The Cursed

part 1

When it's October, the streets are expected to be covered with fresh leaves in the season of fall, especially when you're around a park filled with trees. Not the case for the streets the three souls were walking on.

It probably wouldn't be the best idea to roam around at the streets of Archer cemetery at that time of the day.

The streets are usually filled with dried leaves, which seem like they're dead there for a thousand years. As it can, because the atmosphere was silent. And suffocating. Never had ever a single gust of wind touched the streets of Archer cemetery. The trees were dried out, having no leaves while because of the dense forest surrounding the cemetery, sunlight would never reach the place. It was surrounded by mist and...
Melancholy.

While the naive father leads the way, his 9-year-old kid John exclaims out, rather in excitement,
"Dad! I just saw something moving.
Umm...over there!!"

The little kid tells his dad while pointing his finger toward a bush on the cemetery fences.

The father, Mr. Smith, holds his little daughter tightly in his arms.
The whole idea of taking the kids for a drive, then not being able to find the rare- very rare chocolate, that his 4-year-old daughter, Emily, wants. Then going to the nearby town 'cause Emily won't stop crying...for that chocolate. But who knew that something would happen to their car in the middle of nowhere...
which would lead to their doom.

He looks at where his kid is pointing his finger. He couldn't see it. He narrows his eyes.

"Oh my... Dad!!", he looks happy, "It's a teddy bear. Who would've left it at a place like this... But...who cares, Emily will love it!", he loved his sister so very deeply.

He runs to get it- or in other words, to his doom, as he looked so pleased to find a toy which was unexpected to be found at a place like that, like our John said.

Realisation hits Mr. Smith in the face. He widens his eyes and quickly stops John.
" JOHN I SAID STOP RIGHT THERE!!!"
He yelled. Which was way too loud. The only sound of his voice could be heard echoing. In that dark deserted place.

John gets startled and scared and he quickly runs back to his father. Terrified, he asks.
"D-dad... What's wrong.. You n-never shout like t-that. Ple---"
"RUN!", his dad orders while grabbing his hand and running back towards the place they left their car. Quite a bit far from where they were, now.

Mr. Smith was running at a pace like a tiger. Poor John couldn't compete with his speed... Still, he ran as fast as he could. Moreover, he was so terrified. Seeing his dad react so violently and acting all furious- it was disturbing for him. He sensed something was wrong. Really wrong.
He starts crying.
"Dad..."
"John..try to calm down..my precious. We'll be alright. Just- run. with. me."
His dad answers while looking around the place as they ran, clearing every last bit of suspicion and...
Uh huh.
It was the place.
The famous-for-its-danger-and-paranormal-incidents,
It was

The Archer cemetery.

***
They ran with all they had. Emily starts crying too, as her dad comforts her. Sweat beads dropping from his forehead. Out of fear.

They find a turn and see their car at the end of the street. They stop as they find it and catch their breath
John stands leaving his back by the car and slips down, to the ground, to now, sit there.

Mr. Smith quickly catches his breath and looks around. Then sighs..while realising that it was the park where their car had stopped. He looks up at his kids and takes them to sit on the nearby bench. All in his mind was how could he be so stupid. He didn't even realise what that place was. And without any thoughts, just wandered there, in hope of finding someone..who could help them with the car..or to help finding someone who could..or in other words..
A mechanic.

His heart was still racing- all of theirs. And when he remembered what John saw, he couldn't stop sweating.
"D-d-dad... Can I ask something n-now..."
John pleads, his lips quivering..
That...
.
.
.

Mr. Smith gets a call.
"Hello?!"
. . .
"NO. The situation is literally serious now that I've found-", he wonders.. then decides that he should not tell Mr. Davis, whom he had called earlier, when he didn't pick up, that the place they are lost in is near the Archer cemetery.
'Cause no one would come to help then.
"Ugh nothing. It's urgent, my friend. The kids are crying. The night is about to fall. We can't wait for more than 30 minutes."
. . .
"That'd be so great. Just come fast."
. . .
He hangs up.
Mr. Smith had already texted his friend, Mr. Davis, telling him about his situation, when no one had picked up his call earlier. And when even Mr. Davis didn't reply his texts, he decided to do something. Then he, along with his kids, started to wander around the place. To find a bit of hope.
But l they found was...
Their doom.

The Archer cemetery.

"What's it so special about the Archer cemetery?" John asks after his dad had told him why they ran. "And that teddy I saw..."

Mr. Smith stars shivering.

"Y-you s-saw it...?" He stuttered.

John was clueless of it all. He found it so annoying that his dad wasn't clearly telling him what was wrong.

He nods.

Mr. Smith takes a heavy breath. Then he takes out the locket he was wearing, a Jesus Christ Crucifix Cross locket. He kisses it and starts praying.

John gets irritated. He had never liked praying and worshipping 'cause he thought it was fake and useless. Known to be the smartest student in his class, he had made several ideologies of his own. And being that arrogant and stubborn as him, he'd never believe in people.
Just 'cause a nine-year-old rat found them stupid.

He thought that ghosts and evil spirits are just old folktales and so is God. He didn't believe in God. Never worshipped in a church. He'd always got scolded for it but..
As if he'd listen.

Way too sharp for his age, eh?

"Dad come on...! What are you doing! Just tell me what is---"
"QUIET!"
John was taken aback. Never in his life had he seen his father like this. So serious. He'd never raised his voice at him. But- This was different.
The whole scenario was different.
The situation they were in...
It could kill them.

"DAD I WON'T STOP UNTIL YOU TELL ME WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT!!"
Yelled out John.

Mr. Smith stops praying.
He sighs and keeps the locket back inside his shirt.
He looks at John.

"See kid... This is a dangerous situation we've gotten ourselves into. You just need to calm down---"
"But I'm just asking what's so dangerous about this situation?!!"

Mr. Smith sighs, accepting defeat.
Once again, he looks around.
"Mhm. I think... This place is safer. So..."
"Tell me." John urges with eyes filled with eager.
"Listen," he tries to make John understand, "this is just a haunted place- the place we just been through---"
"NO NO! I wanna know the whole story behind it. Why is it haunted? Why did you get so scared seeing that teddy?"
"Shh..." He closes his eyes, wondering if he should tell him.
He decides, as Mr. Davis was going to take time and he knew how stubborn John was, to tell him.

He breathes out,
"I'll tell you."

And so does he...

***

To be continued