Reaper - The Curse

|Twelve|

June 13th, 2015
Fairview Marina
Fairview, Pennsylvania

Neil followed behind Mr. Carter into the boat, where a lovely 80's themed bar and seating area was located. It was ready to be used, and yet all of the guests were kept on deck, Neil wanted to question it but left it alone.

"I own this boat," Mr. Carter sat at a stool along the bar, "Take a seat, what do you drink?" A man dressed in a tux appeared from a hidden space behind the bar. "Lorenzo can make any drink you can think of."

Lorenzo smiled at the high praise of his employer and poured a brown liquor into a square bar glass. He handed it to Mr. Carter, "For yourself, sir?"

Neil was blown away by everything that was happening, "Nothing for me, thank you." He raised his hand and took the stool next to Mr. Carter.

"I know everything, Neil."

The vague and blunt sentence left Neil's head spinning, "What? What do you know?" An attitude came out of the confusion he was feeling, "I apologize, I don't mean to be rude."

Mr. Carter swirled his drink in the cup and watched it settle, giving Neil a bit longer to soak in the uncomfortable atmosphere that had overthrown the peaceful situation.

"I knew Daniel Morrison Jr.," he chewed his lip for a second, "What did your parents tell you about the curse?"

Neil opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by a tiny rapping at the frame of the door to the room.

"Neil, I thought I lost you. Is everything ok?" Vee looked over the golden room, "This is a beautiful bar, Mr. Carter."

Mr. Carter stood and offered her his stool, "I was just heading back to the party. I didn't mean to steal your husband for so long." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a tattered black wallet, "My wife keeps trying to convince me to get a new one, she just doesn't understand." He pulled a crisp white card from the fold and handed it to Neil, "Give me a call, and we will discuss that business opportunity at another time." He winked at Neil and shook his hand.

He left Vee and Neil alone in his private bar, "What was that all about?" She questioned.

Neil smiled, "He has some business that he needs me to take care of for him," he lied.

Veronica would be none the wiser, she was never made aware of the curse, and there was no need to worry her over a fairytale. Although Mr. Carter's new information might give him a better understanding of what this curse indeed was. He had always wanted to believe it was just bad luck, a simple case of life-threatening clumsiness, but those reasons never answered everything.

They started toward the exit of the bar when a loud clang and screams were heard from the deck of the ship. Veronica and Neil looked at one another and sprinted to the source of the uproar.