The Curse of Betrayal

by Taylor Lavati

  “Nobody move yet,” Kara says as she walks through the bodies to where the victim, who I now see is a girl named Caroline from my powers class, lay limp. She lays on the firm ground, her stomach face down and her arms reaching out in either direction like she was electrocuted or something.

  Kara continues to walk around only on her tiptoes as her pointer finger rests on the side of her face. She reaches the pen, which is on the opposite side of the room, nowhere near the victim, when she stops pacing. Kara looks between the pen and Caroline and then claps her hands. “All right, you can move,” she announces, and everyone lets out a sigh of relief.

  I crawl out from my fetal position and rub my now bruised arm—probably from the elbow I took in the beginning of the game. I find Megan on the other side of the room and sit next to her on my bottom bunk, waiting for what comes next. Nobody explained this part to me.

  “Lisa, what happened when the lights turned off?” Kara finally asks, breaking the deafening hush.

  “Well, I ran towards the wall, but someone tripped me, so I used air, and hung around the ceiling since nobody else can get up there,” Lisa explains, pointing to the ceiling above our bunks.

  “Megan, where were you the whole time?” Kara asks, looking at her with an intense stare.

  “I stayed in the center of the room, near Ryder’s bunk bed, because people were running over each other,” she quietly chirps out.

  “Hmm,” Kara ponders. “Sara, what voices did you hear before the murder?”

  “I heard Professor Magdelina’s, Caroline’s, and Lindsay’s,” Sara answers, nervously picking at her cuticles.

  “Ryder, were you in one spot the whole time?” Kara asks me, her eyes boring into my soul like a true detective. I actually feel myself heat up as I try to conjure up the truth.

  “No. Um, I was running around, but then someone threw me across the room really hard, so I just sat down so I didn’t get hit again,” I explain, hoping that I’m doing this right. To be honest, this feels like a real murder. My palms start to sweat as I sit there, trembling on my bed.

  The emotions in this game are ridiculous. I’m insanely fearful, nervous, and my anxiety is peaking, making me nauseous.

  “Professor Magdelina, where were you the whole time?” Kara’s eyes turn icy and harsh, glaring a little at our cabin leader like she knows the truth.

  “I was walking around, so I guess all over.” Her voice hypnotic and smooth as she jerks her shoulders nonchalantly. If I had to guess, it was her. But I think I’d suspect it was her evilness every single time.

  “I think the murderer was Professor Magdelina,” Kara announces, looking to Magdelina for clarification. Kara points to Magdelina when she declares her the killer like she’s casting a spell.

  “Got me.” Magdelina smiles in all our directions, clapping her hands together slowly. What a shocker: Magdelina is the evil murderer. I’m not surprised.

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

  the hunt

  Ten o’clock is lights out, so everyone begins to shut down for the night. My duffel is now tucked underneath the bed, and I tug out my thick flannel pajamas. Since I know we’re sneaking out in just a few short hours, I bundle up some black, thick clothes near the bottom of my bed so I can easily change without alerting Magdelina.

  Right at the foot of the bed, I align my sneakers so I won’t make noise and wake up someone else. Magdelina calls time, so everyone is required to turn off lights and cell phones.

  I’m worried that I’ll get a call from Ollie or miss the meeting with my mom so I turn my cell on silent and put the brightness on my screen all the way down so it’s blackish grey. I can barely read what’s on the screen, but it’s just enough that I’ll see a call. I tuck it under my pillow so it’s close to me and I can constantly check it for Ollie.

  I don’t want to fall asleep, because then I’ll miss the manhunt game and my meeting with Ollie, so I try to keep my mind busy.

  I decide it’s the perfect time to fall into a vision, so I start my process. I shut my eyes and let my breathing take control of me. I don’t want to go into a dream I’ve seen before. Lately, my dreams have been awful with images I’d rather forget anyway. I let the seconds trickle by, not caring how long it takes to fall into the blackness, because I have two hours to kill.

