“Remember when we first met”
“What are you doing?” The dark-haired guy in a faded tunic asked. His hands are covered in crumbs, much like he’s been eating all the way through his long walk from who knows where he has been.
The blond guy slowly turned. Eyes blood red, puffy, and dark lines traced underneath his eye sockets.
“Are you alright?” The guy asked him again. The blond guy nodded sideways.
“Do you know what lurks beneath those troubled waters?” The dark-haired guy asked.
The blond guy nodded sideways.
“I will tell you if you move away from the edge of the bridge,” he said calmly as he tried his best not to startle the blond guy standing at the edge of the bridge, determined to jump.
The blond guy did not respond. He wiped off his tears, and the dark-haired guy moved a little closer.
“I have some food here. How about we go to the gardens of Whitcomb?” The dark-haired guy said. “Maybe you’re wondering where that is, aren’t you?” He chuckled. He’s a few feet away from the blond guy. “Look,” he raised his hand, “this is a sugarplum from the deer goddess herself!”
“Deer goddess?” He asked interestingly. Few more lies, and he’d get his full attention.
“Y-yeah! Deer… goddess. You see?” He showed him once again.
“You’re lying.” He frowned, head down.
“N-no! I am not! I-I’d show you! You want to come with me?” The dark-haired guy asked him, trying his best not to sound stupid and desperate.
“A goddess killed my family. She said I was her son. And she said that I can’t touch people. That’s why ever since I was born, I have been kept in an enclosure. My brother–I know he’s not my real brother. I can’t even play with him without the special barrier the elders created to separate us.”
The guy in the tunic remained silent. Not sure what to say.
“So, don’t go near me. It’s better if I’m dead. My family is dead. Everyone’s dead.” The blond-pale guy stepped closer to the edge of the bridge, and with force, the guy in a tunic called at the top of his lungs, stopping him from jumping.
“WAIIITT!” Thank goodness, he stopped.
“What? Can’t you see–”
“I can be your friend,” he said without thinking.
“What?” He turned, looking interested in what he just said.
“I-I can be your friend. Here take my–coat. It’s stinky, but I know you’re cold.” He threw it, and it landed on the ground. “My name’s Evert. Nice to meet you.”
The blond guy stared at him indistinctly. “Funny how you want to be friends with me but can’t even hand over the coat.”
Evert flinched. He grabbed the coat immediately and handed it.
“You don’t really need to pretend.”
“I’m not pretending. It’s just… I’m scared of what you can do. But, frankly and honestly, you’re an interesting guy.”
The blond boy replied with an emotionless face. He stared at Evert for a few seconds and finally decided to hop down off the edge of the bridge.
“If you die, then it’s not my fault. I warned you, I’m dangerous.” He warned.
Evert nodded.
The blond boy wore the coat. Evert felt a little embarrassed because the blond boy looked like a rich man. His clothes are made of cotton and wool. Gold thread embroidered across his chest with an initial of the letter ‘I.’ “What could that mean?” He thought.
“Hi. What’s your name?” Evert gave his hand. The blond guy stared at him. Emotionless.
“Ah. Right. No touching. I touch you; I die.” He smiled awkwardly.
“Better if you do not know.”
“What?”
“Lead me to your home.”
“I don’t have a home. I just live in a cave. I made friends with the animals there. They’re quite nice.”
“That’s still a home.”
“Y-Yes. You’re right.” He smiled awkwardly.
“Let’s go. I’m hungry,” The blond boy demanded.
—
A few months passed, and they both became friends. Evert still called his new friend ‘blondie’ because he wouldn’t tell him his name. He was always the same as the day they first met. He’s intelligent and very flexible. He’d sometimes outrun Evert in a track race, and he’d always be looking so neat in his sweat as if dirt had refused to ever lay upon his skin and coat. Evert guessed that rich people in urban areas use sorcery where only the rich could afford it.
He’d still remember when blondie told him never to attempt touching nor lighting the light as they sleep. Because something terrible would happen.
“You do not dare light a torch while we sleep.” He recalled him saying.
But one night, Evert was awoken by an insect bite on his neck. For so long, he has never been bitten by an insect as he befriended all of them. He stood and lit up the nearest wood beside him and took the time to examine the bite in front of a shiny stone. Then behind, was his friend, blondie, peacefully sleeping.
Evert turned, and he saw how silky smooth the skin of blondie from his back was. So soft that it would be such a shame if anything would feast on it. Such infernal creatures like the insect that bit him or anything of some sort.
Evert was about to cover him with a blanket when the same insect escaped from blondie’s clothes. Then another one ran. He got curious and touched blondie’s shirt, and to his surprise, a tattoo of “Iskanderus” etched and nothing but a house of maggots and insects dwelled upon. So startled, he fell from where he was standing, waking blondie and his eyes in so much horror.
“What have you done?!” Blondie asked him. “Run! Save yourself! Run!” He told Evert.
“Blondie,” He heaved incredulously.
“I told you I am dangerous! I told you never to touch me or light anything while I’m asleep!” He cried. The internal flying creatures like a crossbreed of mosquito and giant poisonous beetles swirled around him like a curtain of winds.
