It's half past midnight. This is a time most people go to sleep but the little town of Greenfield was not. Night was day for them and day night. They loved night parties and activities. The nightclubs in the city were so much that a stone throw was the only distance between two night clubs.
Jimmy sat at the counter taking his drink. He was in a very good mood that night. He had been promoted in his place of work and his pay increased. He felt he needed to celebrate and thus he found himself in the bar.
Jimmy sighted a beautiful lady dancing with a guy some metres away from him.
He was attracted by the girl's beauty but it seemed she was already taken. He took another sip from the glass cup in his hand.
“You like her, don't you?” Someone asked him.
Jimmy looked at the person who spoke to him. It was an handsome man who wore a black leather jacket and blue jean. He had blue eyes and a full hair which was properly combed.
“Excuse me? ” Jimmy spoke.
“I mean you like the girl, don't you? ” He asked again as he sat down and requested a drink.
Jimmy scoffed and replied. “She is Beautiful and all but I can't have her. ”
“Why? Is it because of that dude dancing with her? ” The man asked pointing to the guy dancing with the lady.
Jimmy scoffed again. “I don't want to start a fight. ”
“Well, I think that you should go there and tell her about your feelings ”
Jimmy felt a burning desire to have this girl. He couldn't control it do he stood up and went over to the girl.
He dragged the girl's hand from the guy she was dancing with.
“Who are you? Let me be! ” She told him but he refused to let her go.
“You are mine, so no one can have you. ” Jimmy told her.
Her boyfriend whom she was dancing with intervened. “Dude, she's my girlfriend. ”
Jimmy looked at him straight in the eye. “And so what? ”
The whole club had gathered round them watching to see the outcome.
Jimmy faced the girl.“I don't know what you are doing with this loser, here.”
The lady's boyfriend lost his self control and attacked Jimmy but jimmy was smart as he dogged his flying fist and gave him an uppercut which landed him on the floor.
He got up and rushed at Jimmy, then it happened. Jimmy stabbed him to death with his pocket knife.
Immediately he was dead, Jimmy recovered himself and saw what he had done. His hands were full of blood. He looked back to find the man who had advised him but he wasn't there anymore. He was gone. He had foolishly listened to a stranger and look where it had landed him.
Selina dropped her bag in the motel room she and Mitchell had rented.
Mitchell entered with her things.
“Do you think this place is safe enough?” Selina asked Mitchell.
Mitchell unzipped her bag.
“We can't remain in one place for long.”
Selina sighed.“My life is no worse than it was before I died.”
Mitchell slapped Selina's left arm gently. “Don't worry, hopefully help will come soon.”
Mitchell left to the bathroom in order to inspect it.
“There's not a single tissue here.” She cried out from the bathroom.
Selina was thinking of her family, how she missed them. What would they be doing now? She asked herself. Their usual business, she also replied herself.
Selina was still lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice when Mitchell walked out of the toilet.
“Didn't you hear what I was saying?” She queried Selina.
Selina was cut off from her thoughts and was back to reality. “Sorry, I didn't.”
“There's no toilet paper available in the toilet.”
“That's bad.”
Mitchell recalled the supermarket they passed by on their way to the motel.
“I think there's a supermarket close by.” She searched her bag and brought out her credit card.
“Let me go with you.” Selina requested.
“No, stay at home.”
“Why?”
“Cause whatever's looking for you out might be out there.”
“Is that not dangerous for you also.”
“Chiqita, you are the only one they know not me.” she opened the door. “And whatever you do, please do not go into that toilet cause you might not like what you'll see.”
Selena's faced showed expression of disgust.
Mitchell pushed her trolley to the tissue section of the supermarket. She took all she needed and went over to the counter to pay for the goods.
After scanning her goods, the salesman took her credit card and tried to perform a transaction with it.
“Ma'am, your credit card is invalid.” He told Mitchell
Mitchell's face could not hide her shock.
“Why is it invalid?”
The salesman looked at her and smiled.
“What?” She asked the man.
“Its just that asking me a question only you and your bank can answer.”
Mitchell calmed down. “So what will I do now?”
“Since you do not have the cash, you will have to leave the goods behind. I'm sorry.” The salesman said
A man walked up to them. “Let the lady have her goods, I will pay for them.”
