Ink Cursed

Chapter 4

Ink Cursed

Chapter 4

I look at Jared, giving him my usual look to ease the tenseness in the atmosphere. Scooting closer to him, I pat his knee and say, “Get up and dance with someone.”

Jared looks confused at me.

He stutters at first then talks over the loud music.

“I think I just showed you—” And then his face twists into what seems to be a frown with a bit of pity in his face. This face causes my heart to welt.

“Dance with someone.” My hand brushes his hair from his eyes. “But just not me.”

For a second, I’m afraid Jared will leave right now, leaving me by myself, but I know he’s not that sort of guy. I’m not sure how he even does it but he stands up and smiles at me. I smile back, slipping my mask on. He does the same.

“Now if you don’t mind,” Jared says strictly, bowing fully, hand on cape. I cross my arms over my chest and watch him as he disappears into the crowd of jumping, sweating teenagers.

I tell myself not to feel bad repeatedly as I decide to escape the house and get some fresh air. Jared’s fine. He’s like a brother. He shouldn’t feel too affected by this. But I know I would’ve been.

Just as I was about to change the way my train of thought was running on, my arm feels like something thick and cold touches it. Looking down at my wrist, I examine the intricate design of the ink drawing.

I rub it as the night starts to cry on me, thin sprinkles of rain drops falling down onto my dress. I tell myself the water will wash it off. I look down after a few seconds as I take a turn into a road.

I can’t hear the music now.

Expecting to see ink falling from my arm, I see the drawing instead, thick as ever. My heart jumps and I rub at the tattoo now, afraid if it’s slowly intoxicating my skin. My throbbing skin crawls at the pain tightening my thin skin.

Flinching, I stop walking and press my fingers slowly onto my skin, pushing it. My blue veins rise from beneath my skin and start to quiver from beneath my skin. Creasing my eyebrows, I gasp at the sight of my arm and the thickness of the tattoo.

But it couldn’t have been a tattoo. This wasn’t done with a needle or any pain. It was simply painted onto my skin. Then I start to wonder if the ink isn’t really on my skin but now in my arm, above my veins. Maybe my mind’s playing tricks on me?

“The hell is this?” I hiss to myself, hitting my arm, pain slithering throughout my whole body now.

But now the pain isn’t exactly a pain but more of an urge to throw up.

My stomach twirls and twists tightly and I whimper in pain, starting to walk back to the house. I need to go home. Jared needs to take me home now.

I basically hit a run as soon as I reach sight of the bright, loud house. I sigh in relief, happy that I’m not lost at all. My breaths are quick and unsteady. My heart beats are swift and ephemeral.

I push through some kids on the front yard and manage to enter the house without any problems. Removing my mask, I find Batman standing at the corner of the living room, a drink of something that looks like apple juice in his hand.

I wonder where he got that from.

And then I feel hands wrap around my face from behind me. Touching the hands, I pray it’s not someone I’d want to pick a fight with.

“Sam?” I ask, feeling the usual ring around her middle finger. The hands release me and I embrace Sam, making sure not to crease her dress in the process. Jay stands behind her, smiling at me, drinks in his hands.