Page 64 of Heir to a Curse

Chapter 24

Iwoke up groggy, like I’d slept a long time, which meant my brain came back online in small fits and starts. Staring at the bedroom window, it was daylight in my cabin, so maybe I hadn’t slept that long? But the cabin itself was still. It took a few seconds for me to register what was off since I was in bed and other than tired and hungry, I felt fine.

Except I was in bed alone.

I jolted upright. Where was Xiang?

There was no sound of him in the bathroom, or movement at all inside the house. For a half second I feared it had all been a dream, my time in his world, bringing him back here, finally holding him in my arms… Except my camping bag sat stuffed and perched upright near the kitchen, and when I threw back the blankets, not only was I naked, but small bits of dried come dotted my stomach. I sucked in air for a few seconds as my mind spun too fast for my body to keep up.

Then I was up and moving, finding the robe I rarely used in the bottom drawer of my new dresser, and wrapping it around me while I searched the small space of the cabin. No sign of Xiang.

Maybe he was outside enjoying the fresh air? I burst through my doorway, praying I’d find him sipping tea at the small table. Only he wasn’t there, and the table was tipped over, as were most of the pots of dirt, like something had come through in a hurry.

The shrine? I turned and raced toward it, as even from a distance I could tell the doors were open. I half leapt up the stairs and threw them wide, praying he was there, but it too was empty. I huffed out a few heaving breaths, my heart thundering in my chest as I tried to reason through where else he might be. The truth tugged at me, yet I didn’t want to go there yet.

Maybe he’d gone to the house? I hadn’t warned him of the pandemic, would it be safe for him to be around anyone? I headed back to the cabin, thinking showing up wrapped in a robe that was slightly too small and nothing other than come underneath, wasn’t befitting of their new boss.

That was when I saw a deep set of grooves carved into the side of the shed, like some dragon had descended and taken a swipe. I hadn’t heard a thing. Why hadn’t he woken me? I reached the door to the cabin and went inside to find my phone and my heart flipped over. I’d slept an entire day. Not even disturbed by one of those things coming through. There was also no power. The lights wouldn’t turn on. I cursed and called the main house’s landline. Mr. Yamamoto answered on the second ring.

“Is the power out?” I asked him.

“It is, but the power company is already on their way. It appears to be a line down. Seems to have been a remote storm over our area last night.”

I sucked in air. Whatever had come through had been big. And I hadn’t heard it at all. “Is there anyone new at the house?” It was the last thread of hope, though minuscule.

“No. Should there be?”

My heart tore in two at that moment. He was gone. Back to his world, alone. Had he even taken any supplies? Given himself a few days of comfort? I dug through the bag I’d packed. Nothing missing. Even the little dragon statue was sitting on the table where he’d left it. I dropped to my knees, the room spinning and my heart feeling like a knife was stuck in it.

He’d left. For a minute it felt justified. I’d left him dozens of times. Abandoning him to loneliness and torture. Wasn’t it fair that he do the same to me?

I had told him I loved him, but he never said the same back. Had the years made him vengeful?

“Mr. Frank?” Yamamoto asked.

“Thanks,” I told him. “Any estimates on the power being back on?”

“A few hours at most.”

I felt broken. A toy robot crushed with batteries fading. “Okay, thank you. Keep me updated.”

“Of course,” he said though still sounding uncertain. I hung up and lay there, not caring about anything but the pain in that moment. Heartbroken and lost.

What was the point of anything? The day to day grind. Dealing with a world filled with hate? Avoiding people and trying not to die from selfish capitalism? What did any of it matter?

The depression was crushing at that moment, zapping my strength to do more than breathe. The idea of getting up, trying to live my life, seemed impossible. How did anyone survive truly knowing the torture others endured and being unable to stop it? Even if my heart hadn’t been part of the equation, I wasn’t sure I could have walked away unscathed.

I lay there a long time staring at the little statue sitting on my table, contemplating his motives. The worst part was that I didn’t believe he’d left out of spite. My gut told me he left to save me, not wanting me to suffer as he had, even if it was justified. That was the person I knew Xiang to be. Even after dozens of lifetimes, he hadn’t been corrupted by rage, greed, or loneliness. Xiang simply accepted what had been thrown his way as his lot in life.

That was where we’d differed. Always. This life and the glimpses I got from the past. After that first life in which I’d acted as a prison guard, I’d made small changes each time. Working to step beyond the constant orders of the world at large, growing myself, and hoping for change. All these years of fighting fate, and yet here we were, back in the same place, separated once again. Maybe he’d been right the whole time. It was hopeless.

I didn’t realize I had closed my eyes until someone was shaking me awake. A firm slap to my cheek had me blinking into the light of the room. The power was back on. Addy kneeling over me looking worried. “I swear if you had any sort of a fever I would have you rushed to the hospital so fucking fast,” she told me.

“Hi,” I said, my back telling me sleeping on the floor hadn’t been a good idea. “What are you doing here?” The lack of light from the window told me it was dark. “Shouldn’t you be home with your family?”

“You’re my family too, you big jerk. Mr. Yamamoto called and said you were acting odd on the phone this morning. I came as soon as I could. Zach, what’s wrong? Are you sick?”

“He left,” I said, my voice cracking with pain. “He left…”