MALEDICTION (24)
Deep in her heart she knew she hadn't done the right thing. Maybe there were many ways to go about her urge to kill herself. Talk to somebody, anybody.
'But what do you do when nobody will listen without blaming you for what you've done, or what they've forced you to do?'
There is no answer for that, is there? She had tried her best in this life, from the very beginning the odds were always stacked against her. Being born In this country was the first challenge, however, that was manageable. Being a girl on the other hand was not. It meant that you'd always be a target for malicious men looking to extort you in any meaningful capacity.
This was true for all the girls in Loliwe, in fact most of them lost their virginity at a tender age. Experiencing sex as a form of rent payment or tithe rather than something to do with the one you love.
When a woman losses her virginity she wakes up from a dream. A dream that had closed her eyes, not allowing her to see the true side of things in this world. When she wakes up, she begins to see things clearly. But it is too late, because the one thing you always needed to protect is now gone.
On her first night with the bishop, she felt nothing. Other who had experienced told her it was a wonderful experience, but she felt nothing, she was still empty inside. But that allowed her to see the world, not through rainbows and unicorns but rather through the eyes of the poor girl that she was. And now no one would ever love her, they all abandoned her, every single one of them.
'That's not true.'
Are you sure?
'Yes, there is one person who's always helped you and wanted nothing more in return.'
Really? Who?
'I'll give you a hint. You first met him at church, he helped you find your way around the cathedral since your terrible when it comes to memorizing directions'
Mmh, who?
'Here's another one. He's really kind to everyone, the top half of his hair is purple and he has lighter skin.'
Lighter… Gil?
'Yes, he has never abandoned us has he? Even when we died, he's the only one who buried us, he's the only one who cried for us, and he's the only one who is willing to kill for us. Don't you remember.'
Remember what?
'We're here to save him, aren't we?'
Catherine opened her eyes which she then darted from side to side. "Where am I… Oh yeah." She got up from the corner she had huddled in.
"What did that woman show me?" She stared at the floor, "I was in a really dark place, by myself, until I remembered what I came here to do."
She looked at the wall behind her and tried putting her hand through. It wouldn't go through.
"But how the hell am I suppose to…"
Just then the door opened causing Catherine to stumble backwards before gasping in amazement.
"It's you!"
***
To say that Gil was having a horrible time would be an understatement. While the youngest didn't pack a punch like the brothers, she was light on her feet and extremely precise. So precise to the point of almost hitting Gil in his vital points.
But Gil had already, to some extent, master the way of sending chi to certain body parts at a certain time and a certain percentage, to say he was perfect at this would be a stretch. But he had a good enough background to be able to keep up with her.
Their battle had taken them to the inner pathways of the village. A great tactic on the youngest sister's side, that's precisely because in tight spaces her technique worked best.
Gil moved as he looked into each and every one of the clay houses.
'She's really good coz I can't sense her at all.' Gil closed his eyes as he visualized the his surroundings. Her chi was well hidden but it did not disappear completely.
CUT
She managed to land a cut on his throat, but…
'It's not deep enough to kill him' She thought as she disappeared, then reappeared behind him aiming for his spine.
CLIP!
But he hardened his back, as a result, two of her finger nails got clipped.
"Well played kind sir." She said disappearing into the shadows cast by the clay houses. The place was lit by white light coming from the ceiling above, this helped for the casting of shadows.
'Where did she go?' He turned as looked to his left, then his right. Paranoia began kicking in. 'I don't think I can keep awake too long now, time's ticking, I need to find the… what was I looking for again?'
His vision began getting distorted as the house in front of him formed a face with a smile. He rubbed his eyes and stared at it a bit longer.
"Yeah, I think I've finally lost it."
"Why are you talking to yourself?"
He jumped, 'She's here, but where, I can't see her…well actually I don't think I can trust my vision.'
"Its me, Catherine." The voice continued to echo in Gil's mind.
BAM!
"Ouch!" A shard of glass landed on his head only adding to his current paranoid state.
"I said relax its me, Catherine, your ghostly companion."
"Cathe…Cath, your still alive?" Gil exclaimed.
"Well… no not really." She said in disappointment, "But, that's not the problem, can you see me?"
Gil looked around.
"No, you're looking the wrong way, behind you!"
Gil gave a sharp turn and was left wondering at what fever dream he was left in as he stared at the floor. There were chocolate feet staring back at him, Catherine wiggled her toes a little bit again. "Can you see me?"
"Well, your legs only… sadly."
"That's a start."
"How did you do that?" Gil asked, "Show me your legs when you're suppose to be dead."
"I don't know, the weird man with a cross on his face told me that I have to… I have to… well he said a bunch of words I didn't really get."
"Man with a cross on his face?" There wasn't anyone with that description within the house that Gil had seen, 'Could there be a seventh child? No, Knob and the others said there were only six children.'
"Anyway you've got to listen to me." She was waving her arms but Gil couldn't tell, "The guy also said that we have to make that glass up there crack."
She concentrated and her right finger appeared, Gil followed the finger's direction and his eyes arrived at the glass panes that surrounded the circular dish.
"Glass, why though?"
"I don't really get it by the said that there's a lot of pressure or whatever down here and the children are the ones bringing about that pressure. But he has doubts you'll be able to take all of them out so he said he'll leave and so you'll be able to crack the glass." It didn't really explain much but Gil got the gist of it.
"So has he left already?"
Catherine nodded.
"That glass that hit me earlier." He looked up and spotted it. "Yes, its actually breaking, completely breaking it must be how to lift the malediction." And with that realization he found something he was ready to risk his life for.
"Catherine."
"?"
"I've got a plan."
***
At the entrance to the massive room sat the youngest and eldest sister. The youngest sister filing her nails and the eldest drawing something on her sketchpad.
"Why did you leave him in there dear sister?" Asked the eldest.
"Well, he broke some of my nails, I had to regrow them and file them dear sister." Answerd the youngest sister.
"Are his attacks effective?"
"No, he wasn't even able to land one on me, and his foot work is sloppy at best. His defence is greater than most though."
"Greater than yours." The eldest sister chuckled.
"Yes grater than mine."
"Its true that when a predator is hunting its pray, over a period of time the pray will begin adapting and sooner or later it will completely evade the predator."
"Stop spitting nonsense, I will get him… speaking of the devil." The youngest sister stopped filing her nails and began moving in the direction of the clay village.
On the other end coming out of the village boundary was Gil who stood for a moment. They didn't communicate at all, however both of them knew. With that they began sprinting in the same direction parallel to each other.
'I'll kill you kind sir.' She thought.
'I'll break that curse.' Is what he thought.
IT'S A BREAK NECK RACE FOR DIFFERENT OUTCOMES.
49 MINUTES REMAIN
TO BE CONTINUED