Ezra Phantoms: The Cursed Sword

17

Since I figured it'd be easier to wallow in my own sadness while sitting instead of standing, I looked for a bench to sit on. As I sat there and pondered about the news I just received, I could see and hear everybody else around me enjoying the festival. It made me jealous seeing so many people enjoying themselves, while I was doing the complete opposite. Every time I heard a laugh, it angered me. And I got even angrier at myself for feeling this way.

"Hey Ezra," Hailee said, as she slowly approached me. "You feeling okay? You look pretty down in the dumps."

"Oh, I'm fine. Just hating my life. The usual. Don't worry about me."

"You can't say 'just hating my life' and 'don't worry about me' in the same sentence," Hailee replied, as she scooched next to me on the bench. "What's wrong?"

"I just...I-I feel like I should give up."

"On what?"

"Everything, Hailee," I sighed. I was trying my hardest to hold back tears, but it was like trying to hold back the biggest flood. "What's the point in trying to win a game where all the odds are stacked against you? Wouldn't be a very fun game right? And in my case, I have probably the biggest odds stacked against me. I mean an evil spirit that wants to destroy the entire world is living inside me, and torments me with insults and threats everyday."

"Not only that, but the whole reason we're in this world, why I have the Cursed Sword, why I'm clearly not ever going to find love, why Zero's after me, why Zero almost killed you guys, is because of my stupid curse! My future's been planned out already, and all that's ahead is more bad luck! If I know all of that already...why bother trying to enjoy my life?"

There was a long pause before Hailee responded with anything again. I couldn't blame her. If I were in her shoes, I probably wouldn't know how to respond either. But finally, Hailee put her right arm around my shoulder, and told me something that was so simple, yet was the answer that I had needed the entire time.

"Ezra, the odds may be stacked against you. Maybe the chances you lose in this 'game' are ninety-nine point nine percent. But that just means you can be that point zero one percent. So, don't give up. Because if you do, then you'll really lose without ever seeing if there was a chance to win in the future."

"Y-You're right...thank you Hailee," I replied. "I'm so dumb. I can't just give up without trying to beat the odds first."

"Exactly. And if anyone can beat them, it's you, Ezra. You're the most odd person I know."

"Shut up," I chuckled, slightly.

"Also, why do you think you're not going to ever find love?"

"Well...everyone I've liked so far hasn't liked me back," I said. "The closest I've gotten to reciprocal love was Lucy, and she kidnapped me."

"Who else have you liked?"

"Phoebe, Taylor from our AP History class, and..."

"And...?"

"Nothing," I said. There was no way I could tell her that I had the biggest crush on her at one point. Not after everything. Even if I didn't feel that way anymore, I didn't want to make things awkward with just that fact.

"Now that I think about it, you do always stare at Phoebe in a goofy way. Can't believe I didn't pick up on that."

"Well, those days are over," I said. "Now that she's with that stupid pilot Bowie, I'll never have a chance. Actually, I don't even think I had a chance from the start. This just makes it worse."

"C'mon, Ezra," Hailee pouted. "You can't just give up. You're an amazing guy, and I'm sure whoever you like will see that too. Obviously not Phoebe though since that windows sort of closed now, but you know what I mean."