  As I wait for the vision, my mind wanders to a life where both Ari and Ollie were with me so I picture both of their faces. I don’t mean to do it, but I picture kissing each one of them—at separate times, of course. I try to picture loving them both. I focus on my conflicted emotions I’m feeling now, and the hatred I have of the curse.

  As I imagine my tortured life of loving two men, the edge of my vision blurs. They darken and fade away completely. Before I get too excited, I imagine Ari and Ollie in front of me, which sends my vision on overdrive as it drops me into a black hole.

  I open my eyes after the vertigo subsides. I don’t recognize my surroundings per se, but they have a familiar feel like my mind knows I’ve been here before. I’m in a field that’s covered in dandelions. Some are yellow while most are white. With the wind thrashing around, the seeds from the flowers flutter around, making the dream feel ethereal—like a real dream.

  Just as I let out a sneeze from the wind bringing the pollen into my nose, I hear someone else sneeze farther away. I look around and spot myself, yards down the field alone, picking flowers. There’s a tall brown horse beside me grazing in the grass, neighing as my dream self talks to him.

  “Lovely, I just don’t understand. How am I to love two men? Surely, Athena must be joking,” I say to the horse who neighs in response. “But why would my best friend lie to me?” I ask the horse, the confusion evident on my dream self’s face.

  Of course, the horse doesn’t answer my dream self, so she leans back in the flowers, laying her head in them and opens up a book she pulls from her satchel. She flips through the pages, seemingly skimming it—maybe looking for something. A few moments later, the horse gets frightened, lifting its front legs up and whinnying.

  I spin around to see what spooked it. I spot my mother, Athena running through the fields towards my dream self. At first, I’m amazed that it’s her. I mean after my dream self mentioned the name, I had a suspicion it would be but still. I never thought my mother was involved in my past. I’ve never been half god, so it doesn’t make sense to me.

  “What are you doing out here in this chill?” Athena asks my dream self as she rushes to her side.

  “I was just pondering what you’ve told me,” my dream self explains.

  “About that…I’ve brought someone you should speak with. Come with me, dear.” Athena reaches down and clutches my hand. She pulls me through the fields behind her. I follow behind them, wanting to know what’s going on. It feels strange—like it’s a fake dream.

  They get to a poorly lit, large red barn. It’s turning into dusk here, and the light is becoming gray as the sun fades behind the hills. It’s difficult for me to see clearly with the light faltering away, but I try to get as close as possible so I don’t have to strain. They enter the barn, and I stumble into a bale of hay.

  “You don’t know these men, but you will love them both,” Athena says looking between Ari and Ollie who stand still inside the barn, their expressions hopeful yet bleak. They both look extremely dirty, and their hair is disheveled. “We need to stop it,” Athena says.

  “Stop what? I don’t know these men. I feel nothing. Why would we stop love anyway?” my dream self asks, her voice turning up in hysteria. I can tell she’s trying to understand the situation but failing miserably.

  “You’re part of a curse—some sick twisted power gain. We need to end it. We’re going to try to help you break the curse. Now, please listen to Orpheus here. He’ll explain it all.” Athena steps back from in front of my dream self. She reaches for Ollie and pushes his back forward. He hesitantly takes a step towards my dream self and clears his throat.

  “You’re going to do exactl
y as I say,” Ollie commands, his voice stern. My dream self starts crying. A steady stream of tears flow down her rosy cheeks to her neck and disappear into her shirt.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying, but it hurts so bad,” my dream self apologizes. My heart aches for her, and I fight back the need to wrap my arms around her and carry her out of this mess.

  “Look at me,” Ollie commands, his voice breaking at the end. I can tell his emotions are getting in the way, but he pushes forward. “You will never think about me or Aristeus. You don’t love us, and you never will. Your soul belongs to someone else. Gods are not real. Live your life as you see fit. Never think of the curse. Never think of Orpheus or Aristeus. We are not real. We are not real. We are not real,” Ollie sings, his voice taking on the deep hypnotic tone he uses when he’s commanding.

