The Grace Curse

Prologue

I

T WAS MY TURN TO SAY GOODBYE. Goodbye forever. I approached the ornate casket without trying to show any visible sign of emotion. One step after another. I told myself. Just take it easy Chase. I quickly peered into the occupied coffin and saw the corpse of a man; a man that had once promised to protect me with his dying breath. I clenched my fists. Grayson was my role model, my hero, and my only Grandfather. Something about him always had me laughing and brought out the light side of things in me. I extended my arm and felt his cold inert skin. I had never touched a dead body before, and always assumed it was like feeling something inhuman...yet he couldn't feel any more. Grayson looked so peaceful lying there, so young...a jolt shot up me as an arm grabbed me from behind.

"Chase," My mother stiffened. "Please rest," I stared into my Mom's stained eyes and felt my own begin to burn in betrayal, I didn't need to see the hot tears that would begin to stain my face.

I composed myself. My eyes drifted towards the vast crowd that had joined on this warm and sunny April day to see my Grandfather's departure. My Mom took this the hardest; she blamed herself for allowing his death. Me? I tried to not think about it. I knew that he was sick, he needed help. Even if he once was the father figure I had lacked, he was gone. Now, it was up to my mother to really change things. Poor Grayson, I thought. You deserve to be here with us. I need you here. I wanted to scream at Grayson and tell him to wake up but I knew it couldn't happen. There were other issues coming into play, one being my infamous Aunt Megan.

My Mom's younger sister was absent from the funeral, they hadn't spoken in years and my Grandfather's death must have meant very little to her. The grandiose ceremony had proceeded an hour earlier in the vast backyard of the manor. We had plenty of room to do so, and my Grandfather would be buried in our family crypt. My uncle Jonathan and my cousin Elizabeth attended. It was a rather rare occurrence to see them, but it instilled some comfort in me knowing that I had other family here as well. I sat back down on my chair as my mother finished up the funeral ceremony.

The repast was a lot to brag about. People were gathering in the Grand Ballroom of our manor. Grayson would have loved this, he enjoyed putting on a show and there was no bigger tribute to him than this. I decided to stay outside with my cousin Elizabeth. Her gray eyes stared me down intently as if she were waiting for something. "So, you're gonna be OK Chase?" She asked while fluffing up her hair.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm OK, at least I think so,"

She lowered her eyebrows. "I'm concerned about you, I'd stay a little longer, but my dad and I have some issues back in New York we are dealing with right now,"

"Such as?"

Elizabeth put her hands to her temple. "I'll send you a present for your birthday, take a rest for a few days until your birthday, and come on. Let's go find Blake,"

Blake Summers was a unique friend. For one thing, he had a strange habit of drawing attention to himself and to everyone around him. Maybe it was just me. I looked in the giant ballroom of the Grace Manor. I felt like this was less of a repast and instead a party. Regardless, Blake was sitting with his even more interesting Grandmother. I sat down with Elizabeth at the table where Blake was sitting.

"Chase how are ya feeling dear?" She blurted.

I turned away. "I'm managing," I looked at Blake's Grandmother. "How are things... Mrs. Summers?"

She made an irritated face. "Those frigging whatever you call ems' are ruining my neighborhood. Last night they were playing music till two in the friggin' morning!" I moved my head back. Mrs. Summers was a very comical woman in her late fifties. Her crude comments made me laugh, I hated to be honest, but it was the truth. As I always said time and time again: "it's not hurtful if it's true".