Chapter 6: The Curse Spreads

For days, Mariah’s parents had hunted down every psychic in town, desperate for answers. With their wealth and grief, they ran into a parade of fakes. Savannah was the only one they trusted. Scared of being duped again, they hid behind the screen to watch.

My words must have hit them like a freight train.

Savannah, still reeling from losing her spirit, looks helplessly at the unconscious couple. I notice a faint black haze above their heads and slap two protective charms—like supernatural Post-its—on their foreheads. After a moment, they start to stir, groggy and confused.

Aunt Bell grabs my hand, her voice trembling, “Please, you have to save Mariah and Diego!”

I’m stunned. “Ma’am, didn’t you hear what I said? Didn’t you get it?”

“We heard, but how could Diego be the bad guy? They were kidnapped together!”

Uncle Bell chimes in, his hands shaking, “I know Diego—he’d do anything for my daughter! He’d never hurt her! Our business is his future—why would he risk that?”

I feel a wave of helplessness. Looks like the fox spirit’s gotten to all of them…

I up the protection, sticking two more charms on their foreheads. After a minute, the couple finally snaps out of it. They stomp their feet, clutch each other, and cry out, blaming themselves for not protecting Mariah. “Why did this happen?”

Aunt Bell looks at me, eyes pleading. They’ve spent their lives helping kids in need; Mariah’s never done anything wrong—why her? Isn’t good supposed to be rewarded?

I don’t have an answer.

The question hangs heavy, like thunder before a storm. Seeing their pain, Savannah speaks softly, “We can’t promise good things always happen to good people, but we can make sure evil gets what it deserves.”

Her words land somewhere between a vow and a warning, echoing in the silent room.