Cruel

Anzu awoke to a pounding headache. It felt like talons scratching against her skull. It became blurry in her left eye. She could barely sit up. The voices buzzing in her ears didn’t help either.

“Canti…” she whimpered. She could barely hear his voice. A hand grabbed onto hers.

“Anzu? Anzu?” he asked. She panted heavily. What is happening to me?  Laughter filled her head. Her eyes started to well up.

“Anzu? Can you hear me?” Canti asked. Out of her good eye, she could barely see his face. She knew that his mouth was moving.

“Canti? Canti?” she asked. Her voice disappeared in heavy breaths. Tears streamed down her face. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die!

“But you already will.”

Anzu froze. Her body felt like it was on fire. She started so see a terrible vision in her growing darkness.

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She floated in the darkness. However, she wasn’t alone. The sung hung over her head. Only… it wasn’t the sun. The bright light looked ready to swallow her whole. She reached out for it with a weak hand. But dark snake-like vines wrapped around her legs. Anzu couldn’t scream. Thin strands of hair wrapped around her tongue. They felt so sharp that the hair could cut into fleshy muscle. Her eyes were being held open by more strands of hair. The girl could only look around as the vines dragged her downwards. But she wouldn’t stop reaching for the light.

Suddenly, a pale white hand grabbed her wrist. The hair and vines pulled tighter, cutting into her body. Tears started to stream down her face.

I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die!

“Anzu! Anzu!”

She looked up again. A pair of eyes stared down at her. So soft, so gentle. Her heart began to pound against his chest.

“Anzu, can you hear me? Anzu? Anzu?”

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Anzu’s vision cleared. Canti stood over her with a concerned look on his face as he heard her cheeks.

“Can you hear, Anzu-chan?” the Kamimortal asked again. “Blink once if you can hear me. Stay with me now. Please.” Anzu finally blinked once. Canti breathed out.

“Thank goodness,” he said. The Kamimortal pressed his thumb against her forehead. Anzu’s breath slowed down and her shoulders dropped. The pain in her head started to disappear. Canti pulled her into his arms.

“I was so scared that I was going to lose you,” he said. Anzu looked down at him.

“What happened to me?” she asked. Canti looked into her eyes.

“Kane has cursed you,” he said.

“What?!” his girlfriend asked. He gently put his finger to her lips.

“It’s okay,” Canti said in low voice. “Here. Give me your wrist.” Anzu held up her limp right wrist.

“Good,” he said. Canti turned her palm upwards. He took his finger and started drawing figure eights on the skin. Anzu shivered at his touch and her body went still. Canti let go of her wrist.

“There,” he said. “It should hold for now until I can find a way to break the curse.”

“I don’t understand,” Anzu said. Her lover looked up at her.

“Understand what?” he asked.

“What exactly is going on inside me?” she asked. He took her cheeks in his hand.

“Anzu-chan, listen to me,” he whispered. “You have the light and darkness fighting inside of you.”

“What?” she asked.

“I’m so sorry,” Canti said.

“Well… What’s going to happen to me? Am I going to die?”

He held her hands to chest. “No. Not yet. I won’t let it.” Canti pulled Anzu into his arms. That didn’t stop her from hearing the voices in her head again.