BECK
Drip, drop, drip, drop, sounded the rain on the roof. In the last thirty minutes, that had been one of the things keeping Beck awake. The other was the fact he hadn’t said the part of the story that would really trigger them to get back on the road, only for them to walk right into the trap.
Deciding to tell at least one of them, he got out of bed and exited the room.
Stealthily, he opened a door, hoping it was Ava’s room. In the room, there was no light; the only form was that of moonlight through the window, which was faint. He tiptoed to the bed and lied beside the girl, leaning on his elbow. He stroked her hair away from her face, and with the moonlight he saw it was the one he wanted to see.
He stared at her profile, admiring her set jaw and smooth cheek. He wished the light was bright so he could register more of her features in his mind.
Remembering that he came for something else, he tapped her gently, softly calling her name and telling her to wake up.
Soon, her eyes fluttered open. She groaned before their eyes met. Her cerulean orbs were narrowed at his dark brown ones. “Beck, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to tell you about something.”
She sat upright and rubbed her eyes. “What is it?” she sleepily mumbled.
“It’s about these woods.”
His statement caught her attention because she stopped rubbing her eyes and stared right into his. Her brows were now furrowed. “What about it?”
“I didn’t tell you the full story of this place. You guys wanted to sleep so I couldn’t finish.”
She shifted on the bed to face him very well. “What’s the full story?”
“First of all, you’ll have to leave here as soon as you can. The ghost once in a while visits this cabin.”
“What?” she exclaimed, her eyes already as wide as their country. She clasped her hands, fiddled with her fingers, and shouted, “Why the hell didn’t you say that?”
He put his hand over her mouth. “Don’t shout. Anna could hear us.” He brought his hand down. “I rarely stay here to avoid the ghost. I’ve never heard of any attack in the town, so I think the ghost is stuck in only the woods. That’s why I sometimes spend the night there.” The real truth was that the so called ghost only visited the cabin when he was alone after the failed sacrifices. She usually came to remind him that once the curse was broken sheʼd still have him.
He continued: “And, the place your car is right now is where I usually find dead bodies. I’m also guessing that’s where the person died. You know, ’cause people always die there.” That was true actually. It was the place where the woman who cursed him did so in her dying moment.
“But, Beck, there’s no way we could leave so soon even if we wanted to.”
His brows were furrowed. “Why’s that?”
“We don’t have gas, the battery’s dead, I and Anna are miles away from home, and there’s no way we can communicate with the outside world. Heck! Our G.P.S. doesn’t work anymore.”
Knowing that it was a result of the supernatural effect of the curse, he said the usual: “There’s a gas station at the town, so I can get some gas from there. I also know someone there who could help with the battery. But everything would take about two to four days because of the distance. Then, you and Anna can leave.”
She tilted her head to the side. “You know, you can come with us. I’ll make sure you start life afresh. That is if you don’t want to stay at Strangeville.” She had that same hopeful demeanor she had before they went to bed: the one which she looked like she pitied him.
This was the first time someone offered him what Ava just did. For a moment he wondered how there were still kindhearted people in the world. Or was her offer just an act?
He shifted his gaze away from her. “I’ve thought about that too.” He looked her way. “You really want me to come with you?”
“Sure. I could also find a way to let the government know about these woods. I’m sure if they knew how dangerous that road is, they’d do something about it.”
“You could really do that?”
“Of course I can. After all, I’m a citizen.”
“Don’t you think they might not believe the story?”
“You’re proof. And I’m sure if they investigate on the corpses you found, they’ll know you’re telling the truth. I just hope the bodies are in a place for that to happen.”
“Actually, they’re burned. The people in Strangeville didn’t want to keep burying them. If they did, there won’t be any more land for that.”
Both of them were quiet for a while before he sighed and said, “If things go as planned, I’d go with you.”
She smiled at him, seeming happy that he accepted her offer.
He got down from the bed. “You should get some sleep now. I’m sorry I bothered you.”
She gave a little smile. “Don’t be sorry.”
He turned around to go.
“Beck?” Ava called, causing him to face her.
He raised his brows. “Yes.”
“When are you going to have a haircut and shave? No offence, but I really don’t like seeing unkempt hair all over your face. It makes you look like a bear.”
“A bear you say?”
She shyly smiled at him. “That was what I thought of when I first sighted you.”
Unbelievable! She thought he was a bear! The townspeople had several nicknames for him—brunet Santa Claus, Abraham Lincoln, hair farmer—but never had he thought anyone would call him a bear. Was it that bad?