Mitchell looked at the strange man. Who was he?
The man offered her a hand shake. “I am Andrew.”
Mitchell shook his hand. “I am Mitchell.”
“Mitchell, such a fine name for a beautiful lady.”
Mitchell found herself blushing, something she had never done before.
“I have to go now. It was nice meeting you, and thanks again.” she carried her goods and left the supermarket.
Mitchell met Selina sleeping on the bed.
She silently walked to the toilet in order to clean her mess after which she went to bed.
A loud knock on the door woke Selina up. It was early and the sun was not even up yet. Who would knock on the door if not a supernatural entity.
She tapped Mitchell.
Mitchell sat up and rubbed her eyes.
“What?” Mitchell asked her.
“Someone's at the door.”
“Then go get it.”
“Who would visit us by this time of the day?”
“I don't know, motel service?”
Selina frowned at Mitchell's reply.
Mitchell noticed it. “Okay! I will go get it.”
Mitchell opened he door. She found no one. On the floor laid a package with her name written on it.
She took it in, locked the door and dropped it on the bed.
“What's that?” Asked Selina.
“I don't know.” She replied.
She unwrapped the package. In it was a golden necklace. It's pendant was the statue of a baby holding a arrow.
She held it up. “It's beautiful.”
Selina was irritated.“Who is it from?”
Mitchell picked a note from the package which says; WITH LOVE FROM ANDREW
“Who is he?” Selina asked her.
“A guy I met at the supermarket, yesterday.”
“You met at the supermarket?” Selina asked with surprise written all over her face. “That was just yesterday!”
“And so?”
“All I'm saying is that it's a little bit too early and besides you can't settle down.”
“Says who?” Mitchell asked with anger written all over her.
Selina sighed. “With the whole supernatural beings saga, you still want to settle?”
Mitchell stood up. “I didn't escape Paradise, you did. So don't drag me into your problems.”
“I didn't drag you into this, you offered to be part of this and now you are backing out?” Selina sighed. “Thats so -” She took her jacket and walked out.
Selina entered a bar and sat at the counter. What had just happened? It all seemed bizzare to her.
A man rushed into the bar, yelling.“This place's cursed! It's cursed!” Then he ran out.
“What was that all about?” She asked the barman at the counter.
The Barman replied. “That's Earnest Xavier son of Timothy Xavier the mayor of Greenfield. He became like this when his wife suddenly left him for another man. His heartbreak led to his madness.”
Selina noticed a little similarity in her story with the man's.
Selina searched the streets of Greenfield looking for Earnest. She felt something had happened to Mitchell that needed attention or else she could be in danger. Finally she found him in a corner of the street living inside a trashbin.
She went over to him but when he saw her approaching, he ran and she chased after him. They continued running till they got to Greenville's scrapyard.
Earnest got tired of running, so he hid himself.
Selina looked all over for him but she couldn't find him. She was about giving up but her instinct told her to check an abandoned school bus closeby. There he was hiding at the last row.
“What do you want from me?” He asked her.
“I just need you to tell me what you know about the curse in this town.”
“It's Cupid the pagan god of lust.”
Selina had watched movies and cartoons about Cupid but never had she thought of him as a being.
“Cupid? Does he truly exist?” She asked him.
“Yeah, he does and he is in this town.”
“How do you know this?”
“Cause I've met him.”
10 years ago
Earnest couldn't believe the fact that his lovely wife Charlene just left him like that for that fool who doesn't even have a name. After all they've been through together, he just couldn't believe it. He poured the bottle of whiskey on the floor. Something was wrong, earnest felt it. He didn't believe in voodoo or hoodoo but the situation required him to do so. He was going to monitor that man for any suspicious activity. If indeed the man was using any sort of magic, he would find it and destroy it.
Earnest sat on his car outside the club waiting for the man to show up.
The man stepped out and started heading home. Earnest got out of his car and followed on foot.
Earnest followed him to his house and hid behind the trees outside.
After doing some things, the man left the house seemingly heading for another club.
Earnest entered the house looking for anything suspicious but found none.
He was about going when he found a door in the man's wardrobe.
Earnest opened it and followed the staircase in it down to the basement.
There was blood and human parts everywhere. Ladies parts were all over the place.
“Charlene!!!” He called out.
