A Gifted Curse

by K.N. Lee

  It reminded her of the days when she would stare into the woods in her parents back yard and imagine she’d seen goblins watching her from the trees.

  Tanya swallowed hard and rubbed the gooseflesh in her arms. She winced. The gashes were still bleeding. Tanya glanced down at the blood on her hands and felt her lips quiver. She could still remember the sting of the ropes that had cut into her flesh.

  She had hung like a pig ready to be butchered for so long that the ropes had dug deep, and all of the blood in her body had traveled down to her head.

  Tanya squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the memories. She blew into her hands to warm them. It was useless. Her hands had lost all feeling already.

  Tanya fought her weariness and shivered as she crawled to her feet.

  “Tanya, you can do this.” She tried to motivate herself, but the sound of her voice, so fragile and cracked made her weep.

  She couldn't believe she had let such a thing happen to her. She had always been careful. Her mother had always warned her. The day Tanya had left for college, her mother had told her to be aware of her surroundings.

  “Always look around to make sure no one followed you when you’re alone. Never get in your car without checking the back seat first. Never go alone to a party or club. Always watch your drink. Call mommy if you need a ride home. Just be aware, Tanya.”

  But I was aware! Tanya screamed in her head.

  She missed her mother’s voice more than anything.

  For days she had gone over and over what had gone wrong. Tanya always checked her surroundings. She was cognizant of who was around and watching her.

  Still, Tanya couldn’t have prepared for what had happened. He bragged to her about how meticulous he was. He had watched her for years. He knew every detail of her schedule. This had been planned for a while now.

  So, one night, he finally came to her. The man in the black mask stole her from the comfort of her own bed.

  Tanya shook her head, as though trying to purge herself of the memories. She didn't want to remember anything now. All she could think was that she was so cold, hungry, and so tired.

  The forest seemed to reach out to her as she ran from it. Her heart beat faster. She heard rustling in the trees and nearly cried out in terror.

  She glanced back over her shoulder and saw nothing in the bushes and trees that hung with gray

  Spanish moss.

  Tanya couldn’t think straight. Every thought was of horrible possibilities. Maybe someone was practicing voodoo back there in those woods.

  Maybe the man in the black mask was watching her. Perhaps this was a game, and he was ready to capture her again. It wasn’t too far-fetched.

  Tanya cringed. He did love his games. He certainly enjoyed watching her suffer.

  Tanya heard something crunch behind her, and despite a sore ankle, she ran as fast as she could to the bridge. The fear ignited such an adrenaline rush that she was able to climb the side of the hill that led to the street.

  The mud and dirt smeared onto her pale hands as she fought her way to the pavement.

  It was a two-lane street, one that not many people drove down because it led to the old Galloway Plantation. She figured that was the closest place for her to seek help. Tanya felt somewhat safer once her feet touched the cold, wet, asphalt.

  Her stomach churned and her face was still sore. Tanya couldn't wait for warmth. Her skin was tight. She couldn't slow her pace.

  She wasn't sure where she obtained such vitality, but she suspected it was the fear that something still watched her from the forest that sat on either side of the road.

  Tanya gulped. She couldn't stifle the tears. She could have easily curled into a ball and fallen into a hypothermic slumber, but she was not a quitter.

  “Treat this like a race Tanya, you can do it,” she told herself.

  Her eyes widened with hope when she finally saw lights in the distance. They were dim. Only the pale gold lanterns lit the gate to the estate. She was praying that someone was home.

  Then, she realized that the large, shiny black gate was closed and locked. She banged every number on the call box. She shivered.

  Tanya didn’t have much time. She was frantic. She beat the silver box with her numb hand until she was dizzy.

  Part Two

  “DADDY?” AVA SAT up from her place on the floor. She put the jumbo crayon she had been using down on the yellow construction paper and stood.

  “Yeah?” her father asked, not looking up from the book he read.

  “What's that noise? Is someone trying to get in?” Ava listened to the loud beeping that came from a system of equipment that sat on the desk.

