Cursed by Leigh Kenny

Author:Leigh Kenny [Kenny, Leigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Curtis was a shadow of himself, and he knew it.

He had put on a brave face, a mask of normality, but there was no hiding the reflection that greeted him from every mirrored surface. His eyes, ringed and bruised, were sunken into skin that looked stretched and paper-thin. His brain was nothing more than a lacklustre fog, and he could see the sideways glances that Tim had thrown his way all morning. He knew his friend was concerned but unsure of whether or not to broach the subject. Curtis was acting as though nothing was wrong, hadn’t mentioned the previous night, and he hoped his lack of forthrightness would be enough to discourage Tim from asking. His shattered mind wouldn’t be able to rehash the horrors of the night.

As the weak light of dawn filtered into his bedroom, the woman slithered from his side and poured herself from the bed into the cardboard box on the floor. After hours spent fending off her onslaught as best he could, Curtis lay there, mouth agape and mind in a million pieces.

How could this be really happening to him?

He remained in his bed, too terrified to move until enough time had passed to ensure she was done terrorising him for now. He had quietly left the room, shutting the kitchen door behind him to minimise any noise, and there he had dressed and made strong coffee. He had spent the morning gulping down the hot, sugary liquid until he no longer felt like he needed to prop his eyelids open with matchsticks.

By the time Tim pulled up to collect him for work, Curtis had been sitting outside for almost an hour. Outside felt safe. Outside, he could force his mind to forget what was waiting for him in his apartment.

And now, as they began the slow, weekly slog down Main Street, he found himself glancing up the road and past the multitude of shops and buildings to where he knew a certain small man waited in the shadows, watching for their approach.

Sure enough, as they worked their way closer to the curiosities shop, Curtis could see the old-timer as he stepped into the sun, trash can grinding against the pavement behind him.

I wonder, will he sense it on me? Curtis thought to himself before shaking the notion from his head. It was a ridiculous thought. How could anyone sense something like this?

As he reached the curb and put his hand out to the trash can, Curtis lifted his face, his tired eyes locking with the small man’s dark, inquisitive ones.

The man’s eyes narrowed before suddenly widening, and in that instant, Curtis knew that he knew. He really could sense it.

Curtis hauled the can to the truck and emptied it. As he turned to replace it, he nearly tripped over the short form before him.

There he stood, almost nose to nose with Curtis. Nose to chest, at the very least. He studied Curtis’s face for a moment before whipping a card from within a deep sleeve and pressing it into Curtis’s clammy hand.

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