Set Me Free

11. Life for Unhappiness

     "What do you mean?!" Woody angrily shoved Apollos' father.

     The father smirked evilly before shaking Woody off of him.

     "Your friend, Dan, is the main component in this."

     "Hold it!" Ky shouted and stood face to face with the father. "He has no part in this! It's not Dan's fault for being the destined guy for death on Christmas!"

     "Ah, but it is," he chuckled devilishly. "You," he gave a cold and crazed smile at me, "were to be reincarnated with the spirit of Apollos, that is..." he suddenly stomped down on the football and crushed it. We all jumped back in fright from the sudden action. "Until I came along from the Twilight Shadows."

     "Y-you were the one who killed Mikhail!" Apollos gasped and took a single trot backwards.

     Mikhail must be the one from 1917.

     "You fool," his father cackled lowly. "Anyone could have guessed that."

     "W-what happened in 1917?" I stuttered and caught both reindeers' attention.

     "You will discover that on your own," the father scowled at me. "But for the sake of your survival, why don't you accept my offer?"

     "Bastard!" Woody yelled. "Dan won't take shit!"

     "Tell me the offer." I narrowed my eyes at him. Maybe I can find a loophole.

     "Are you crazy?" Will whispered frantically.

     "Alright," Apollos' father made a demonic expression. "The keeping of your life and Apollos, for the taking of your memories and abilities to be happy."

     DEAL.

     I nodded and began to walk away from the guys and reindeer, with the sounds of Kyle and my other mates yelling and swearing at me directly behind. I knew it was absurd, making a deal like that one, but I was not willing to fucking die on a day that was meant for being happy. Sure, I was going to lose the ability to be joyful and whatnot, but I didn't want Apollo and I to just die.

<<<<<>>>>>

     "Are you a fucking lunatic?!" Woody shook me violently by the shoulders. "So you're just going to give away your fucking happiness and memories?!"

     I nodded.

     "It's better than letting Dan die on Christmas!" Ky protested in my favour.

     "You idiot!" Apollos shouted. "I'd rather die than let my father take away my happiness! Do you know how much I've suffered for?" He broke into a sob and let his red tears spill. "I'll be unhappy for eternity!"

     "Wait!" I reached out. It was too late. Apollos had materialized into a flash of light and blurred off, somewhere that wasn't where I was.

     Great job. You've fucked up big time.

     "Dan, it'll be alright," Will tried to reassure. "Try not to think about it, 'kay?"

     "Yeah," I collapsed to my knees and depressingly stared at the spot where Apollos was sleeping in the living room. That corner.

     "Maybe we can talk his father out of it on Christmas day?" Woody had a sudden switch in mood. "IF we can come up with a some sort of loophole or trick to throw him off...in ten days..." he rested his chin on the crevasse between his thumb and index finger. "Maybe we have a chance at breaking the curse?"

     "It's possible," Will nodded. "Let's all think about it and meet up in a few days, yeah?"

     "Roger that, Lord Farquarson!" Kyle saluted and caused everyone to laugh.

     This might be the last time I ever laugh.

     The guys went home, and I was left alone in my flat for the rest of the day, doing nothing but song writing and binge watching Twin Peaks. Then nightfall came, and as I laid in my bed thinking of a strategy to fool or perhaps break this curse, I felt a warm sensation in my right side. The side of the bed that met with the wall of my bedroom.

     Apollos. I gasped at his presence with me in the bed. He was soundly asleep. I felt awful about what had just happened earlier in the day. I brushed my hand through his thick line of brown fur, smiling at how peaceful he looked while in his state of sleep. Apollos' muzzle grazed against the part under my arm, making my body have to shift in position. I smiled once more at the animalistic behavior he had.

     I really hope we can find a way out of this.