Hyacinth was it? Forget-me-not it was.

Chapter 8

Before
01/10/2021

'Amare : The most artistic mythical disease, also called the 'fading beauty' or 'glassy evanesce'. The victim is bound to this misfortune because of the curse of 'Myrix' , the human who was forbidden to love. He looked up to Eros with nothing but pure, innocent love but it remained unrequited. Soon when learnt to have loved a God, he was cursed to fade away as his love inflamed. He never stopped loving Eros and claimed his love to only be honest and sinless, willingly giving away his life.'

'He was later allowed to see Eros, even though it was his soul, his love was the only emotion that flared brightly. Eros, touched by the mortal's desire and love – freed him of his pain by embracing him one last time before he dissipated. Eros noticed as his soul scattered away, his face had the most beautiful smile.'

'The death is predictable as it can be felt by the person. Amare is born and dead with the person it has taken over. Usually it runs within the family. It is rare to have someone outside the Myrix bloodline to be affected by the disease, just as golden as its existence. The individual can feel its birth and the heat it generates, being a constant reminder of its quiddity.'

'There is no known cure, for only death can peacefully end the sufferings. One can stop loving or die loving. That is the melancholic beauty of this curse.'

Halcyone kept re-reading the paper. Caspian had let her rip it out of the book. He noticed her frantic, unsteady self and let her do what she pleased. He knew it wouldn't make her feel better doing what she did, but it seemed to ease her out.

She was in her room, dazed. Her eyes wandered the room, aimlessly. Soon she was dreaming of the day she had espied Akir.

She was helping around with the festival night in school. She was in grade 8 and had forced her way into helping the seniors. They sighed and asked her to bring the crackers dot on the given time. Having fun with Ayla in the carnival she had lost track of time and was scurrying off to the back door. As she picked up the boxes, one on top of the other, she had failed to notice the still burning cigarette bud that had inflamed one of the crackers. In a hurry to reach on time she was minutes away from getting burnt, exactly when a boy had chased after her, noticing the burning cracker and had placed an arm on her shoulder, losing breathe and vigorously shoved the boxes away and had pulled her deep into his body, shielding her and pushing himself away. The crackers had bursted within the box causing the others to explode. She was even shielded from the remnants that flew aimlessly around as he covered her with his school jacket.

The teachers had surrounded them along with the seniors, they had the two go to the infirmary as the seniors were getting scolded for their negligence. As she sat on another bed, before she could say sorry and thank you, another boy had come in rushing, "Akir! You fool. What was the need to save her? Are you crazy?" The latter just laughed. "Couldn't help myself when she looked like a clouded moon." He had walked away with his friend, dusting his holed jacket. She couldn't meet him again, for he was from another school, until she felt those arms on her shoulder again, flutters growing within her, every part of her screaming "It's him".