My Curse

Session 8

  I woke up in a cage. The bars were a greasy green. I glanced around my enclosure. At first glance I thought I was alone but then I saw something moving in the corner. The room I was in was too dark to make out who was there. I quickly searched the confinement for a weapon, or anyway to protect myself. There was an empty food bowl near my left foot. I slowly inched my way down and grabbed it. I had made a small clicking noise and froze in fear. I heard the person in the corner move again.

"Catherine? Is that you?" The voice was soft and welcoming. I didn't answer. I waited for the voice to step into the light. I wasn't about to answer a stranger who knows my name. "Catherine it's me." I watched as Nikova walked into the light.

"Nikova," I breathed a sigh of relief. "It's only you." I lowered the bowl that I had raised in an attacking position.

"I'd really hate to see what you had planned to do with that." He chuckled and then winced. I ran to him.

"Are you alright?!?" I asked as I helped him sit down. "What happened?" I could see blood on his clothes. I couldn't tell whose it was.

"A couple of mermaids snatched me. I fought back but there was too many. One nicked me in my side with her nail but not before I kicked her really hard." He winced again and held his side with his hand.

"Let me see." I demanded. He lifted his shirt slowly, groaning the whole time. I tried to find the cut but all that was left was a long jagged scar. "There's nothing there." I looked at him confused.

"What?!?" He turned his head and shock covered his face. "I've heard of this." HIs face went white.

"Heard of what? What's happened?" I was starting to panic again. With the drowsiness wearing off I was starting to degrade really fast. It wouldn't belong before I wouldn't be able to make the swim back up to shore.

"It was in this old book I found. A couple hundred years ago a massive plague hit the mere people. They were unable to hunt enough food or get enough supplies for all the people. In order to survive they attacked the people of the land. They turned them into slaves. They will keep us strong and healthy so that we are good workers." All the life was gone from his face. "No one has ever escaped." His defeat terrified me. I wasn't about to lose all hope though,

"Well whoever said that was lying. Obviously the person who wrote the book knew someone who survived.." My voice trailed off. Realization began to sink in. He wasn't worried about becoming slaves. "Unless they kill the useless." I shuddered at the thought.

"I don't know, just- just don't let them see that you're sick. I don't know what will happen to you if they find out." He grabbed my arms and was pleading with me. He was so scared you'd think it was his life on the line.

"I can't," tears started to stream down my face. "I can't do labor. I'm going to die in a few days. They'll know as soon as I start walking." I began to cry uncontrollably.

"Shh no that won't happen," He said pulling me into him. He wrapped his arms around me. "I won't let that happen. Just stand tall and they won't see. I'm strong enough to do the work for both of us.It's all going to be ok." He was stroking my hair, trying desperately to comfort me.

"What if I get what they have? What if I get even worse?" All possible outcomes were going through my head. I knew I couldn't handle some terrible disease on top of everything.

"No you can't get it. It only attacks freshwater mermaids-" he was about to say more but I cut him off

"What does it matter? We both know I'm going to die." I pushed Nikova away and started pacing. "Tell me more about these people." I always calm down more when I have all the facts.