He wasn’t offended though; it was actually funny to him. So, perhaps it was high time he got a new look.
He tilted his head to the side, chuckling. “Do you want to give me a haircut?”
She shrugged. “If it’s okay with you, I could do it. But know that you’re probably not going to like the outcome. I suck.”
He smirked. “I don’t think I would mind.”
Within himself, a part of him was murdering the other, the one which drove him to suggest she could trim his hair. Why was he agreeing to let her do what she wanted? Why did he even ask her if she could? There were people he knew who could cut his hair for him while he would shave himself. Also, he had already told himself he wasn’t going to change his looks because of her.
He narrowed his eyes at Ava, being skeptical about who she truly was. Was she a witch who was able to change the thinking of men with her ravishing looks? What he had seen before she took her bath—and even when he explained the situation to her and Anna—was nothing compared to what he was staring at presently. Ava was truly an eye-catching beauty.
The way the nightdress on her hugged her sexy toned body knotted his stomach. He badly wanted to have her body against his. His eyes landed on her open cleavage, the area he’d been avoiding since he saw her in that dress. Her breasts looked so round and firm he felt like stepping closer and grabbing them in his hands; even the way her fair hair fell on her shoulders and back gradually woke the thing south of him.
His fingers formed a tight fist, his jaw clenched, and he bit the walls of his mouth. Was it really that long since he had a woman in his arms? He needed to get a hold of himself and his mind off Ava. He had finally admitted she was attractive, and that was all; he wasn’t going to start thinking of starting something with her. It was too soon. Besides, it wasn’t like he might ever see her after the end of the week.
He raised his eyes to stare one last time at hers. She too stared at him, as if in awe, with her mouth slightly agape.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Why are you staring at me like that?”
She shut her eyes and opened them immediately. “I know Anna’s eyes are beautiful, but your shade of brown is just so . . .”
He raised a brow in a questioning manner.
“I can’t describe it.”
So . . . she too admires my eyes. His lips formed a complacent smile. “Ava, there are many English words to describe my eyes, so . . . you might want to try again.”
They locked gazes for a few seconds before she said, “They’re breathtakingly beautiful. I could stare at them forever and still not want to look away.”
He perfected the smile. “I could say the same for your eyes but . . . .”
She lightly tilted her head. “What?”
“I’ll leave my opinion to myself.”
He saluted with his hand like a soldier. “Night, Ava.” He wasted no time in getting out of there.
“Ava,” he whispered once he shut the door. Her name sounded so sweet in his mouth.
Beck shook his head, trying to shake out the thoughts of her. There was no point dwelling on them as he’d soon forget she ever existed. Once she was used to break the curse, he’d forget about her if it didn’t work; if it worked, she’d hate him and go back on her word of helping him start life afresh. He simply needed to be free, not to feel euphoric or handsome like in the days he was young.
“Remember the lesson of Annika, Beck:” he whispered, convincing himself, “never fall for a woman ’cause they’re all the same.” He nodded before advancing to his bedroom.
ANNAAnothermorning in the cabin had Anna woken up to. A frown found its way on her face when she realized Ava had nothing to do with her getting up. She got down from her bed and without haste, advanced to leave the room to search for her sister.As she stepped out of her room, Beck, who was well shaven and whose hair was neatly and nicely cut, appeared in front of her.They exchanged pleasantries before he said, “You’re up early, again.”“I already told you,” said she impassively, “this is time Ava wakes me up. My body’s used to it.”He glanced at Anna’s door. “Is she in there?”“No.”He looked back at her. “She’s still asleep?”“I think so. I haven’t checked for her in her room yet.”