  “Oh. That again.” He closed his book and sat up in his chair. He looked at the security monitor and turned the call box off. The loud beeping ceased.

  Ava's eyes widened and she tilted her head to listen. She heard faint wailing. She suddenly wished she was at home with his mother, safe in her warm bed.

  She didn't like the security room her father worked in. She didn't like that big plantation house either. It frightened her.

  “Come here. Sit with daddy for a second. ”Her father motioned for her to sit on his lap.

  Ava did so quickly. Someone was still crying.

  “Daddy!” She jumped into her father’s lap, clutching her father’s neck.

  “Oh, Ava, I'm sorry. I should have just got a babysitter tonight.” He smoothed the girl’s hair, trying to calm her.

  “What is that Daddy? Why don't you go help that girl?” Ava pulled back to look into his eyes. “She's not real Ava. There's nothing I can do.”

  Ava brows furrowed. “What do you mean, she's not real?”

  He sighed. “You see Ava, look at this screen.”

  Ava turned, looking at the assortment of screens above the desk. He pointed to the screen that monitored the front gate.

  Ava nodded. “Yes, I see.”

  “OK, good. Daddy watches over this house every night. And every night this happens... but no one is there."

  Ava tilted her head. She didn’t take her eyes off of that screen. She turned back to face her father.

  “What do you mean? Why don't you help her daddy?”

  He was taken aback by his daughter’s exasperation. He ran his fingers through his graying hair.

  “Help who?” He looked at the screen and shook his head. “Ava,” he pointed again, at the large gate. “See? No one is there. Something is wrong with the equipment here. I used to go check, but no one is ever outside at the gate.”

  Ava stared at the screen. The wind howled outside, but it didn't drown out the naked girls screams.

  “See? Nothing.”

  Ava frowned at him. “Why are you joking daddy? Help her!”

  His shoulders slumped and he sighed. The girl just didn't understand. “Ava, go draw me another picture or something.” He was done trying to explain such things to a child. “There's no one there, and that's all there is to it.

  Ava didn't budge. Her little finger pressed the screen. “But I see her daddy! I see her!”

  Her father didn't say anything. He stared at Ava, then at the screen, and gulped. He felt cold and very exposed as if someone was watching him.

  He'd never feared that job before, but something about Ava’s exclamation made his stomach churn with dread.

  He stared at the screen. The black gate stood in a cloud of fog. The soft lights cast a glow around it and all he saw were the vines that wrapped around the bars.

  He scratched his chin and peered closer. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. There were always stories of ghosts lingering near the plantation, but he’d never put much credit to the rumors.

  Now...he wasn’t so sure. For years he had dealt with strange sounds and electrical malfunctions.

  “Foolishness Ava, it's time for you to go to bed.” He spoke those words, but couldn’t take his eyes off of the screen. He motioned behind him as he studied the image an
d for just a second, he thought he saw a shadow, being swept away by the wind.

  His heart thumped. “Get in your sleeping bag and go to sleep.”

  Ava frowned at him but didn't argue. She felt bad for that girl. Ava went to bed that night with the girl with the black hair's face embedded into her mind.

  ***

  TANYA’S BODY CRASHED into the icy lake. It was a violent awakening. Like a slap in the face, her mind was jolted by the impact. Her eyes popped open to the rush of the murky water.

  MALAH RUMMAGED THROUGH the dead guard’s clothing. Sweat dripped from her forehead onto his chest as the heat of the room gained intensity. With each droplet of sweat, his bare-chested skin sizzled.

  Malah grew dizzy and despite the heat felt a debilitating coldness crawl under her skin as her hand searched the last pocket.

  Nothing.

  She pulled her dagger from the guard’s head and wiped it clean on the bottom of her nightgown. Her eyes scanned the corridor. Four dead Parthan soldiers lie on the stone floor. None of them had an antidote for whatever poison the clerics had given her. Her full belly churned. She pressed her hand to her belly and closed her eyes with a sigh. Life stirred beneath her palm.