A weak voice answered. “Earnest, what are you doing here?”
Earnest traced the voice to where she was. Charlene was tied, bruised and left naked.
Earnest could hardly recognize his wife.
“I am getting you out of here, Charlene” he said.
“No don't!” She protested. “He will be mad at me.”
“This man is killing you, Charlene.”
“He's not. He loves me and I love him.”
“Can't you see what he's doing to you?”
“She can't see,or feel any other thing than the desire to have me.” A manly voice replied.
“You son of a bitch!” Earnest tried to attack him but with the wave of his hand, the man had him glued to a spot.
Earnest tried to move. “What is this?”
The man walked to Charlene and opened his mouth wider than normal. Something like light escaped Charlene's mouth and entered his mouth.
“Ha, delicious.” The man said
“Kiss me,” Charlene begged. “Please, I beg of you.”
“No,no,no, Charlene,” The man replied.“We might enrage your husband.”
“I don't know him neither do I love him. It is you I love.”
Even with the inhuman treatment Charlene was still in love with this man.
“Who are you?” Earnest asked the man.
“I'm Cupid,”
“Cupid As in the pagan god of love?”
“You know those babies with little arrows with a love sign at the edge? That's me.”
“I will tell others about you.”
“That is the spirit.” He said. “Go on and see how many will actually believe in you.” He snapped his fingers and Earnest found himself back in his house.
Present Day
“Do you know how to stop this thing?” Selina asked him.
“With the blade of the Author's sons.”
“But we don't have that.”
“There is another way,”
“Which is?”
“We have to break his bow.”
“I don't know but I do know that it will render him powerless for a certain period of time.”
“We have to find that bow.”
Selina received a text from Mitchell saying she was going out with Andrew.
Andrew led Mitchell into his house. He blindfolded her.
“Where are you taking me to, Andrew?” She asked him.
“To a secret place.” He told her.
After some minutes, he untied the cloth from her face.
“Where am I?” She asked him.
He snapped his fingers and within seconds she was tied to a wall.
“WHO ARE YOU?” She asked him.
He was surprised that his charm had started wearing off.
He sat on a chair. “Fascinating. My charm is wearing off quicker than it should.” He got up and walked to her. “I think the question here is; who are you?”
“I don't think she has the answer.” A voice spoke.
Andrew turned and saw Selina standing with Earnest beside her.
“Look what the cat dragged in!” Andrew exclaimed.
“Your reign in this city is over.” Selina spoke
“Is it? Cause I think it just started.” He replied.
He snapped his fingers and Earnest disappeared leaving Selina. Then he squeezed his fists and Selina started coughing blood.
“There was a time I was once worshipped as a god. Everyone prayed to me, feared and respected me, but now I'm just a character in children shows. No one even remembers me as the god of lust. The most funniest thing is that they portray me as a naked baby shooting an arrow but the truth is I never had a bow that shoots love into people. All I do is heighten the lust that is already there and I feed from that negative energy they give out and become stronger.”
Selina could feel her organs being compressed. She looked up and laughed.
Andrew was curious. “Why are you laughing?”
“He's at your back.” Selina said.
He turned back and saw Earnest there. Earnest then stabbed Andrew's eyes with a knife therefore blinding him. He cried out in pains.
“Lust starts from the eyes before the heart. So there is no bow actually, but your eyes.” Selina said. “Now you are powerless.”
“Not forever, my eyes will heal.” He replied. “And then I will come for you three!”
“We will be waiting,” She bent close to where Andrew lay. “Please, do us a favour; don't keep us waiting.”
They all untied his victims and left him there in pains.
Selina and Mitchell were packing their things because they had to move to somewhere else.
Earnest knocked on the door and Selina opened it for him.
“I just wanted to thank you for your help last night.” He said.
“That was something we all benefitted from,” Selina replied.
“You are leaving?”
“Yeah, I have to.”
“If you ever visit Greenfield again, my place is available.”
“Thanks”
He hugged her and then left.
Selina then shut the door and went back in.
“I'm sorry for the things I said to you whe-” Mitchell was cut off by Selina.
“That wasn't you but the Cupid's charm speaking.”
“I know but-”
“Uh - uh, let bygones be bygones.”
Mitchell stared at her for some seconds. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome.” Selina smiled at her and she smiled back.