Cursed [Book 1] ✔

Chapter 14: New All Over

Thump. Thump. Thump.

A smell of deep earth.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Distant persistent sounds overhead.

I sent a very specific command to my nerve endings, telling them to open my eyes, and yet they didn't open. Darkness closed in around me.

My hands traced along the surroundings, coming in contact with satin fluff. The stale-smelling air incited a panic in my chest. When my arms bumped the sides of what was obviously a casket, I whimpered.

Dissolving into tears seemed like the thing to do, but I didn't have time to indulge in self-pity. I drew in a deep breath, initiating the new well-spring of strength within. What could touch me now? I had already died, and it wasn't that bad. Okay. Lie. Dying was singularly the worst and best thing to ever happen to me. I'd lost my child, and the pain was still constant in my chest.

Dying wasn't an event I relished, but with it brought truth and purpose. And for a few fleeting hours, I'd seen my sister. When my duties were fulfilled, I'd see her again, along with Juliet.

With the promise of being reunited with loved ones, I steeled myself for the task ahead.

I scratched at the silk above me, surprised at how easily it came apart, like tearing pieces of cotton candy. My knuckles grazed the lacquered top, and one punch was all it took to get through the wood of my cell. Displaced earth poured in, threatening to devour me. I coughed and sputtered as dirt covered my face. I didn't want to be beat, but the panic crept back in. I pushed frantically, amazed as my fluid motions carried grace and power behind them. In seconds, the opening yawned big enough to begin my ascent.

Getting to the top proved less than difficult, but once there, I couldn't grab anything substantial. Rain pelted down in sheets, turning the top soil into mud, and my hands raked through it uselessly. Finally, I caught hold of clumps of grass. I slithered from my burial plot, more than aware of my second chance. The struggle to the top had enabled a new sense of clarity.

I lay on the ground, reveling in the rain beating down on me.

I was back. I was alive.

* * * * *

How was that possible, one might ask? My one and only body had been hijacked by a demon as old as time itself. In order to return, I needed a new body.

Rosalind, little Yoda that she was, revealed all:

"Our bloodline is special, full of magic. Some beings can sense that magic, and are drawn to each other. That's how the demons found their first hosts. Eventually, they found us because the descendants of Juan Ortiz are imbued with a special ability to house certain spirits, among other things." She paused. "Do you understand? Do you understand what I'm asking? How you'll get back?"

I hadn't. Not fully, but I nodded anyway.

I extended my arm to examine it, except it wasn't my arm. These were not my eyes. This is not my beautiful house. Instead of doe-brown, I knew my eyes were a shade of blue. The locks of hair between my fingers were blonde and not brunette. My stomach was flat, a luxury after eight months of being pregnant. Rosalind had been pregnant at the time of her death, but the influx of my spirit into her body had restored it to its original glory.

Slowly, I stood up and started to walk. My first attempt failed, and I stumbled miserably. It was like being drunk. I couldn't control my body. Ha. My body. The legs were too long, and I couldn't get them to listen properly. No, don't trip, dammit. My gangly arms swung wildly as I stamped from the cemetery. To any passerby, I'm sure I would've looked like a malfunctioning toy soldier.

"Having trouble?"

The drawl stopped me. Rosalind floated before me, arms crossed with a smirk to match.

"Well, you could have kept up with the oil changes." I gestured to the useless legs.

Even though Rosalind had transcended beyond petty emotions, seeing her own body reanimated by the spirit of her dead older sister had to be somewhat disconcerting. In any case, her expression remained neutral, if not entertained at my expense.

From a taller vantage point, everything had a novel feel to it. I used to make fun of Rosalind's height, and she used to make fun of mine, but I enjoyed the added perspective. I wanted to walk around some more and test out my new body. I clomped on my way, eager to experience more. Running with long legs would be a challenge, but running had always set me straight before, and I hoped it would help me now. 

I shuffled along, but dared not go too fast too soon. Even at a slow pace, I ate dirt several times. The endless rain did nothing to calm my jittery limbs.

Teeth chattering, I pushed aside doubt and discomfort, resolving to run with purpose, even as I tripped over a large tree root. My face smashed into the muddy ground, but the pain was less than I imagined. Instead, the slight incited my determination.

My pain, my body.

With a few sloppy slips in the mud, I got up. A few steps after that, I ran, really ran. Wind and water flew in my face, stinging my eyes.

Rosalind spoke in my ear. "I knew the change might be daunting, so I came to remind you."

I'd forgotten about her. She must've laughed at my stumbles, but I didn't care.

Still running, I asked, "Remind me of what?"

"Of your responsibilities. Lillith and Samael."

The world went quiet. I ceased running, my memories of the Garden returning in a tumble of nightmarish images. Lillith and Samael were a great threat, but there was something even more important, something precious. I tried hard to remember what that something was, but a sharp sting fluttered at my temples. The less I thought about Lillith and Samael, the more the headache increased. Unbearable pain beat behind my eyes, and I couldn't take it anymore. A nearby tree stump looked inviting, and I collapsed on it.

"Before you say 'I don't know how,' know that you're equipped with new abilities," Rosalind said.

The slight scorch in my head was disappearing with every breath. "Like...?"

"Like you'll figure them out as you go along. Now, concentrate. Do that voodoo that you do and find them."

I closed my eyes, focusing all of my energy on seeing the immediate future actions of Lillith and Samael. Seconds later, I had my answer.

Confidence marked my walk, but it still held glints of awkwardness, along with the occasional stumble.

"Wait, up, pardner," Rosalind called. "You'll need to make one stop first."

* * * * *

After we finished our errand at the library, I used my newfound strength to break into the only car in the parking lot. Super speed got me to the library, but if I was going to intercept the demons, I needed to be mobile. Breaking into the car was simple, but when I got behind the wheel, my smile faded with the realization that I had no idea how to hot wire it.

"Allow me." Rosalind pointed at the ignition and the car started instantly.

"Nice!" I gave her a resounding thumbs up like the dork I was.

We drove for the first few miles in silence, the stars glinting down through the sunroof.

"Where are we headed?" Rosalind asked.

"Believe it or not, a convent."

"Oh, I believe it, but why?"

"In my vision, I got a sense they're craving pure blood. Pure as in undiluted by modern culture. The humans they've been feeding on have not satisfied them."

"We'd better hurry then."

"No point," I replied. "They're already there."