  My dream self falls to the ground right after he utters the last word, landing painfully on her knees. She starts shaking, and I rush to her side, not caring if I’m seen. It looks like she’s having a seizure as her body convulses uncontrollably.

  I lift her off the floor, but I’m not able to do anything. She’s still below me, and I’m just staring down at her.

  “You see what you did?” Ollie yells to Ari, slamming his fist against the wood panel in the middle of the barn. The beam shatters and part of the roof caves in, but he doesn’t budge.

  “I did?” Ari yells back, turning to face Ollie from where he is in the doorway. “Blame her, if anyone.” He points to Athena. “I said to let it be. We need to find the loophole, not guess around. We don’t know the full curse yet. This was a joke! Who knows when she’ll be back now!”

  “Enough. Both of you.” Athena’s voice rattles the entire building with dominance and hay particles trickle down to the floor. It’s so authoritative that even I stop what I’m doing and listen. “We have to try to break the curse before it gets worse. We don’t know the end game. All we know is we’re all involved. We’ll try again.” She’s optimistic, but even I don’t believe her words.

  “You just killed her based off a theory!” Ari screams at Athena, his face reddening. “I would have rather had this life with her than chance her dying. I don’t want to be involved in your mess. I’m with Eurydice, not you two.” Tears fall down Ari’s face, but he doesn’t even pay attention to them. He glares at the two in front of him as if trying to break them with just a look.

  “You’re going to give up on her?” Athena yells at him, taking a step towards the door to block him.

  “I’m giving up on you. Whether you believe it or not, I love her. I’m not going to lose her.” He pulls his hand through his hair, trying to compose himself, but I know his expressions. He’s failing at trying to hold it in. “Look at her, you did this!” Ari turns his attention to Ollie.

  “I was just doing what Athena said. I thought it would work and break the curse!” Ollie tries to defend himself.

  “Either way, we’d lose her!” Ari retorts.

  “The curse is more important. Hades can’t come to earth! Her life isn’t as important as vetoing the curses.”

  “Don’t you dare say that to me.” Ari steps right up to Athena, closing the space between them in a daring move.

  “You better realize that I can break you in a second. I am an original and you will not threaten me,” she commands. “Got it?”

  “You just killed the only girl I love so count me out on the next life.” Ari sneers as he leaves. He pushes the door to the barn open, making it shatter under his touch. He sprints away so fast I can’t follow his movements.

  “I can’t do it again, either.” Ollie turns to Athena, his own body defeated.

  “She’ll be back. I know you’ve spoken with your father. This curse is important to our fate. You know the ramifications if Hades were to return to earth. Please tell me you’re not as one track minded as him,” Athena pleads.

  “I get it…it’s just hard to see her like this. She’s dead. I missed an opportunity to know her.”

  “You’ll have more. I promise.” Athena nods to him, and they both leave together.

  My eyes turn overcast and my body sways involuntarily as I try to stand up and go to my past self’s dead body. I cradle her head in my hands; I try to explain what went wrong. But before I know it, I’m being torn away into my real life.

  As the focus starts returning, I see the wood panels above me of Kara’s bunk bed, I hear the heavy snoring of Caroline, who’s sleeping in the bunk next to me and I dread remembering what I just saw.

  Eleven thirty comes fast, but when I hear a faint knocking, I’m not ready. I switch into high gear. I throw all of my thoughts and doubts into the back of my mind and compartmentalize them for later. I reach beside my bed, grab my black sweat pants, long-sleeved turtle neck, and knee high socks, and change under the covers. I grab my hat from my bag, incase it’s really cold.

  I look at the pill bottle on top of my bag and contemplate taking one. I should take one so I’m happy, but I don’t want to rely on them anymore. I’ve only been taking them for a day, but they make me feel fuzzy, different. Maybe I’m supposed to be feeling these things. Maybe it’s all happening for a reason.

  I just don’t know. I forgo taking a pill and shove the bottle into my pocket as a crutch, in case I need one later. Knowing my mother and what she’s done in the past, I have a feeling the night will end poorly.