  Two innocent lives.

  The Parthans may be strong and powerful, but her gifts gave her an advantage, even if Dwy and his Cleric did weaken her.

  The Reen guards that patrolled the exit would not be so easy to kill. They were larger, stronger, and composed of stone. Malah wished that they’d never been created. They had kept her prisoner for too long.

  Malah opened her eyes and breathed in deeply. Within moments, cold air made her golden skin tighten and her toes and fingers numb. Her arms raised and she squeezed her eyes closed as she fed power to the air around her. She peeked through one of her eyelids to see the stone guards turn from brown, to gray.

  Frozen, they would not give her any trouble for the next few minutes.

  Minutes. That’s all she had.

  Whispers filled her head as she ran down the chilly corridor. The dark didn’t bother her, but the voices did. They’d never allow her to escape. Not when the entire planet needed her for its survival.

  Malah didn’t care about them anymore. She wanted to go home. If she could rid their poisons from her body, she could finally think straight again.

  She cursed herself for being so stupid. Why had she allowed herself to fall in love? She should have known better. Love never ended well. Hadn’t she seen the results of such a foolish emotion enough times before? Why hadn’t she learned from her ancestors?

  Love is a curse, Malah thought with a bitter grimace. She tried to shove Dwy’s black eyes from her mind. His touch used to be so gentle. The heartbreak hurt more than the betrayal.

  Malah wrung her hands. The gray guards slept upright, like statues, their hands formed into daggers, but kept inside the metallic scabbards at their sides. It looked like they simply had their hands in their pockets, but she knew better. She only hoped they wouldn’t be activated before she could escape.

  “One, two, three, four,” she chanted into her cold hands. Her power was weak. Her heart seemed to shake inside her chest.

  She had neglected her practice for far too long. She rubbed her hands together and poured out a tiny burst of power. “Yolie! Please, come forth!”

  A small light formed in the palm of her hand.

  Malah smiled. Her heart thumped, but this time, it was with hope. Perhaps her skills weren’t too rusty after all.

  The light turned into a ball. She puckered her golden lips and kissed it. The ball of light began to take the form of a tiny figure. The figure uncurled itself. A pop of lightning slammed into the figure and the sound of bells filled Malah’s ears.

  “Sweet Blessings,” Malah breathed with relief. She dared to let a smile appear on her lips. When was the last time I smiled, she wondered. She pursed her lips and shook her head. No time for reminiscing.

  Yolie’s bright smile warmed her heart she rested on her knees. Like a doll, Malah’s favorite Blessing had returned. After years of being unable to call upon her, they were once again reunited.

  Malah could have jumped for joy. Instead, she hid in a corner, with her back against the cold stone wall. She watched the tiny person look up at her with large red eyes that sparkled like rubies. Then, it tugged at its black hair, making it longer and longer, until the curling locks could be coiled around its body like a dress.

  “Blessed One,” the creature called. She stood in Malah’s hand and looked around. “Where are we this time?”

  Malah closed her eyes and sighed. She rested her head against the wall and shrugged. “Yolie, we are in big trouble. We are in Partha.”

  Yolie’s big eyes widened. “No, Blessed One. We have to get out of here! This is not one of ours!”

  “That’s why I summoned you. I need your help.”

  Yolie nodded but pursed her thin lips. “But Blessed One, what do you need me to do?” She sprouted red wings and flew from Malah’s golden hand to hover just inches from Malah’s face.

  Malah’s gaze lifted to the open air ceiling. The passing sky beckoned to her. The clouds seemed to float and dance and she remembered what it felt like to be free. Free to fly with her family. She felt a stab in her heart as she realized that she would never fly with them again. She was the last, but she would not let that stop her.

  “How did you get here, Blessed One?” Yolie asked. “We are far from home.”

  Malah sighed. She gave Yolie a sheepish look from beneath her golden bangs. “I was curious. I wanted to see what this new race looked like.”

  Yolie frowned. “Why? I don’t understand.”

