Cursed

Chapter 21

Alice's POV
Guns, bombs, yelling, screaming. Even in my house, I didn't feel safe. I would barely call what I was living in a house anyway, I was just so scared of what my family would say if they found out what side I was fighting on. Or at least, what side I wanted to fight on. I didn't do much actual fighting in the war, I didn't know how to use a gun, just how to beat up people bigger than me. But eventually, I promised myself I wouldn't fight at all, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

I was low on food at that point, and whether I had to steal or fight for the necessary supplies for survival, I didn't care. The only thing that scared me was getting caught up in some big shoot off.

After about ten minutes of searching, I found a stack of food, clearly reserved for soldiers, but there was a surprisingly large abundance of it all. I didn't think I would have to worry about getting caught, that's when I heard:

"Thief."

"Clearly," I rolled my eyes and began to walk off with the food I had collected by that point.
"You not gonna return that?"
"This may be a war pretty boy, but it's still every man for himself, or, woman in my case. So... what side are you fighting on?"

He had to be a soldier, though I didn't see any sort of gun on him. I could only assume that he was one of those Pure soldiers that would fight with magic.

"You're Pure, I'm guessing. Not only does your appearance imply that, but you've got no weapon. Only a Pure's magic is strong enough to not warrant a weapon. So, you're against me, just a guess."

"Well unless you want to continue having these strict separations between our bloods, then you're wrong. The name's Caleb Anderson."
"Alice Kim..." I muttered. "Are you seriously on my side, or are you trying to trick me?"
"Nope, no tricks here, just trying to help out an ally. Here, next time, try and buy yourself some food," he laughed, chucking me a couple of coins.

"Yeah, I'll think about it. See you."

And I didn't see him again for a while. I didn't need to leave my closest thing to safety for a while. In fact, the next time I left, I wasn't looking for food, nor drink, nor clothes and other supplies.

I was looking for a friend.

I had met him near the beginning of the war, the only Pure I decided I could trust by that point. I wanted equality, sure, but at that point, most Pure's didn't.

Most Pures still don't.

The friend said he'd be in the area, that he'd try to find me at some point. He hadn't shown up yet, and I was worried for him. So I went searching.

I found him eventually, but not before finding that familiar face again.

"Oh so the thief's back. You used that money yet?"
"Nope, I don't like owing people, here, take it back," I placed the coins back in his hand, and was about to continue on my journey.
"You don't like owing people, yet you steal? You're a strange one Miss Kim."
"Says you. Hey, do you know a Pure called Maven Ebony? He's a friend of mine, said he'd be near here."
"Oh, him," he said, lighting a cigarette. "He's a Pure's worst nightmare, or so I've heard. In love with not only an Impure, but another male. God I'd love to see the look on my family's face if they ever heard about that. Mother would riot. Want one?"

"No thanks, those things ruin your lungs. I'd prefer to live to see the outcome of this war. Anyway, Maven, you know where he is?"
"Nah, I can help you search though."
"Put out the cigarette first, then I'll consider it."

And so we snuck through the streets, avoiding fights and soldiers from the opposing side, that's when I found him.

"Maven! Over here!" I called, trying my best to keep my voice down.
"Alice, I thought you died, who's this?" He asked as I ran over.
"Oh, he's..." I turned around to find he was no longer behind us, "no one important. I'm glad you're okay though, I was worried that you got caught up in some fighting."
"I'm not much of a fighter, you know that Alice. Listen, there's a group of us escaping to a village named Surrek tomorrow, it's safer there, no fighting and some welcoming civilians. Stay the night here and we'll get there as soon as possible," Maven said.
"Alright, I'll stay here. You're lucky I had barely any supplies I would wanna take."