  I grab my sneakers from under the bed but don’t put them on just yet. Instead, I grab the shoes and my phone from under the pillow and tiptoe to the front door. I don’t see anyone else in the entrance, so I quietly open the wood door and creep out.

  I round the corner to stand away from the windows, so I’m out of sight and run into a small body. I yelp and jump back with my fists raised, not knowing who it is and the near pitch blackness outside doesn’t help my sight. “Who’s there?” I whisper, waving my shoes around, looking for something.

  “Megan,” a small mouse calls.

  “It’s me, Ryder.” I reassure her that I’m not a murderer in the woods, which is an entirely normal assumption. Plus, after her session with Ari, she could probably kick my ass. “Where are the others?” I ask her, looking around as my eyes begin to adjust for Lisa or Kara. I bend and put my shoes on, blind.

  “No idea. I just left when I was ready. Don’t leave me,” she pleads, grasping onto my arm. I can hear in her voice that she’s nervous, and between the lack of light and the other two missing, so am I.

  “Don’t worry. I’m fully freaked out.” I shiver at the honesty in my words. I remember that I have my cell phone on me so I whip it open, letting the light act as a flash light. When it’s open, I see a text from Ollie sent a few minutes ago.

  What cabin are you in?

  I reply and then wait for someone to show up. A few minutes later, I’m really starting to flip. No Kara. No Lisa. No Ollie. No boys either. It doesn’t make sense, where could they be?

  “What the hell, Megan? Where are they? We were supposed to meet here.” I start to get worried. What if we were attacked? Or something else happened to them. “How did we get out but not them? Do you think they went to meet the boys?” More questions rattle off in my head, but I don’t ask them. Megan knows just as little as I do.

  “I don’t know. They never tell me anything!” Megan shows a little fire in her words as they harden. Just then something rustles next to me, and I jump back panicked.

  “Who’s there?” I whisper, wanting the intruder to identify themselves.

  “It’s me,” a deep voice calls back.

  “Who’s me?” I ask, wanting to know first name, last name, social security number—the whole nine.

  “Ollie, you crazy girl.” My heart melts with relief. Thank the gods.

  “Get over here,” I whisper, reaching my arms out blindly. He grabs my hands, and I wrap my arms around his waist, inhaling his outdoorsy scent. “Our friends never showed. We’re freaking dying out here.” I reach out my other hand to Megan so we’
re all connected. She clutches me, and I can tell she doesn’t want to let go.

  “This is Megan.” I introduce the two formally.

  “I think we met at the bonfire, right? Nice to meet you again.” Ollie shakes her hand formally. I can’t tell what’s going on due to the darkness, but we should get moving and find our friends. “Wait, what are you guys doing?” He’s clearly puzzled as to why Megan is here to meet my mom.

  “We were meeting up with the boys to play manhunt, but our friends never showed. So we’re kind of just stuck out here with them missing,” I explain.

  “Did you want to find them?” Ollie’s hand rakes up my back, warming me up.

  “What about my mom?”

  “We’re not meeting her until the morning,” Ollie answers.

  “What? Why did you need to see me at midnight?” I ask, confused by his actions.

  “I just wanted to see you.” He pulls me into him, bending me backwards and planting a kiss on my forehead. “Make sure you’re okay,” he adds for just my ears.

  “Trickster.” I glare at him, but I doubt he can see me. “Well, since you’re here, I guess you’re playing manhunt. Let’s go to the boys’ cabin.” I position myself in the middle of Megan and Ollie so if we did get attacked, I could protect them both.

  I try to keep my steps quiet and close by so I don’t stumble and make a fool out of myself. But before we get there, a group of black clad individuals are huddled near a grouping of trees against the edge of the field. Immediately, I flash back to the attack on the school, where all of the bad guys were in black masks and black outfits. We stop in our tracks, ready to fight, when I hear Kara’s distinct voice mumble something in the distance.

  “Where the hell were you?” I yell out to Kara. We walk towards the group, and when I find what looks like Kara’s silhouette, I tap her shoulder from behind.