The Cursed Heart

Chapter 5: The Cure That Had Been Found

The next morning was the same as every other day. The birds chirped as they flew through the vast blue sky. The leaves were shaken off their trees and were dancing in the warm summer air. Occasional breezes of wind made the fairly-tall grass sway left and right. And within this peaceful forest lived a girl, alone…

Not quite.

“Well, I let you stay here for the night…” Mari sighed as she washed some of her dishes. “But is it really alright that you were kicked out of your house?”

“It’s not like we can do anything about it…” Drew said. “They looked like they were going to kill me.”

“That’s how they are…” Mari sighed, remembering everything that has happened to her before she met Drew. Those villagers were the start of all the sadness in her life, yet she didn’t want to hurt them. She was just glad that Drew came into her life. He was the only one who ever understood her, the only one who has ever brought her happiness since her mother died.

“It’s all your fault.”

Mari jolted when she remembered her dream last night. She had convinced herself that there’s no way Drew would hate her, there was no way that he would ever leave her. He said so himself, many times. When they met everyday, he always promised to come back the next.

Yet, the she couldn’t forget about the dream. It’s true that it was her fault that Drew now didn’t have a home. Even if he said he’d rather be homeless, there’s no way that he isn’t regretful… right?

“Hey, Drew.” Mari wiped her hands on a towel. “You’re not going to… leave me, right?”

“Leave you?” Drew turned to her. “Of—”

Drew was cut off by a sound that alerted the both of them—a knock. Mari knew that the only person who ever knocks on her door now was Drew—

Well, actually, he doesn’t even knock...

Mari sighed, interrupting her own thoughts.

“Sh-Should I go get it?” Drew asked.

“Outsiders sometimes get lost and knock on my door to ask for directions.” Mari walked toward her bed and sat down. “We should just wait until they go away.”

“What? If they’re lost, then we could at least give directions, right?” Drew stood up.

“I guess so.” Mari said, getting out of bed. She used to be afraid of interacting with people, because it might ignite her curse, but after meeting Drew, she knew people did not only have the ability to ignite the curse.

“Ye—” Drew opened the door, stopping at the sight of a mob of angry villagers. “Wh-What…”

“Drew!” one of the men yelled angrily. “To think that you would run to the monster for shelter!”

“Wh-What’s your problem?” Drew backed away. “You drove me out of my house. What do you want now?”

“We’re sorry about that, Drew.” one of the women said, yet sounding more scary than sincere. “But we’ll let you come back.”

“Huh?”

“If you promise never to meet with the monster girl, we’ll let you come back.” a man said, grabbing Drew’s arm, not giving him much of a choice as he began to pull Drew away from the door.

“H-Hey!” he tried to pull away, but continued getting dragged away by the villager. “Never to meet with her…?” Drew turned to Mari, who was now, sitting on the floor against her bed, afraid. She was terrified of the villagers who have ignited her curse three time already.