Lizzy Ford: Cursed

Addy,

They found her in our dumpster. I done called a realtor about moving. Not safe for you there.

Daddy

He included a link. Curious, Adrienne clicked on it and read the article about the latest victim of the elusive serial killer that had stalked the slums for almost five years. The cops claimed it was drug-related, though the press was openly disputing the claim, saying it was the serial killer that had been in the Projects for years.

Okay, no more alleys for me, Adrienne thought, reading the article. It was creepy to think about something this awful happening so close. She felt bad for the woman and lucky she had Rene to protect her.

Adrienne scrolled to the bottom of the article, her breath sticking in her throat.

The picture of the victim was the woman who came to visit her Saturday.

She re-read the article. The body was found Saturday evening when one of the residents of the apartment building took out the trash, with the police saying her time of death was a little after four, around the time Adrienne saw her.

Adrienne’s mind worked quickly, but she couldn’t piece together what might’ve happened. The woman had seemed possessed when she appeared in Adrienne’s apartment. What was the connection to her sister? Had this woman known Therese and been entrusted with the message?

She went through her sent box to find Candace’s email address and forwarded her daddy’s note to Candace with a note about how she’d seen the woman soon before the police said she’d been killed. Enthralled by the new mystery surrounding her sister, Adrienne sat in deep thought for her second class, trying to determine what might’ve happened. Had the possessed woman wandered into the alley after visiting Adrienne and been killed? In broad daylight?

Nothing made sense.

Tara emailed again, along with a few more students with the subject lines of Swamp Girl .

Adrienne deleted the other students’ emails then closed her inbox, not wanting to deal with the high maintenance sister of Jayden when she had something far more important on her mind.

She didn’t fit in. She never would. She needed to find Kimmie. Once she did, she could leave this place.

When the bell chimed to mark the end of her second class, she bolted from the room, desperate to fix one mess in her life. She couldn’t help the woman who died in the alley, but she might be able to address the curse.

Adrienne went to the hallway where Kimmie’s locker was, hoping Kimmie dropped by her locker before her next class. Turning the corner, Adrienne slowed. At first, she was embarrassed at the sight of the couple in the middle of a heavy make out session. They seemed oblivious to the kids filling the hallway, caught up in kissing and petting. Kimmie was pressed up against the lockers, her arms around the neck of a tall, familiar form.

“Jayden?” Adrienne uttered his name before she was able to stop herself.

“Get a room!” someone called.

Jayden flung his head back and laughed, stepping back. “Sorry, babe. You do that to me.”

Adrienne couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. She felt as if someone had hit her.

“You know I love it,” Kimmie purred, glowing happily. She smoothed Jayden’s vest and ran her hands down his chest to his belt. She tugged at it. “Later. Promise.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” replied Jayden in his low, husky voice.

“Jay, c’mon!” Mickey shouted from the hallway behind Adrienne.

Jayden ducked his head to kiss Kimmie lightly, appearing as enamored as Kimmie. Adrienne had seen that smile directed at her before. It was breathtaking, even now, when her heart was shattering.

He hadn’t been serious about her at all. Not about being sorry for hurting her or the second chance. Were the dog tags even real? She gripped them, the cool metal biting into her skin and keeping her anchored in the surreal world.

Adrienne moved behind a group of students, watching Jayden walk cheerfully past her. He didn’t notice her, and she released her breath when he passed. He bumped fists with Mickey, grinning.

Adrienne hurt. Only when he disappeared from view did she realize she was drawing more looks than usual. Frozen with her mouth agape, she didn’t want to know how stupid she appeared. She forced herself to push away her hurt and focused on her task: asking Kimmie to lift the spell.

It was the only reason she had to be here.

“Kimmie,” she said, approaching.

Kimmie glanced up then back, her gaze critical as it swept over Adrienne.

“What? You couldn’t wash your uniform?” Kimmie asked with a snort.

Adrienne ignored her. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“You’re off the team. Sent you an email.”

“It’s not about that.”

“What?”

Adrienne realized she was still holding onto the dog tags. She dropped her hand and drew a deep breath.

“I’d like for you to release the hex you put on me,” Adrienne said quietly. “You made your point Friday.”

Kimmie didn’t respond for a moment, gaze on Adrienne’s chest.

Adrienne glanced down at the dog tags.

“Where did you get those?” Kimmie asked.

“None of your business. I came to talk to you about the curse.”

“Did you steal those from Jayden?”

“Steal? No. Look, Kimmie, can you just –“

“Those don’t belong to you.” Kimmie reached for the tags.

Adrienne slapped her hand away, anger growing. “They were a gift.”

“Jay would never …” Kimmie stopped, her face flushing. She stretched for the necklace again.

Adrienne shoved her this time and then tucked the tags into her shirt.

Kimmie’s gaze flew up to hers. “Give me the tags, and I’ll lift the curse.”

Surprised, Adrienne hesitated. What did Kimmie want with Jayden’s dog tags?

“They don’t belong to someone like you.”

The tags had no value and weren’t exactly fashionable, like the jewelry Kimmie wore. Adrienne couldn’t see the bitchy girl wearing them. Why did she want them, if not to wear them?

Jayden claimed there was a protective spell on them.

“You know what these are, don’t you?” Adrienne asked, frowning.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. As far as I’m concerned, you stole something of Jayden’s, and I intend to get it back!”

“These tags have a protective spell on them. Which means you can’t drop another curse on me,” Adrienne said. “Is that it? You want to do something even worse to me?”

“You’ll be out of the school in a week. The curse I put on your voice will take it away. Forever!” Kimmie snapped. “No, I won’t lift it, unless you give me those tags.”

The deal sounded appealing, especially after seeing Jayden betray her. Adrienne’s instincts were at a roar. She didn’t understand why, but she knew she couldn’t give Kimmie the necklace.

“You realize every curse you put on someone comes back on you threefold, don’t you?” Adrienne asked. “What you did to me will be kind compared to what will happen to you.”

Emotion rippled across Kimmie’s face.

“Your bokor didn’t tell you,” Adrienne guessed. “It’s how black magic works. If you ask a favor of the gods and use their magic to hurt someone, you will pay a price three times what you did to another.”

“No. You’re just trying to manipulate me.” Kimmie snatched something from her locker and slammed it. “It won’t work! I’m not giving you your voice back, Swamp Girl, and I’m never letting go of Jayden!” She brushed by Adrienne.

Adrienne turned to watch her.

More snickering and calls of “Swamp Girl” went up around her.

Any remaining hope she possessed fled, and tears filled her eyes. Her emotions exploded.