An old woman dressed in a long black cloak walked in, her penciled cat almost touching her left ear. She looked ugly and… scary.
Raymond shivered.
” What are you doing here?” She snarled at him.
” N… Nothing. I was actually looking for my brother, he was here few minutes ago. I swear I didn’t touch anything.”
She looked at the broken cup on the ground. ” Do you know what you have done?” She growled. ” You just committed the worst mistake ever.”
” I swear, I didn’t do anything. I just walked in here now. I haven’t touch anything here.” He defended.
” You will regret this.” Her face turned into a deep frown.
” I said I didn’t do anything, isn’t that enough to make you listen?” He growled back.
” For your rudeness I will lay a curse on you in replacement for your evil crime. Beneath the great mountain of Everest shall you dwell. Neither the sunlight nor the rain, nor the moon shall your eyes see.
Darkness shall be your comfort, anger shall be your heart beat, and vergence shall be your song. Until the day which the last leaf of this flower shall fall, you shall be locked forever. ”
After the old woman had said this words to him, he began to turn. Not just to a wolf, but to a night beast.
” No. No!!” He cried in agony as the pain of shifting tormented him. ” I swear! I didn’t… Arrggh… I… Noo!!!”
In a second, Raymond’s both hands and legs were tied up against the wall of the cave beneath the mountain. And the flower was mounted at the centre of the cave.
Like the old witch had said, until the last leaf drops, then shall he be released.
” So, that is the end of my story.” Theodora said to the little children who were sitting before her, listening to her story.
” He should be released by now. How big is the leaf that it hasn’t drop finish?” Asked one of the kids.
” That is a question no one can answer. ” She simply said.
” Are you gonna tell us another story tomorrow?” Another asked.
” Yes, of course. And this time, it’s gonna be a lot different.” She said with a smile.
” Theodora!!” Called her mother from the inside.
” I gotta go, guys. See you tomorrow, okay?” She waved them off before she went in to answer her mother.
” Still telling them the story of the cursed beast?” Asked her mother as she walks into the kitchen.
” That has been my favorite story since history class. ” She said, taking the vegetables from the counter. ” Should I cut all of them?” She asked.
” Yes.” She nods. ” Do you think those stories are real?”
” Of course, they are. I believe the beast is out there just beneath the mountain. All I can feel is pity for every single soul. He is gonna have our heads taken when he finally breaks free from the curse.” She said as she chopped the veggies.
There was a brief silence. Theodora asked, ” But mother, do you think Raymond deserves the curse?”
” Well, what I do think is he was only trying to defend himself to the old woman but she wouldn’t listen. If only he can rise from his hell prison, I pray that he first have alpha Kaleb’s head first before any single one of us.”
Another silence as they went ahead cooking their soup for dinner. For the first time since Theodora learnt about the story of the cursed beast, she has never gone so deep to think of it.
It was as if it was new to her hearing. How possible is it that a beast would survive underneath the mountain for a century now, hoping to be free someday.
” Still thinking about it?” Asked her mother as she noticed her countenance.
” No. ” She lied.
That night while they are together, Mr Van Amstel had a lot of gist to tell. ” There is something yet to happen next week.” He started.
” Something like what? ” Asked his wife.
” By next week, alpha Kaleb will be taking the throne to himself. So help us God, for we are all doomed. ” He took the tenth spoon of his soup.
” I have always wished for this so-called alpha to change but it seems like he gets worst every blessed day. I am tired already, maybe we all have to get ready for our death. ” Mrs Van Amstel complained bitterly.
” If it were to be possible for the curse to be reversed, I would have love it to be Kaleb. He doesn’t deserve to be the king. ” Theodora cursed.
*
*
~ THEODORA’S ROOM ~
*
She was sitting on her small sized bed which stood beside the window. So she was sitting on it and was staring out of the window.
Alpha Kaleb, king?
She scoffed.
She went to get the book where the story of the cursed beast was written. She flipped through the pages of the book, reading the story over and over and over again.
Then at the end part of the story, where the beast was tied against the wall, she kept staring at the figure. ” I wish you can hear me. You have to save us all or he ki||s us.
I believe you. I believe you didn’t break the incense cup. And… I know you don’t deserve the curse either. ” She sighed. ” But please, save us. ”
She held the book to her chest, her gaze haven’t left the moon.
She laid on the bed, squeezing herself from the cold. She shut her eyes close, folded the book tight to her chest like she was scared she would loose it while she sleeps.
*
*
*
~ 12 MIDNIGHT ~
*
*
” Theodora…” Called a voice in a faint tone, sounding much like a whisper in her ears. ” Theodora…” The same voice called.
She had thought it was in her dream but when the voice called in a louder but deeper tone, enough to wake her up, ” THEODORA!!” she jerked awake.
She gasped.
~~~~
To Be Continued…