Kursed

Chapter 2

To my surprise, there was another room back here even though this was what I was looking for. Everything back here was covered in two inches thick of dust. There was another fireplace, much smaller.

"Holy sh . . ." My mouth hung open. Inside the fireplace was tons more dust. It looked as if someone had shoveled it in there. Pieces of furniture stuck out here and there, blackened and crumbling.

I gazed down at my boots and swore. My boots were covered in the stuff. I bent down and dusted it off, but I made it worse. Soon, my crisp black clothes were smudged everywhere. I smirked, thinking of Peni's wall back at our old house after Mom set her loose with her first chocolate birthday cake.

The floor here warped and croaked with every step. I ground my teeth and carefully moved about, using whatever feeble light my cell gave in search for a tub. "Yeah, whatever." It looks like I'll have to go down the hallway next to Mom's and Dad's room. I shuddered at the thought of being near their bedroom at night. Mom's giggles always made my beard rise with disgust. If I ever decided to grow one that is.

"Time to blow this joint," I grumbled, angry that I didn't find a tub, but not nearly enough to diss the fact that I had a room all to myself. I stomped my way out, but before I could put my second foot down, my first one felt the wood snap with a shriek.

My eyes flew wide and I yowled as my leg plunged through a jagged hole my foot made. I winced at the burning pain of cutting nails and wood that splintered around me. I didn't even dare think what my leg endured.

Heat rushed to my face and I struggled myself free. My jeans had just earned a fresh rip. I swore loudly. These were my best ones, man! I carefully opened the jagged edges and snorted. My leg shown lily white against the contrast of maroon blood where it gooped my hair together.

"Great, just great!" I could make out the shredded skin where the nails had sliced and it throbbed hot.

Without giving it further thought, I whipped my belt lose from my waist and tightened it round just above my knee. For a second, I imagined calling out to Dad, Mom, for help. I wasn't sure how bad the damage went.

My eyes flew around my private finding and I changed my mind. Yea right, and risk my secret place? No way.

My body groaned as I moved, if that was possible, and my breath shivered. My leg hurt like a mother. I swore some more, not caring if Mom came and found me here. She hated when I used that sort of language, but I was usually careful how I said things around anyone else.

The room, other than the pile of dust and broken furniture, was empty.

"Great, what am I going to use?" I sighed and found a gaping hole in the floor on the other side of the room. "Oh, I see!" I shouted. If I had seen that earlier, there was no way I'd have dared stepped in here like the idiot I was. "Fine."

I wobbled to my hands and knee, extending my injured one with a grunt. I'd never imagined how hard it would be to try to stand with a hurt leg. Beads of sweat gathered along my upper lip and hairline, and my body shook.

Inch by inch, I made my way to the entrance, my leg burning. I braced myself against the wall and staggered to one foot. After setting loose some more colorful words, I dropped my head with a groan.

Man, that was hard work, crawling from there to here and then rising to a standing position. I bet I looked more like a zombie with this crap all over me and my clothes as well as my cut. I opened my eyes and froze.

Untouched and perfect-unlike the rest of the room was a painting. The first thing I saw was her face. It looked as if she'd lost sleep, the way the shadows colored her pale skin. Her green eyes were wide, her dark hair piled high on her head with jewels. I didn't care for the puffy dress she wore, but I smiled at the neckline.