The Curse - Chapter Five

Kristen is doomed to be Kathrine's prisoner forever.......

or to try and escape.

When Kristen isn't doing something Kathrine demands, she gets punished by being locked up in her room. The only thing Kristen has to keep her sane is a stuffed dog she talks to when she's alone. 

Each day Kathrine makes Kristen eat alone and gives her very little to eat. Kathrine speaks only to Kristen when she wants her to do something or yell at her. 

Every day Kathrine makes Kristen clean everything from the floors to the dishes.

One day, right before Kathrine heads out to gather some things, she calls for Kristen to come to her. "I'm going out, I need you to finish what is on your list to do, and you are not to leave this house. Remember what I told you."

Kathrine normally would lock Kristen in her room when she would leave. However, she figured since Kristen had been listening to her and had not run off, she would be alright to leave the girl to finish her chores. Kathrine didn't think Kristen would attempt to run away. Even if she tied, she couldn't make it far. 

As soon as Kristen thinks she's in the clear, she runs as fast as she can in the opposite direction to try and find anyone that might be able to help her. She didn't realize she was so far away and in the middle of a swamp.

When Kathrine returns, she realizes that Kristen has runoff. This infuriates her, and she decides to teach Kristen a lesson when she finds her.

Kathrine heads upstairs to her bedroom, where she keeps her book of spells. She looks up the spell she will need to cast on Kristen. "This will teach that girl to disobey me."

Kathrine gathers what is needed for the spell and then mixes it together. I will teach her not to make me mad. She will never run off again.

After Kathrine finishes the spell, she finds Kristen and brings her back. Kathrine begins to yell at Kristen. "I told you if you ran away, you would regret it!" Kristen stands in fear of what Kathrine's going to do to her. "For disobeying me, I will curse you, but let your parents live for now,"  she informs Kristen. Kathrine hands Kristen a small vial with a strange red liquid. "Drink it," she demands Kristen, who looks hesitant. "What is this?" Kristen asks as she looks at it in disgust.  "Do as your told," Kathrine scolds as she shoves Kristen's hand closer to her mouth. Kristen takes a drink but begins to gag. "Drink it all," Kathrine demands as she steps closer to Kristen, who has tears in her eyes. Kristen drinks the rest of the vial and tries to keep it down. "Run away again, and your parents will die! Now go to your room!" she commands.

They both head downstairs to the basement, where Kathrine locks Kristen in her room. When Kristen reached the bottom of the steps, she started to feel sick.

Before Kristen knew it, Kristen fell to the floor, and everything went black.

Little Kristen lay on the floor for two days, unconscious.

When she finally came to, she felt so different. Disoriented, Kristen walked over to a shiny piece of metal that had enough reflection. She noticed her eyes were a different color. They looked a bit red to her, but she figured it was because she had been asleep and sick. There was also something else she just couldn't figure out what it was.

Upstairs, Kathrine heard Kristen's movement below her.

Kathrine unlocks the door and yells for her to come outside.

"Well, I see you're awake now. I told you if you ran away that, I would curse you, and so I have. You will be sensitive to light, and if you stay out in it too long, it will burn your skin. Your eyes will be red as fire, and when you turn into an adult, you will grow fangs and never grow old. You will have to survive on blood. This will make you a monster like me, and everyone will fear you! Everyone that you love will die, and you will watch them!" Kathrine said as she gave a laugh at the pain this would bring to Kristen, who started to cry. 

Standing alone, Kristen is horrified at what Kathrine has just told her. "I will never be able to go back now. I'm a monster! What have I done?" Kristen just sobs.

Downstairs she picks up her puppy and cuddles him. 

"I will have you to love. I can never go back to my family and friends. I must stay here and live out the rest of my life."

While cleaning one day, she comes across a strange book. "I bet this is where she keeps her secrets. Curious, Kristen can't help but take a look.  

"It's a spell book. I have read of such books that were forbidden. I wonder if I can find a spell to free me of this curse! My mommy did teach me to read some when I was younger. Maybe I can find something." Kristen tries to read and find the spell to cure herself, but it makes no sense as she starts to read the book. "I will never be able to find the right spell. If she catches me, I'll be doomed for sure."

Stricken with sorrow and fear, Kristen realizes she has no way out. She must do exactly what Kathrine tells her and hope that someday, someone will come and find her.