“Run, Evert! I said, run!” Blondie squealed in horror. But Evert did nothing. He stood and stepped closer to blondie and hugged him. Then, his skin began to turn black and rot. Blondie pushed, but Evert’s hug was tight. He could not believe what he was doing. It’s so fast that one moment they were hunting and tree hopping, the next his friend was rotting and dying in front of his very eyes.
“I’m sorry.” Blondie sobbed in regret. Tears drenching his face and Evert’s chest. “I’m sorry. I’m cursed. My own mother cursed me when my father married a mortal woman after they burned her den and took me as their ‘prize’ and announced that the war between humans and elves was won by them.” Blondie said. “He made my mother fall in love and even slept with her. And I am the fruit of that trickery! They were aware of the curse, but they couldn’t get rid of me. Because I am their ultimate weapon. These insects around us are made to kill whoever sees my tattoo and knows my real name.”
“Shhh. That’s why you never told me anything about you. Your parents weren’t dead, right?” Evert asked calmly.
“Yes. I just escaped. When you saw me at the bridge, I was certain to kill myself. But you saved me. And I couldn’t thank you enough for that. I saw the light but–”
“But your only best choice was to keep everything away from me. Because your true identity is the curse, telling me your real name is the curse. But you have a cursed tattoo written in your name. And you didn’t want to see me die because of you.”
Iskanderus sobbed. He looked at Evert’s arms, and his flesh was already rotting. Maggots and soil began to form and slither across his neck.
Evert fell on his knees. Iskanderus caught him. “Hey, blondie. Do you still remember that thing I told you when we were looking at the stars by the lake?”
Iskanderus wiped his tears. He nodded. “Yes. Take you to the bridge, and we’ll watch the sunrise together.”
Evert smiled.
Weeping, Iskanderus managed to bring Evert’’s rotting body to the bridge. The water was still troubled and mad. But the view of the rising sun managed to balance everything out.
“This is so beautiful,” Evert said, his eyes barely open.
“I’m really sorry.”
“Hey. Look at me,” Evert called.
Iskanderus didn’t meet his eyes. “I-I can’t–”
Evert struggled in pain. He gasped for air as he laid down on the ground. Iskanderus’ heart wrenched as he lifted his body in fear and resentment. Resentment of everything about his life. Ever since he discovered the curse, he hated himself.
“Throw me–” Evert struggled. “–my body t-to the water.”
“What? No!”
“I-I have nobody. J-just you and the forest. No one would visit my grave.”
Iskanderus could not believe his words. “You have me. I will visit you.”
Evert gave him a pained smile. “J-just do it. P-please. And remember the day we first met.”
With one last gasp of air, Evert’s body became utterly rotten. His skin was as hard as tree bark and as black as tar. His hair crippled and fell, leaving his sunken face almost looking like a skull with a little bit of dried skin. Iskanderus looked away. He didn’t dare to look at his only friend’s dead face. He wept. Then he lifted his body, and slowly, he threw it to the troubled water over the bridge. He recalled the first time they met. He was standing at the edge of the bridge, and Evert came to stop him. After that, the past few months of his life became a paradise even though his actual life was complete chaos. He remembered seeing Evert’s beautiful face. His sequin grin and gentle hands. Now, he threw his body into the water. He thought that he should be the one thrown over the water. Not him.
Iskanderus left the bridge, sobbing. He could not believe he’s going back to their home without Evert. It was the first time he ever felt alone since befriending Evert. He missed him, but he realized he was supposed to live with the curse his mother gave him. And until his last breath, his curse would linger generation after generation.
—
The next morning, Iskanderus got up with animals around him. He and Evert used to feed the animals every morning. Now, it doesn’t feel as exciting as before.
After feeding them, he went to the bridge and stood at the edge. The air was cool, and the sun rays were warm across his face. He looked to the side where mosses grew on the stones, where dew drops trickled, and to his surprise, a tree had already grown overnight. It has brown leaves, and its body is a combination of dark green and dirty white. He knew that it was Evert.
He cried, and remembered his friend once again. Then suddenly, a familiar voice called from behind.
“What are you doing?” A dark-haired guy in a faded tunic asked, smiling. His arms wrapped in gold bandages.
Iskanderus slowly turned. Eyes blood red, puffy, and dark lines traced underneath his eye sockets.
“Are you alright?” The guy asked him again. Iskanderus nodded sideways. Tears began to form and clouded his vision as he could not believe who he was seeing.
“Do you know what lurks beneath those troubled waters?” The dark-haired guy asked. Iskanderus nodded sideways again.
“I will tell you if you move away from the edge of the bridge,” he said calmly. Iskanderus did not respond. He wiped off his tears as he ran to him and hugged him.
“Evert! You’re alive. Y-you’re alive.”
Evert’s body was warm, and he smelt like freshly baked cinnamon bread. His skin was soft, softer than cotton and cloud linens. His clothes were clean, and his eyes were warm like a freshly brewed cup of hot chocolate drink.
“Yes. I’m alive. The sunrise talked to me. It wanted to give back what that curse took away.”
“You’re here. You’re not dead.”
“Yes, I am here.” Iskanderus hugged tighter.
–A curse separates people. But love brings us all united.