke and broke it, "Do you know the story of this place ?"
"I heard about it from some in the caravan, they say that this curse killed all the inhabitants in one day and burned them too."
"Actually, they also don't know many details, would you like to hear what else I know ?"