Sorry I didn't get this up yesterday. Fanfiction wouldn't let me upload anything! Also, sorry it's so short. The past few weeks have been crazy!
The curse did nothing to stop me. I fled out of the house and into the night. I had no idea of where Chord was. There was no guarantee that he was even in this tale. But I had to try to find him.
I probably shouldn't have left the girl alone. She would probably need more protection from her crazy mother, but I had panicked. I didn't know how long the curse would allow me to keep messing with the story. It was pretty clear that the daughter was supposed to die by the mother's hand. If I wasn't there to protect her, would she even last the night?
Guilt gnawed at the back of mind, begging me to turn around and go back. I ignored it. I didn't want to go back to that place. The crazy lady with an axe was enough to keep me away. Two nights facing her had been enough. Just the thought of repeating another night like that set me shaking in my boots. Or lack of boots. Curse this stupid curse and it's obsession with keeping me barefoot.
I don't know how long I ran. I had lost all sense of time. My body protested against the strain, but I refused to slow down. I had to find Chord and fast.
Either I was supposed to run away from the house, or I had screwed up the story so much that the curse couldn't turn me around. Either way, I had to get to him before something bad happened.
About something bad happening? It happened. I ran headlong into another person. We both crashed to the ground with an 'umph'. I scrambled back to my feet so fast I nearly fell over again. Instinct told me to stay on my feet. To be ready to run at any given moment.
The person I'd crashed into was still on the ground. It was a young man, maybe a few years older than I was. He was ruggedly handsome, with a scruffy beard and a mop of dark hair on his head. He was lean but muscular. Against my better judgment, I found myself staring.
"I do apologize." The man said, getting to his feet and brushing himself off.
He looked up at me and smiled. I tried to smile back but it came across as more of a grimace. When he saw me, his eyes lit up with recognition and he rushed forward. He tried to embrace me, but I ducked under his arms and he barreled past. He frowned in confusion and turned to face me.
"Do I know you?" I asked.
He laughed nervously and studied me. "Don't you recognize me?"
I shook my head. "Should I?"
"Do not tell me that you have already forgotten! I am your sweetheart Roland." He smiled and opened his arms as if expecting me to run into his arms.
"Uh-huh" I looked at him warily. "So what does that make me?"
He shook his head slowly. "This isn't like you. Are you sure you are alright, my sweet?"
"Honestly," I shrugged, "I'm not sure."
"What has that evil witch done to you?"
"What witch?"
"The old witch! The very same one you've been forced to reside with all this time! Dear Lord what has she done to you?" He really did look concerned.
I had to bite my tongue from saying anything. She was a witch? Was that just this guy (what had he called himself? Roland?) giving people rude nicknames? Or was there truth to his words? If she really was a witch, I never should have left the daughter alone with her.
I groaned and beat my fist against my head since there were no trees nearby to beat my head against. Crap. I never should have left. Why did this always happen to me?
"My dear, are you sure you're alright?"
"I need to go back."
He nodded eagerly. "Yes! I was just about to suggest the same thing!"
"You were?" I grimaced.
"Why yes! If we are to run away together and be free of the witch for good, you must hurry back and steal away her magic wand. Without that, she is powerless. She will not be able to follow us then. We will be free of her wicked curse."
"A magic wand? Are you making this up?"
"Of course I'm not! Why would I joke about something as important as this? The wand is the key to our eternal happiness!" He took both my hands in his. "We can finally be happy! We can raise a family! Our love can never be stopped again!"
"Woah, woah, woah," I pulled away from his grip and wiped my hands off on my dress, "let's just get this wand first. Besides, I don't plan on raising kids with anyone."
His smile faltered. I cringed. It was the same expression August had gotten when I told him I had no intentions of ever having kids of my own. I had effectively crushed his dreams. (Ok, before you start freaking out, yes. August and I had discussed our future quite a few times. After officially being together for over a year now, and everything we'd been through together, those thoughts were bound to cross our minds.) August told me he had always wanted a large family, but just the idea of raising my a child of my own scared me senseless. Roland had the same defeated expression on his face now. It killed me.
He coughed and quickly plastered a smile on his lips again. It was forced, but he was trying to be nice. "You should get going before the witch discovers you are gone and goes looking for you. It will be easier to take the wand if she is not furious with you for running away. I have also heard that her daughter has been killed by her hand-"
"What?!" I nearly choked. Dread set in. I knew I shouldn't have left.
"Why yes, that is the word that is going around. I thought you would have known this since it was you she had been trying to kill when it happened."
I shook my head. It wasn't true. It couldn't be.
"When you take the wand," Roland continued, "be sure to drop three drops of the girl's blood throughout the house. When the witch calls out to her daughter, the blood will answer and it will buy us a bit more time."
"That is...disgusting." I made a face at him. "There is no way I'm doing that."
"But you must! It is the only way!"
I blew out a hot breath. I didn't like the idea of going back there or dripping the girl's blood all over, but it appeared I didn't have a choice. "Fine."
He grinned and gave me another hug against my will. "Return quickly my sweet! I can not wait until we can finally be together!"