Forgiveness (Under revision)

Chapter Two

I stared at those words, wishing they would go away. Why me? What do I do? I ripped the paper in my hands, suddenly angry. Furious. Upset. Mad. I threw the strips of paper in my hands into the fireplace and returned to bed next to Everest. Those words were for me. I had to beware. I had to beware of a curse. A curse that I knew nothing about. I settled in my sheets, shivering despite the blanket. I stared up at the cobweb covered ceiling. Wishing. Wishing that I could just get rid of the curse. I knew it wasn't good. I continued to shiver, changing my wish to being able to fall asleep. I felt exhausted. I needed sleep. I curled up into a ball and groaned.

"Eila?" Everest's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Everest?" I answered him, even though he should've been asleep. It was probably two in the morning now.

"Why are you awake?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same,"

"I heard you groan," he replied. Oh. It was my fault.

"Go back to sleep, Everest. Don't worry about me," I said, trying to project calmness in my voice.

"Are you sure you're fine Eila?" he asked, worry etched between his brows.

"I'm fine."

He didn't say anything, just came closer to me. I tensed as he climbed into the blankets with me. Once he settled in he wrapped a protective arm around me, ensuring my safety. This one movement relaxed me, and I let myself calm. I laid my head on his chest, and let myself drift off. Only once Everest knew I was asleep did he let himself relax too. And we were happy. As happy as we could be with the curse right around the corner...

When I woke it was about noon. Everest was up, getting dressed in his hunting clothes. Today was Saturday. The day I got off of work. I groggily sat up and gave Everest privacy by getting my own clothes and walking outside, to change by our small "backyard". I took the black shirt and pulled it over my head, then I slipped on some jeans, my favorite denim jacket and braid my hair into my signature waterfall braid. When I entered the shack Everest was all dressed and ready.

"How'd you sleep last night?" he asked me.

"Good," I said, happy for it to be true. Thanks to him, I fell asleep in a matter of seconds.

"What about you?" I asked.

"Swell."

I laughed. Since when did he use the word swell?

"Come on," I said, leading him into the woods.

Every Saturday we would go into the woods and spend the day there. Sometimes that was the only time we got together. He hunted, and I watched. He grabbed his bow and arrows from the floor and followed me. I passed by the warning sign again but ignored it.

"Hey!" a voice called. I turned my head. A little boy about seven had spotted us sneaking into the woods. I look at him, surprised. We had never been caught before.

"Hey! You're not supposed to go into the woods!" he accused. I look at Everest for help. He looked the boy in the eye and then went up to him. I stood there, watching as Everest walked up to him and whispered something in his ear. The boy gave of a look of surprise and sprinted away, as if a monster was chasing him.

"What did you say?" I asked curiously, unsure of what Everest could have said that could send a little boy running for his life. He was too nice.

"Boy stuff. You wouldn't understand,"

"Uh huh," I said suspiciously.

"Come on, before he tells someone, we better get out of sight," Everest said, pulling me up the hills toward the woods.