Chapter Text
Today you killed someone. You killed your crush. You knew they liked sweet foods so you baked them a cake. It was extra sweet to reflect their sweet personality. You didn’t know they were allergic to eggs, gluten, and milk. Somehow, after knowing all of that, they still ate the cake and while they choked, while they coughed, while they cried, they managed to point out their epi pen to you. But it was expired.
Underneath the tree, over their dead body, a darkness emerged from their body. In a panic, you punched the thing and screamed, leaving a dent in its face. It just stood there, looking down at your crush, making monstrous clicks and vibrations from its vocal chords. “Thank…. You….”
You screamed, and you ran far far away from the body. As fast as you could you left the school grounds and made the quick decision not to go home. If it followed you back you wouldn't know what to die. You could go to a shop. They're very crowded. Man your legs hurt, you should probably pick up a sport.
Tired, you took a rest in an alleyway, but only for a moment. You wondered if it was even real but you were proved wrong when it peered at you from around the corner. The indent of a fist still on their face. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you…” the monster repeated those two words, over, and over, and over, again. You backed away from it, one leg behind the other, the other goes behind but the monster followed you at the same pace until you were backed against the wall.
“Thank you.”
It’s been a week since you killed them. Looking at the curse, you noticed similarities between the monster and your crush, other than the marks you let on it. Whenever you put pressure onto their body it would mold and form into whatever you pressed into it. You did many experiments on it. Compressing its joints till it was as thin as a toothpick, moulding their fingers into sharp knives. You didnt know how to revert the changes, only mold their skin back into what it looked like originally.
Your uncle recommended you visit an exorcist to get rid of the curse. He was a Buddhist Priest. You read online about all of his excellent reviews, he had the ability to guess all the problems plaguing the client, at least, that’s what the reviews said.
“Come on, I’m getting rid of you once and for all” You got up from the swings and the curse whispered some jumbled mess of discontent but it still followed you out the park despite that.
Since that day you’ve been seeing more and more curses. You first came across the concept in a book you picked up when your curiosity peaked and since then you’ve been unable to ignore them. You saw some small curses known as flies seen perched on the shoulders of tired businessmen and students. In school you noticed a nasty one hiding out in the bathrooms. You shivered, no way you were going back to school after that.
Making it onto the bullet train, it glided along the tracks while your curse stood beside you, sharpened claws gripping onto the overhead handles in an almost comical manner. The carriage you’re in isn’t too empty. You know most people can’t see curses but knowing some can, it stresses you out. It’s not that you don’t want your curse to die, you just feel bad they have to look at something as ugly as this. It’s gonna get fuller and fuller as it passes through the next stops. You crossed you fingers.
The ride would only take about half an hour, you had a lot of time to spend buying souvenirs. You frowned, knowing this might as well be the curse's last days in this world. You’ve only known it for a week, years maybe if you factor in the fact that they might be your crush. You should make it fun for them if you’re gonna send it to the grave.
The cart darkened as it shot into the tunnel. The lights flickered and you looked to the other passengers. It blinked again and again and all of a sudden, all the passengers disappeared. “What the- Curse, did you see that!?”
The curse nodded and got into a defensive pose around you, mumbling some kind of nonsense in your ear. The train shook, and if it weren’t for the curse’s position you probably would’ve banged your head on the floor and passed out.
From the darkness under the seats, an animalistic being with an uncanny human head emerged and lunged forward in an attack. Your curse threw you to the side and the monster under the seat took a big bite out of your curse. It’s maw wildly chewing the meat of your curse before spitting it out and screaming.
It fell to the ground, clawing at its mouth, trying to get the disgusting flavour of its toungue. It scratched continuously and you grasped onto the walls to pull yourself up.
You harshly dug your heel into its back as it writhed against your foot. “Shut up!” You bent down and squeezed it’s lips together, sealing its mouth, and preventing it from speaking.
You removed your leg from the curse and your shoe left a permanent mark on its back. “Take us back with to other passengers, now!” It shook its head and your curse pierced it’s claws into thes head and held it like a kebab on a stick.
The lights blinked, and the curses and you returned back with other passengers. They didn’t seem disturbed at all. Clearly they didn’t have to face the same problems as you did.
The curse should be disappearing right now, probably. It’s still squirming around your curse’s blade, muffled creams coming out of its sealed mouth. Not dead, probably. Your curse is so helpful, ugly maybe, but you didn’t want to exorcise it anymore. You’ll probably just get the priest to help you get rid of the other one.
The train made its stop in the station and the two of you emerged from the door. You brought your phone out of your pocket while your curse looked over your shoulder to get a look at the contents of the device.
Once you got the location down, you followed the route on your phone and before you knew it, you arrived at the temple. It was an absolute marvel, big in size, with a colourful golden outside.
A weird feeling spawned in your gut and you turned to look at your curse. “Do you think we should’ve booked a time slot or are we just allowed to walk in?” The skewered curse shook its head, not wanting to go in but your curse just went in. “Oh ok.” You followed it in.
After talking to the receptionist, you were brought into a spacious room and told to wait for someone to come in.
It was getting confusing referring to your curse as ‘your curse’ and the other one with just a bunch of names. If you encounter even more curses it’ll be even harder to keep track of what's happening in your head. “Hey curse? Can I call you Cursey? No, that's still confusing.” You put your hand on your chin. Honestly, you're not that creative. “Crushy? Cause I saw you over my crush?” Your curse shook its head. “Awww”
You tapped your foot on the ground. "How long is this priest going to take?" Someone better be dying. The skewered curse started flailing around again. Did the word priest have some sort of effect on it? No that's not it. You felt something, something strong.
You quickly faced the door and your curse did the same. There was a kind of strong pressure coming from the exist. Do you escape? No, you can’t. That thing is literally behind the door.
Your curse stood in front of you, blocking the door from your view. Was it protecting you, or not letting you escape. Either way the door still opened and you watched a man in black emerge from behind the curse.
He sat down on the stage across the door and you turned to meet his gaze. “I've been informed by the receptionist. You want me to exorcise a curse?” Everything about him screamed egotistical and ignorant. The way he sat, the way he talked, and looked at you.
“Uh, no. I think I’m fine. We’re leaving” you beckoned your curse over and turned around.
“We?” He questioned.
“Yeah, we. Me and my curse.” You turned to face him directly. “Actually, you can keep that one. It's a little damaged because I stepped on it and sealed its mouth shut but I don't think it matters.”
The priest closed his eyes and shushed you with his pointer finger. “It's hard to tell with those curses around you but… You have cursed energy.” He reached his hand out and the skewered curse was sucked into a ball, held in the priest’s hand. You were curious now, just what was that?
“That is my innate technique, cursed spirit manipulation. I can teach you how to use cursed energy if you join my cause.”
His cause? Sounds suspicious. “And what's that?”
“Come back tomorrow.”