ANNAAnna and Avawere seated in the living room, reading the novels they had started the first night they arrived the cabin. Anna wasn’t particularly interested in her novel as she wasn’t a fan of reading. Unlike her, Ava was so engrossed in her book.Anna was completely bored. She wanted to move about and do something much more fun than reading a novel. She threw her book on the table, seeking Ava’s attention.She succeeded as Ava gave her a questioning look. “What’s the matter?”“I’m bored.”“You’re bored?”Anna nodded.Ava pointed at the book on the table. “Aren’t you enjoying the book? The title makes it seem like it’s interesting.”She shook her head. “I’m not really interested in reading like you, Ava; you know that.” She rocked the chair she sat on and sighed. “I wish Beck was here. The boredom would have been less.”Sh
ANNAThe walk to wherever the pale man with different colored eyes was taking Anna to would have been enduring if he hadn’t been talking throughout. She was more annoyed than earlier when she met him.He constantly went on and on of how he was at the cabin, eavesdropping on hers and Ava’s conversation before they left. He also didn’t stop talking about how Ava and she weren’t the first people to considered sacrifices to break the curse, which she had no idea of. He basically talked in circles.Soon, buildings and people were in sight. However, the buildings didn’t look like modern ones; they seemed old. She didn’t know how old they could be but based on what she’d seen in the movies, she thought to be the twentieth century kind of old.As she and the pale man got closer, she noticed everyone were just as pale as him but no paler than him—no matter their
AVAAvawas seated on a wooden chair in the living room. Her elbows were on her knees and her palms were rested on her head in a frustrated manner. She was muddling over the fact that she searched for Anna, for perhaps an hour, and she still didn’t find the redhead.Ava was still deep in her thoughts of how to find her until she heard a deep voice say, “Hey, Ava.”She raised her head only for her to see—with the help of the candle, which lit the room—Beck at the door with a gorgeous smile on his handsome face.Your sister’s missing,a part of her berated,and here you are mooning over a man. That part rolled her eyes.She dismissed the thought of how beautiful Beck was and stood up to help him with the big basket and car battery in both his hands.She stretched out her hand to collect the basket first. “Welcome, Beck.” She forced a smile. “How was your walk?”
BECKThe sun had set, but Beck and Ava were in the woods in search of Anna. It was Ava’s idea as, according to her, Beck knew the woods well. He didn’t want to do it, knowing that if Anna hadn’t already been found by the townspeople by now, they might run into one of them who would be on the look for one of the sisters. With the aid of flashlights, they searched for several minutes. They held each other throughout the way with Ava constantly leaning close to him and shouting Anna’s name. He walked in front of her so couldn’t read her body language. However, the fact that she clung to him told him how frantic she was.“Beck?” she said, stopping her desperate calls to Anna.“Yes,” he answered without glancing at her by still looking ahead.“I’m scared,” she said, gripping his arm tightly.He stopped, glanced at her
ANNAAs Anna stepped out of the house she was in, she sighted lots of people, probably hundreds of them, standing at a large clearing at the back of the house. Black and white; big and small; old and young all stood before her as they hummed an unknown ferocious melody.Then, Sara approached Anna from Anna’s right and stretched out her hand towards Anna with a smile on her pale brown face. “Hello, Anna. I’m Sara.”Anna’s brown eyes went a little wide as she recalled the role of Sara in this cursed town according to the stories her ladies-in-waiting had gossiped about.“I’m sure you must have heard the tales of why this town is like this, right?”Anna nodded.“That’s very good. Now”—she shook her hand, silently telling Anna to take it—“come with me.”Anna took her hand nervously. She honestly wanted to know how this whole ritual would unfold and if it would work, nev
BECKOn his return from the unsuccessful ritual ceremony, Beck went to Ava’s room to check on her before going to bed. With the aid of the light from the candle, which was about to be out, he went to sit beside Ava, deciding to spend a little time.Just as he stroked her cheek, Ava said, “Where were you?”Being startled Beck immediately removed his hand and moved a little away from her.Ava opened her eyes and stared at him. She stirred on the bed in order to sit up. “Where did you go?”“I uh . . .”She raised her brows questioningly and stared at him suspiciously.“I uh . . .” he continued. “I . . .”“You still went out to look for Anna, right?”Seeing as that was what she thought he did, he answered, “Yes,” to concur with her and clear any suspicion she might have.“Didn’t you say you would search in the morning?
ANNAAnna had expected to hear the melody the townspeople hummed all the times she became conscious after supposedly dying, rather she was greeted by dead silence.When she opened her eyes, she realized she stood by the door on the front porch of the cabin. She looked at herself, and was surprised that she didn’t look crisped, black, or even burned anywhere. She touched her face, and it felt just as smooth as when oil was rubbed on them. Her hair was intact just like the dress she wore—same as the previous times she knew she was dead. But then the question ran through her mind: was she really dead?Anna didn’t know what to think. She couldn’t comprehend what had happened. Right now, she didn’t know if being mad at Beck was right or wrong? She hoped that she’d been dreaming since the time she met Quinton. If she was, she would never disobey Ava ever again.She stretched out her hand to knock on the door. As soon as h