The soft glow of a desk lamp illuminated Katherine’s room as she flipped through the worn pages of The Curse of Burial, the book Zayn had borrowed from Lily. The air smelled of old paper and ink, a quiet contrast to the storm of thoughts in her mind. Two hours had passed, yet she had found nothing—no clue, no answers—nothing that hinted at breaking the so-called curse.

  Frustrated, she tossed the book aside and reached for her phone, dialing Jack’s number.

  "Hello, Jack.

  "Yeah, Kat?" His familiar voice instantly lightened her mood, even if only for a moment.

  "Can you come over? It’s important."

  Thirty minutes later, she spotted him through her window, pedaling toward her house on his old bicycle. The moment he stopped, she flung open the door before he could even knock.

  Jack jumped back, startled. "Woah! What’s with the rush?"

  "Just come in," she said, stepping aside.

  Jack made himself comfortable on the couch, sitting cross-legged, while Katherine paced back and forth, biting her nails. He watched her with an amused smirk, which only irritated her further.

  "What are you smiling at?" she snapped.

  "You," he chuckled. "What’s got you this worked up?"

  She huffed, grabbed her phone, and shoved the screen in his face. A picture of Eva glowed under the dim light. "Look at this, Jack! What if she dies because of our stupid game?"

  Jack leaned back, exhaling. "Kat, do you believe in this?"

  "I don’t want to," she admitted, voice shaking. "But what if it’s real?"

  Jack stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently but firmly. "Kat, you need to calm down. We don’t even know if this curse is real or just some eerie coincidence."

  She stared at him, her amber eyes filled with something between doubt and fear. "Jack… we need to talk about Alex."

  His entire body tensed. For a second, he just stood there, unmoving. Then, with a slow exhale, he removed his hands from her shoulders and rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze shifting away.

  "Jack," she pleaded. "This is the only way—"

  Before she could finish, he pulled her into a tight embrace. Katherine froze. The warmth of his arms around her sent a shock through her body. She barely had time to process it before he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

  Then, in a low whisper, he said, "Kat, please stay out of this. I don’t want you to get hurt."

  And just like that, he was gone.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Katherine stood there, stunned, her heart pounding. What had just happened? And more importantly—what was Jack so afraid of?

  Katherine handed over the bills to the cashier. "That’ll be 300." She took her change and collected her groceries, about to leave when she suddenly remembered—instant noodles.

  She sighed and turned back, weaving her way through the aisles to the snack section. That’s when she spotted Eva, arms full of noodle packets, stacking more into her basket.

  "That’s a lot," Katherine remarked.

  Eva turned, her dark eyes gleaming with amusement. "Is it?"

  "Isn’t it?" Katherine chuckled.

  Eva smiled. "This way, I don’t have to cook every day."

  After finishing their shopping, they stepped out of the supermarket. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden hue over the street. Katherine reached for two of Eva’s heavy poly bags.

  "Can I ask you something, Eva?"

  Eva’s expression shifted slightly, her pupils darkening. "Go ahead."

  Katherine hesitated before speaking. "Are you… Angry at me?"

  For a moment, Eva simply stared at her. Then, a soft smile curved her lips. "Why would I be?"

  Katherine exhaled and took another bag from Eva’s hands. "Let me help you—consider it a favor from a new friend."

  Eva raised an eyebrow, a small chuckle escaping her. "Friend?"

  They stopped at a street corner where a group of children was playing, their laughter echoing through the air. Katherine watched them with a wistful gaze.

  "They’re lucky, aren’t they?" she murmured.

  Eva tilted her head. "Are they?"

  Katherine glanced at her. "Of course. Look how carefree they are. They don’t have to worry about what people think. No responsibilities, no expectations."

  Eva hummed in response. "You could be carefree too, you know. You don’t have to care about what others think. You can choose not to take responsibility, just like them."

  Katherine shook her head. "I can’t. I’m an adult now."

  Eva smirked, reclaiming her bags. "Who said being an adult means you can’t do those things?"

  Katherine blinked at her in confusion, but Eva continued. "There’s no real boundary between childhood and adulthood, Katherine. People around us create those boundaries, and it’s up to us whether we accept them or not. It’s up to you. Not every kid can be an adult."

  She reached out, gently brushing a strand of Katherine’s hair behind her ear before turning toward the opposite street.

  Katherine stood frozen for a moment, watching Eva disappear into the crowd. No one had ever said something like that to her before.

  And somehow, it lingered in her heart.

  "Lateen!"

  "What? Why are you yelling?" Lateen called back, neatly folding her clothes into the wardrobe.

  Zayn leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Where are you going?"

  She didn’t turn around. "Out of town. Somewhere."

  His frown deepened. "Why?"

  Lateen sighed, finally facing him. "I’m not leaving right now." She pulled out her phone and showed him a screenshot of her flight ticket. "I’ll go in a few days."

  Zayn took the phone and checked the details. His eyes flickered over the screen, but something caught his attention—there was no return flight.

  "When are you coming back?" he asked.

  She hesitated. "I haven't decided yet."

  He exhaled sharply and sat on the bed, his hands tightening into fists.

  "Lateen, I want to ask you something."

  She caught the nervous edge in his voice and softened her tone. "Go ahead."

  Zayn lowered his gaze as if afraid of what he was about to reveal. "What if... someone got hurt because of you?"

  Lateen stilled for a moment before answering. "Then I’d make it up to them. I’d help them however I could."

  His grip on his knees tightened. "Aren’t you going to ask why I’m bringing this up?"

  She gave him a small, knowing smile. "Like you’d tell me."

  Zayn chuckled. "You got me." He stood up, tossing a small packet of chocolate toward her. "My treat."

  She caught it effortlessly, but as her fingers curled around the packet, a sudden wave of sadness washed over her. Her expression darkened. "What if I fail?" she murmured under her breath.

  Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She wasn’t just afraid of failing—she was afraid of losing him, her mischievous and innocent little brother. She knew he was hiding something, and whatever it was, it terrified her.

  At that moment, Zayn’s phone vibrated. A message from Katherine.

  Zayn! I found something.

  His heart pounded as he read the next line.

  The curse can be broken. If we protect the person for thirty days after the curse begins, they can be saved.

  For a fleeting second, hope flickered in his chest. But then, the message ended abruptly.

  Right… only if we can.

  Zayn stared at the screen, stunned.

  Meanwhile, Katherine sat on the edge of her bed, gripping her phone tightly.

  She had just lied.

  It was the only way.

  She had only known Eva for a year and a half. Today was the first time they had spoken properly. And yet, she was willing to do anything to save her.

  Because she had come to understand one cruel truth—this curse didn’t just punish those who deserved it.

  It destroyed the innocent, too.