WHEN THE DARKNESS COMES ━ Peter Parker

o6. The Findings Of Charles Jericho

SIX THE FINDINGS OF CHARLES JERICHO

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Lyra had never really been one to frequent the library — especially the odd mythology sections that she and Peter were currently digging through. She wished she had any idea of where to start, but the curse had always been a mostly forbidden subject in their family. Ever since her mother died, they never spoke of it, let alone about how it started or the origin of something.

"Do you know when it could have started? I mean, we can do a keyword search for your last name, maybe? Do you know your mother's maiden name?" Peter asked as he shut another mythology book after finding nothing.

"It's gonna be Jericho. The name has been in my family for centuries and my mother gave it to me because she thought if she tried to change my name that it would anger the curse or something, I don't know, I was a baby," Lyra scoffed, "Something about an attempt to escape the fate of the Jericho Curse would piss off the bloodline, I don't know. I don't even know where to start. Just, just look up Jericho. God, what a load of good that name gave me. I should have just taken my father's name."

Peter looked sheepish as he walked over to the computer, "It's okay, we'll figure it out. If no one changed their name, that'll make it easier on research, right?"

Lyra took a deep breath, "Yeah, yeah. It might. Sorry, I just... I wish I knew what to do. I'm kind of trying not to freak out any time it's brought up so sorry for being a little... touchy, I guess. I'm not usually a sensitive type, but the looming threat of death--"

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Peter cut her off before she could finish her sentence, looking up from the computer with a worried look. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before he walked over to her and sheepishly pulled her into an awkward embrace. Still, that was enough for Lyra to melt as she wrapped her arms around Peter and squeezed tightly, just glad that someone was offering comfort. Although Peter hadn't really been her first choice, or her choice at all, for being the first person to find out, she was glad she wasn't dealing with this alone. If she was going to go down, at least she would have someone trying to pull her back up.

After a moment, Lyra let go and cleared her throat, content to forget that happened as she walked over to the computer Peter had just been standing at. There were too many results for her last name considering she apparently shared a name with a town in California known for hauntings or some lame tourist trap. She sighed as she scrolled through, looking for anything that might have any sort of relevancy to the curse.

"This is useless," Lyra sighed as she slumped down in the chair, her hand glued to the mouse as she continued scrolling.

"Oh, wait, wait, scroll up," Peter halted her as he placed a hand over hers on the mouse to stop her. He let go as soon as she stopped and she scrolled up just a little bit, "There! The Findings of Charles Jericho. Relative of yours?"