The Broken Curse by Taylor Lavati Read Free Book Online Page A

or the temperature or just the subconscious recognition, but in my gut, I know.  
    I'm on top of a large hill, beside my dream self. She's staring down at something, so I follow her gaze and am amazed at what I see. Two armies clash together, creating one large pushing and shoving mass with hordes of bodies flying and sprinting and attacking in the center of the large crater-like land.
    It's clear who's losing and winning; unfortunately, my team is getting pushed farther and farther back towards the side of the castle. I recognize familiar faces in the warriors. spotting Mikey right away as he's attacked from behind.
    He's in a battle with a large demon with black hair. Mikey zips back and forth, transporting from place to place, getting a jab in here and there. He's not panicked or rushed. He's smart with his movements. Shane comes into view, and he's helping Mikey confuse the demon.
    Bodies litter the ground everywhere: soldiers from both sides of the war dead. I try not to look at their faces for fear that I might recognize someone, but it's impossible to look away.
    As I begin to walk down the hill, I notice a body at the bottom, on top of the pile. My eyes meet with Kara's, but she's no longer there. Her eyes are glassed over and vacant. She's gone. She's dead.  
    "NO!" I scream and run for Kara. I cradle her head in my hands and lean into her chest, trying to breathe life back into her body. But when I look down I see that my touches do nothing to her. She doesn't budge when I try to cradle her.
    I look back up at the hill and see my dream self. She doesn't show any emotion at all; she just stands there looking like a statue. She just watches the chaos that takes place below the hill and a small smile emerges on her face.
    "Let's go," a faint male voice says.  
    "They're all going to die," my dream self responds. The male is invisible to me for some reason. I can feel his presence, hear his voice, and I know that he's there.  
    "You ended your curse, Hades is stuck here. We've done enough. Leave them. It's time to be free." The man is so familiar to me. Despite the fact that I can't see him, I just know that I know him. His face is revealed as I narrow my gaze, and it's Ollie. He's smiling, happy, despite the dead bodies piling on the ground.  
    Something is wrong here.  
    "Okay," my dream self answers. She turns and takes Ollie's hand and kisses him on the lips. He elongates it and bends her backwards, dipping her as he sprinkles kisses along her neck bone. They clasp hands and turn together, walking in perfect harmony. It's a strange image, almost nightmare-like. What if this is just a nightmare? A real, human , nightmare?
    My dream self walks away, and I'm left alone at the bottom of the hill, sitting in a pile of death. I'm left watching my friends and family die. One by one. And I can't do a single thing to stop it.  

CHAPTER SEVEN
    torn

    I wake from the nightmare, and instantly all the images of dead bodies ingrain in my head. I dart up, clutching the sheets, and look around the room. My heart is beating out of my chest. I glance across the room and see Kara sound asleep, her chest rising and falling evenly.  
    I run to her side of the room and shake her awake. I can't do this. I just saw her lying in a heap of death, her eyes glazed over. I can't risk her. I can't go through with this.
    "I changed my mind," I say as I shake her more. Her eyes blink open and roam with worry. Her black pupils dilate way too fast, the yellow in the center of her eyes electric. She sits up in bed and glares at me, running her hand through her light blonde hair as she yawns. I can tell that I've taken her off guard, but I can't do this.
    "What do you mean?" Her voice is like a mouse: minuscule and soft.
    "You can't go with me."  
    "And why not?"
    "I had a dream, and it doesn't go well."
    "Really?" Her eyes draw downward in defeat, and I don't have it in me to break her further.
    "Yes. Please, don't say anything to anyone