  Malah shook her head. “It isn’t important. I need you to fly me out of here.”

  Yolie clapped her hands. “Oh yes! Yes! I can do it! Let’s go home! Let’s play together again. I do miss our games, Blessed One.”

  Malah glanced back. It was still quiet in the temple. She might have a chance. Her hands shook. She looked down at them and nearly wept. Blood covered her small golden hands. It had seeped into the crevices of her palm and dried to a dry, sticky, paste. She’d never had to kill anyone before. She’d never had a reason to.

  Now, nine dead guards and a cleric would haunt her dreams for all eternity. Even if they deserved their fate, the guilt would never fade.

  “Good,” Malah said and stepped back to give Yolie room. “Go on. Shift.”

  Yolie made a face. “You forget, Blessed One. I need more of your blessing.”

  Malah sighed. She had forgotten. Her head was so full of fuzzy thoughts that she could barely think straight. She was losing time. The poison was too strong. Her vision blurred, but she nodded and held a palm out for Yolie to sit in. “Okay, quickly.”

  Yolie flew into Malah’s hand and bowed on her knees.

  Gold light filled the room as Malah ignited her blessing. Her golden body levitated as she breathed soft words into her palm. “I give you love. I give you light. I give you the power to Shift and take flight.”

  Yolie opened her eyes and smiled. “That was beautiful, Blessed One. Thank you.”

  Malah fell to her knees and hung her head, drained. “You deserve every blessing, Yolie. Now please hurry.”

  Yolie nodded quickly and flew into the air. She stretched her red wings and flexed her dangling legs. Her hair unwrapped from around her body and floated around her as she Shifted. Red feathers started to grow all over her pale naked flesh. Her face was covered, and her hair continued to float. Like a giant bird, Yolie’s nose became a red beak and her eyes grew larger. She bowed to Malah.

  “Climb on, Blessed One.”

  Malah leaped into the air with grace and landed onto Yolie’s smooth back. She pressed her face to Yolie’s feathers and held onto her neck.

  “Take me home, Yolie,” Malah whispered. “They have hurt me, and I need to recharge.”

  Yolie’s body vibrated as she purred. “Oh Blessed One. Yolie told you to be careful.
Yolie is always right.”

  Malah squeezed her eyes shut. Tears stung her eyes and she wiped them on Yolie’s smooth back. Life grew inside of her. Such a miracle was true power. Even as a child when Malah went through training, she never imagined she’d be able to do something so incredible.

  Despite the pain of being betrayed by her husband, she was escaping, with their unborn children. The last hope for the Jinn.

  A loud explosion made Malah gasp. Shards of green magic shot out towards her. Something clamped around her neck and yanked her from Yolie’s back.

  Malah screamed for her friend as she was pulled from the air and sent crashing to the hard floor. Yolie fought back and was stabbed by the tip of a red bone spear. Her bird-like screech ripped through the air, sending waves of vibrations throughout the entire room.

  Malah had to act quickly. She reached out and created a glowing door that hovered in the air. She could never live with the guilt of a friend’s death, and so, she banished her. “Away with you!” she cried.

  Yolie obeyed, as always. She nodded. Her white body flickered and faded into the cold air. Her essence seeped into the doorway and the door vanished.

  Malah wiped the blood from her face and glared at the clerics in red cloaks that surrounded her. Protecting the clerics were Parthan soldiers with their bone spears.

  Vornid peered down at her from beneath his hood. He reached a hand to Malah’s face and grabbed her by her soft cheeks.

  Malah squirmed as the abnormally tall cleric lifted her from the ground. She dangled before him like a child as his black eyes bore into hers. The grip he had on her neck made her sick. She trembled. He wanted to crush her throat, but such a thing would ruin them all. As much as he hated her.

  The entire Parthan race needed her.

  “Who said that you could go anywhere, Blessed One?”

  Malah felt a hot tear trail from her eye and down her cheek. Vornid watched the tear as it fell to his gloved hand. He raised a brow as it burnt through the black fabric.