Cursed [Book 1] ✔

Chapter 11: Is That a...Horse?

A/N: Dedicated to a wonderful and constant reader, HopelessBlues <3

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I did what anyone else would do in my situation. 

I went home cryin' to mama.

Only, when I got there, I didn't like what I saw.

"Mom!" I pounded my fist on the door, but no one answered.

The wind rushed past me, stirring up leaves to rain down on my head. I picked them from my hair, using my free hand to knock some more.

When the door still didn't open, I called my mother, but it went straight to voicemail. What could she be doing? She was retired, and except for church activities, she barely went out.

I fished out the spare key from my purse. After unlocking the door, I announced loudly from the doorway, "I'm coming in, hope you're decent!"

My voice echoed up the stairs and along the darkened living room. The wind howled from behind me, blowing leaves and dirt inside. It was a combination of the dark house and the wind that whispered a disturbing truth: something was wrong.

I crept into the living room, expecting to meet with another evil entity. A sharp something prodded my knee, and I recoiled. However, my paranoia had been fueled by the corner of a glass coffee table.

"Damnit!" I bit my lip to keep the expletive to a whisper.

As I searched the rest of the house, I flipped on the lights, intent on keeping the bruised shins to a minimum. There was no one (and nothing) in the kitchen or dining room, just more silence.

Next, I slowly climbed the stairs, cringing at the inevitable creaks. A pale blue light glowed from the bottom of the bathroom door. Like the chicken I was, I threw the door open, uncaring if I barged in on the most intimate of poop sessions.

Luckily for me, no such session was taking place. The room was empty, with the glow originating from a cell phone on the counter, the blue light flashing with a missed call from me.

My mother was old, but unlikely to leave her cell behind. She was home, I just had to find her. I moved on to my bedroom, empty. Rosalind's too. I don't know why I stalled so long, when common sense told me to head to mom's room from the get-go. I had also ignored my blaring Spidey-Sense, which had warned me to leave the second I stepped into the house.

Mom forgot her phone, but is probably out shopping. Get out now!

For once, I listened to the inner me. I flew down the stairs faster than any pregnant woman should. As I grabbed the front door handle to lock up, I hesitated. Her car was in the driveway. Mom was most definitely not out shopping.

Back in the front hallway, I grabbed an umbrella before ascending the stairs. Better to be armed with a silly weapon than not armed at all. I quickly made my way to the main bedroom, disregarding the tinkling laughter originating from the bathroom. I eased the bedroom door open, umbrella at the ready.

Shifting shadows drifted in front of me, and I wasn't sure if it was the moonlight filtering through the curtains, or something else. A second later, the something else in the room flitted by, laughing as it went.

This time, my leg buckled. Ice shards crept from knee and down my leg. I couldn't move.

Another laugh tickled my ear, but I slapped it away. Then I remembered.

Clap.

Light instantly flooded the room. Being old, and slightly lazy, my mother had installed a clap-on/clap-off feature in her bedroom. Though I'd made fun of her before, I was glad to have it now. The pain in my leg had disappeared, and I hoisted myself up with great effort.

The light warded off the bothersome spirits, and I was alone. At least, I thought I was. I turned to the bed, finding my mother.

"Mom?"

She lay, immobile, unresponsive. Her slack mouth and half-lidded eyes were an indication of what I already knew, had feared as soon as I'd put the key in the front door.

"Mom!"

I shook her, yelled, my mind pulling me back to Juliet. Except there was no blood.

Eyes burning, I searched around the bed until my hand grasped a hard plastic bottle. I could barely read the white label through my tears, but I caught the jist of what had happened.

Everyone I loved. Dead.      

"No. No. No." I gathered up my mother's cold body and repeated the word over and over.

I hadn't foreseen anything. I'd been so concerned with myself that I'd forgotten to keep tabs on someone who mattered more.

"No," I sobbed, burying my face in her hair.

Whispers surrounded me, culminating in roaring laughter.

"Stop it!" I clutched at my mother, glancing around with wide eyes. Every corner was empty, but the alternately hot and cold force pressing on my skin told me something else was in the room.

"Go away," I whispered, not expecting an answer.

However, a second later, I received a clear invitation, and in my grief, I listened.

I know how you can fix it.

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